Gardening & Halacha: Kilayim
Gardening might seems as simple as putting a seed in the ground and watching it grow. However, there are halachic issues that can easily come up wherever you are gardening in the world. Join Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman as he explores the world of kilayim, the prohibition of mixing different kinds of species in the garden. After learning this, you’ll never grow tomatoes and cucumbers in the same way again!
Gardening & Halacha: Kilayim: Gardening & Halacha: Kilayim
Hello Everyone,
Welcome to this series of shiurim on the subject of gardening and the prohibition of Kilayim- the “mixing of species.”
These halachot are very interesting. If a person lives in Israel and wishes to plant vegetables then she or he must make themselves familiar with these Halachot because Kilayim is on of the mitzvot which are obligatory in the the Land of Israel. Bit even if someone lives in the Exile of New Jersey, asides from the mitzvah to learn Torah, the laws of Kilayim are interesting because they are a window to how the sages of the Talmud viewed nature. To be more specific, the laws of Kilayim are based on the taxonomy of those sages.
In these three sessions we will discuss both the practical halachot and the remarkable system of classification to be found here.
Gardening & Halacha: Kilayim: Gardening & Halacha: Kilayim
Kilayim is a prohibition of the Torah. The prohibition forbids the mixing of different types of vegetables when planting them . It follows then that in order to observe this mitzvah we need to both how the halacha defines “types” and what the Halacha means by “mixing.”
Last week in our first meeting we discussed how the Halacha classifies various types of flora- in other words the Halachic system of taxonomy. Today I plan to discuss with you what the Halacha means by “mixing.”
I look forward to meeting with you.
Stuart Fischman
Gardening & Halacha: Kilayim: Gardening & Halacha: Kilayim
Hello Everyone,
In the previous two sessions we discussed the halachot ofכלאי זרעים . Today we will discuss the theory of כלאים. In other words, what lessons are we meant to learn form the prohibition of כלאים. One may say that there are are two schools of thought regarding this question. There is a “rational” school and a “mystical” school. I hope to discuss both of these schools.
Thanks to everyone who participated in these sessions.
Stuart Fischman
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman graduated from Yeshiva University in 1980 and the dental school of Columbia University in 1985. In 1989 he began studying and teaching at Yeshivat Hamivtar and now studies and teaches at Yeshivat Machanaim in Efrat. He has rabbinic ordination from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.