Shehechiyanu on vegetables

Hi,

Yesterday we said that one does not recite this blessing regarding vegetables, because they are available all year. Note that for the purpose of this law, "vegetables" refers to produce upon which we recite "borei pri ha'adamah."

Of course, certain vegetables are only available seasonally, but we still do not recite the Shehechiyanu for vegetables.

Two reasons are presented for this ruling:

1. Most vegetables are available most of the year, and we don't distinguish between one vegetable and another within the general category, and

2. Vegetables can be preserved for long periods of time without deterioration in quality, and so one does not feel great joy when they are again available fresh.

Of course, one would not recite Shehechiyanu on a fruit which was around all year, either.

(Mishneh Berurah 225:18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shehechiyanu on fruit that has been available

Hi,

One recites a Shehechiyanu only for fruit which goes through periods when it is not available. If it is always around, one does not recite this blessing - even if he goes a long period of time without eating it.

This is one reason why the blessing is recited only on fruit and not on vegetables; more on this in the next post, Gd-willing.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 225:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shehechiyanu on related species

Hi,

One who recites the Shehechiyanu blessing for a certain new fruit may still recite the blessing for a related new fruit in the same season, if the two fruits differ in taste and he feels the same joy at experiencing the later one as he did when experiencing the earlier one.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 225:4; Mishneh Berurah 225:14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shehechiyanu on underripe fruit

Hi,

One who feels great joy when seeing the new fruit even before it is ripe should still not recite the blessing until seeing the fruit in a ripe, edible state.

(Mishneh Berurah 225:12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When does one say the Shehechiyanu?

Hi,

We recite the "Shehechiyanu" blessing before reciting the normal blessing on eating the fruit, so as not to interrupt between the normal blessing and the act of eating the fruit.

One who eats a little and then remembers to recite the Shehechiyanu blessing may still recite it. The key is that he should recite it only so long as he feels special enjoyment from the new availability of the fruit.

(Mishneh Berurah 225:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shehechiyanu upon seeing or eating the fruit?

Hi,

We mentioned yesterday that one who sees a newly available fruit, which is only available in season, and who experiences joy from seeing it, recites the "Shehechiyanu" blessing.

This is true even if one does not purchase the fruit, but only sees that someone else has it. So long as one benefits from the experience, he recites the blessing.

However, we generally recite the blessing only upon eating the fruit, which is when most people feel the height of their enjoyment.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 225:3; Mishneh Berurah 225:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shehechiyanu upon seeing a new fruit

Hi,

With Tu b'Shevat next Friday night and Shabbat, and an associated custom of eating fruit that has not been in season for a while, let's review the laws of reciting Shehechiyanu before eating a new fruit.

One who sees a newly available fruit which is only available in certain seasons, and feels great joy at seeing it, recites the blessing of 'Shehechiyanu.' The text of the blessing is 'Baruch Atah Ado--nai Elo--heinu Melech HaOlam Shehechiyanu viKiyimanu viHigianu laZman haZeh.' 'Blessed are You, Gd, Our Lord, King of the Universe, who has given us life, maintained us and brought us to this day.'

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 225:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tu b'Shevat

Hi,

Tu b'Shevat [celebrated on Shabbat January 29-30 this year] is the equivalent of the tax season's January 1, in the Jewish tithing calendar for Israeli produce: It is the first day of the financial year. Therefore, tree-fruit which blossoms before Tu b'Shevat is tithed as part of one tithing cycle, and tree-fruit which blossoms after Tu b'Shevat is tithed in a different cycle.

To celebrate this day, and to express gratitude for the edible fruit of our trees, many Jews eat fruit on Tu b'Shevat.

(Mishneh Berurah 131:31)

[How do the different tithing cycles work? I'm glad you asked:
Each year's produce is tithed differently. In all non-shemitah years, 2% goes to the Kohanim and 10% to the Levites, but in certain years another 10% is brought to Yerushalayim to be eaten there, and in other years that last 10% is given to the needy.
Also: one may not tithe one year's produce using another year's produce.
Aren't you glad you asked?]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yichud with a granddaughter

Hi,

We have already noted that the prohibition against Yichud does not apply to a man with his daughter. The same is true regarding a man with his granddaughter.

Of course, if a man knows that he feels attraction, then he is required to observe the laws of Yichud regarding these relatives as well.

(Bach Even haEzer 21 והמחבק, Pitchei Teshuvah Even haEzer 22:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Remaining above suspicion

Hi,

Aside from the basic prohibition against a man being secluded with a woman to whom he is prohibited, one must also make sure to remain above suspicion of immoral conduct. This applies, in particular, to one who represents Torah in his public persona.

For example, the Shulchan Aruch notes that a Torah scholar may not live [on an on-going basis] in a house where he could easily be secluded with a widow, lest that feed into rumors.

(Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:17; Beit Shmuel Even haEzer 22:18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yichud with a child present

Hi,

A man may be secluded with a woman who is prohibited to him, if a child is unavoidably present. The child must be old enough to understand when something prohibited is taking place.

(Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:10; Beit Shmuel Even haEzer 22:15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yichud Leniencies

Hi,

We have said that otherwise-prohibited seclusion is permissible in a space which opens on to a public area. We also say that one may be secluded with a woman if her husband is in town, unless they are overly familiar and comfortable with each other. (Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:8-9)

We see here that the leniencies associated with this law are somewhat subjective; the definitions of “opening on to a public area” and “overly familiar and comfortable” are vague. Therefore, and given the family-shattering and community-shattering consequences associated with an error in these matters, one should exercise great caution in applying these leniencies.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Seclusion in a semi-public place

Hi,

We have said that a man may not remain secluded with a woman who is prohibited to him. However, this prohibition does not apply in a space which is open to a public area.

(Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yichud for one's trade

Hi,

A man may not be alone with women even if it is for his livelihood.

(Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yichud with one's wife present

Hi,

We have said that a man may not be alone with a women to whom he is prohibited. This even applies to being alone with multiple women on an on-going basis, unless his wife is among them.

(Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:3, 5; Beit Shmuel Even haEzer 22:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yichud for newlyweds

Hi,

We have said that a husband and wife may be secluded together even when the wife is a niddah; since they have been together sexually before, and since they can expect to be permitted to each other again soon, we do not require separation.

However, if a kallah is a niddah at the time of the wedding, the chatan and kallah may not be secluded together until the niddah period ends. This includes the 'yichud room' at the wedding, although, of course, that avoidance of yichud must be handled discreetly.

(Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:1; Aruch haShulchan Even haEzer 22:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yichud with one's sister

Hi,

We have said that a man may not remain secluded with a woman who is prohibited to him.

There is some debate regarding a sister and brother; prominent authorities are lenient.

(Aruch haShulchan Even haEzer 22:1, and see Beit Shemuel Even haEzer 22:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yichud with one's wife when she is a niddah

Hi,

We have said that a man may not remain in seclusion with a woman to whom he is prohibited.

Nonetheless, a man may be alone with his wife when she is a niddah; we assume that their restraint will be sufficient, because they have been together sexually before and because they know that in a short time they will be permitted to each other again.

(Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

New topic: Yichud

Hi,

Today we begin a new topic: Yichud, the prohibition against a man remaining in seclusion with a woman, if sexual relations with her are prohibited.

The main concern involved in this prohibition is that the man might assault the woman. Therefore, a man may be alone with his mother or daughter; in normal situations, the man would not feel any desire to assault her.

There is some debate as to the origin of this prohibition, but it is generally understood to be biblical if a man is with a woman who is prohibited to him biblically, and rabbinic if she is prohibited to him only rabbinically.

(Shulchan Aruch Even haEzer 22:1; Beit Shemuel Even haEzer 22:1; Aruch haShulchan Even haEzer 22:1-3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Arlah for a transplanted or re-grown tree

Hi,

We have said that benefit from the fruit of a tree's first three years is prohibited. If a person transplants a tree, the three-year count re-starts.

If a tree is chopped down, but some piece of the trunk remains above the ground and the tree re-grows from that spot, the three-year count does not re-start.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 294:16, 18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Planting seeds from Arlah fruit

Hi,

We have said that benefit from the fruit of a tree's first three years is prohibited. The prohibition includes planting that tree's fruit, intending to grow a new plant from its seeds.

However, a tree that grows from such planting is permitted. The new tree did not grow exclusively from the forbidden fruit's seed - it also received nourishment from the external environment.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 294:12; Shach Yoreh Deah 294:24)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Possible Arlah

Hi,

One who has an Israeli fruit that might be arlah (from the tree's first three years), must assume it is from those years and is prohibited. One need not make such an assumption regarding non-Israeli fruit, though.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 294:9; see Shach Yoreh Deah 294:19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Calculating the three years of Arlah

Hi,

For the purposes of Arlah, 3 years does not mean 1095 days. Rather, if a tree is planted 44+ days before Rosh haShanah, those 44 days count as 1 year, and then Year 2 begins with Rosh haShanah, and Year 3 begins with the following Rosh haShanah.

To give an example:
If I plant more than 44 days before Rosh haShanah 2009, then the 3 year count ends with Rosh haShanah 2011.
However - any fruit which begins to grow between Rosh haShanah of 2011 and the following Tu BiShvat is also prohibited.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 294:4-5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Using arlah fruit after the three years are over

Hi,

The fruit of a tree's first three years is forbidden, under the law of Arlah.

The Arlah prohibition extends even after the three years, meaning that one may not simply preserve the fruit until after the 3-year mark, and then use it.

(Shach Yoreh Deah 294:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The prohibition of Arlah

Hi,

One may not benefit from the fruit which grows on a tree during the tree's first three years. This law is called Arlah.

This prohibition applies to use of the fruit itself, as well as its seeds, shells, blossoms and skins. However, one may use the branches and leaves of the tree.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 294:1-2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Cutting back a Fruit Tree, Part III

Hi,

One may cut back a fruit-bearing tree, if he needs the space in which it stands.

(Rosh to Bava Kama 91, cited in Taz Yoreh Deah 116:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai