Shehechiyanu on Grafted Fruit

Hi,

If trees of different species are grafted in a manner which violates Jewish law, the fruit they produce is still permitted. However, one should eat the fruit in a way which will not require a Shehechiyanu blessing (ie eating them with another new fruit), to avoid making a berachah expressing joy at this sin.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:58)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shehechiyanu on produce created with a transgression

Hi,

There is debate as to whether one recites Shehechiyanu for fruit which is the product of a prohibited interspecies graft.

As a matter of practice, Rav Moshe Feinstein wrote that one should not recite the blessing for such a graft, since Gd indicated His displeasure with this practice when He prohibited Jews from doing it.

(R' Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:58)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Eating fruit from a grafted tree

Hi,

One may not graft a branch from a tree of one species to a tree of another species. However, one may eat the fruit which results from such a graft. This permission extends to the product of any interspecies grafting - fruits or vegetables.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 295:7; Beiur haGRA Yoreh Deah 295:22)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Maintaining a grafted tree

Hi,

One may not maintain a tree if it is has been grafted inappropriately. However, one may take a branch from such a grafted tree and plant that branch elsewhere. (Of course, the fact that this latter use is permitted does not justify the original, prohibited act of grafting.)

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 295:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What is grafting?

Hi,

One may plant vegetables and vines around the base of a tree, even if the roots of the plants get into the roots of the tree; the only "grafting" prohibition is against mixing one tree with another.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 295:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Having someone else do the grafting

Hi,

Just as one may not graft a branch from one species of tree on to a tree of another species, so one may not have a non-Jew do this on his behalf. This follows the view that both Jews and non-Jews are instructed against cross-species grafting.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 295:2; Beiur haGRA Yoreh Deah 295:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Grafting branches of trees that do not bear edible fruit

Hi,

One may graft different species of non-fruit-bearing trees to each other; this is the dominant view, although there are those who disagree.

Note that "fruit-bearing" means that a tree bears edible fruit.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 295:6; Pitchei Teshuvah Yoreh Deah 295:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Hi,

Yesterday we mentioned that one may not graft trees of different species.

Within a single species, one may graft different trees to improve one's fruit. Thus one may take a branch from one apple tree and graft it on to another apple tree.

However, note that wild crabapples and edible are considered different species. More on this in the next few days.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 295:6; Pitchei Teshuvah Yoreh Deah 295:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Grafting

Hi,

One may not graft a branch from one species of tree on to a tree of a different species. This applies whether in Israel or outside of Israel.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 295:1)

Of course, we still need to define "species" - stay tuned...

Have a great day,
Mordechai