Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day - Daily Torah Study

1The restrictions of neta reva’i applies to all plants to which the prohibition of orlah applies. And all plants that are exempt from orlah are not obligated for neta reva’i, as Leviticus 19:23-24 states: “For three years your plants will be orlah.... In the fourth year...”אכָּל שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה - יֵשׁ לוֹ רְבָעִי, וְכָל שֶׁפָּטוּר מִן הֶעָרְלָה - אֵינוֹ חַיָּב בָּרְבָעִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים לֹא יֵאָכֵל, וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִת יִהְיֶה כָּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַה'" (ויקרא יט, כג-כד).

2When a person plants a fruit tree with the intent that it serve as a hedge for a garden or he planted it to use it as lumber and not for its fruit, it is exempt from the prohibition of orlah.בהַנּוֹטֵעַ אִילָן מַאֲכָל וְדַעְתּוֹ עָלָיו שֶׁיִּהְיֶה סְיָג לַגִּנָּה, אוֹ שֶׁנְּטָעוֹ לְקוֹרוֹת הָאִילָן לֹא לְפֵרוֹתָיו - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר מִן הֶעָרְלָה.

If he planted it to serve as a hedge and then change his mind and thought to use its fruit or he planted it for the sake of its fruit and then thought to use it as a hedge, since an intent that obligates it was involved, he is liable.1נְטָעוֹ לִסְיָג וְחָזַר וְחָשַּׁב עָלָיו לְמַאֲכָל, אוֹ שֶׁנְּטָעוֹ לְמַאֲכָל וְחָזַר וְחָשַּׁב עָלָיו לִסְיָג - כֵּיוָן שֶׁעֵרֵב בּוֹ מַחְשֶׁבֶת חִיּוּב, חַיָּב.

If he planted it for three years as a hedge and afterwards, intended to use it for food, the laws of neta reva’i do not apply, because whenever the laws of orlah do not apply, the laws of neta reva’i do not apply.נְטָעוֹ שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁנִים לִסְיָג, וּמִכָּאן וְאֵלֵּךְ לְמַאֲכָל - אֵין לוֹ רְבָעִי; שֶׁכָּל שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עָרְלָה, אֵין לוֹ רְבָעִי.

3When one planted a tree with the intent that inner side will produce food and the outer side will serve as a hedge or the lower portion will produce food and the upper portion will serve as a hedge, the portion that was intended for food is liable in the prohibitions of orlah and the portion intended as a hedge or for lumber is exempt. For the matter is dependent on the intent of the one who plants it.גנָטַע אִילָן וְחָשַּׁב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַצַּד הַפְּנִימִי שֶׁלּוֹ לְמַאֲכָל וְהַחִיצוֹן לִסְיָג, אוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַצַּד הַתַּחְתּוֹן לְמַאֲכָל וְהָעֶלְיוֹן לִסְיָג - זֶה שֶׁחָשַּׁב עָלָיו לְמַאֲכָל, חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה; וְזֶה שֶׁחָשַּׁב עָלָיו לִסְיָג אוֹ לְעֵצִים, פָּטוּר; שֶׁהַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בְּדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁל נּוֹטֵעַ.

The prohibition of orlah applies to only the caper berries of the caper tree, but its leaves are permitted.וְהַצָּלָף חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה, הָאֲבִיּוֹנוֹת בִּלְבָד; אֲבָל הַקַּפְרִיסִין מֻתָּרוֹת.

4When a person plants trees for the sake of people at large2 in his own field, the prohibition of orlah applies. For the term “And you shall plant...” used in the prooftext cited above implies even for the sake of people at large. When does the above apply? In Eretz Yisrael. In the Diaspora, by contrast, such trees are exempt.דהַנּוֹטֵעַ לָרַבִּים בְּתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ - חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּנְטַעְתֶּם" (ויקרא יט, כג) - אַפִלּוּ לָרַבִּים. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל; אֲבָל בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, פָּטוּר.

5When a person plants trees in the public domain or on a ship, when trees grow on their own accord in a private domain, when a gentile plants a tree whether for himself or for a Jew, or when a thief plants a tree, the laws of orlah and neta reva’i apply.ההַנּוֹטֵעַ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים, וְהַנּוֹטֵעַ בִּסְפִינָה, וְהָעוֹלֶה מֵאֵלָיו בִּרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד, וְהַנָּכְרִי שֶׁנָּטַע בֵּין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין לְעַצְמוֹ, וְהַגַּזְלָן שֶׁנָּטַע - חַיָּבִין בֶּעָרְלָה וּבָרְבָעִי.

6Trees that grow on their own accord in rocky terrain are exempt.3 Even one who plants trees in an unsettled place is exempt, provided the tree does not produce enough fruit so that it would be worthwhile for a person to care for its produce until he brings it to a settled land. If, however, the tree produces enough that it is worthwhile to maintain it, the prohibition of orlah applies to it.והָעוֹלֶה מֵאֵלָיו בִּמְקוֹם טְרָשִׁין, פָּטוּר. אַפִלּוּ הַנּוֹטֵעַ בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ יִשּׁוּב, פָּטוּר. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה עוֹשֶׂה כְּדֵי טִפּוּל שֶׁמִּטַּפֵּל בְּפֵרוֹתָיו עַד שֶׁמְּבִיאָן לְיִשּׁוּב. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה כְּדֵי טִפּוּלוֹ, חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה.

7When a person plants a tree for the sake of a mitzvah, e.g., he plants an esrog tree to fulfill the mitzvah of lulav and esrog or an olive tree to produce oil for the Menorah,4 the prohibition of orlah applies. If he consecrated a tree and then planted it, it is exempt. If he planted it and then consecrated it, the prohibition of orlah applies.זהַנּוֹטֵעַ לְמִצְוָה, כְּגוֹן שֶׁנָּטַע אֶתְרוֹג לְלּוּלָב, אוֹ זַיִת לַמְּנוֹרָה - חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה. הִקְדִּישׁ וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָטַע, פָּטוּר מִן הֶעָרְלָה. נָטַע וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִקְדִּישׁ, חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה.

8When a person plants a tree in a flowerpot without a hole, the prohibition of orlah applies. Although planting in such a pot is not considered as planting in the earth with regard to smaller plants, it is considered as planting in the earth with regard to trees.חהַנּוֹטֵעַ בַּעָצִיץ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נָקוּב, חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ כָּאָרֶץ לִזְרָעִים, הֲרֵי הוּא כָּאָרֶץ לְאִילָנוֹת.

9When a tree is planted in a house, the prohibition of orlah applies. Trees planted by gentiles before our ancestors entered the Holy Land were exempt.טוְאִילָן שֶׁנְּטָעוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת, חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה. זֶה שֶׁנָּטְעוּ גּוֹיִים עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָאוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לָאָרֶץ, פָּטוּר.

After our ancestors entered the land, the prohibition applies even to trees planted by gentiles, as Leviticus 19:23 states: “When you enter the land and you plant....” The prohibition begins from the time of the entry into the land.אֲבָל מִשֶּׁבָּאוּ לָאָרֶץ, אַף מַה שֶׁנָּטְעוּ גּוֹיִים - חַיָּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם" (ויקרא יט, כג) - מִשְּׁעַת בִּיאָה.

10When a gentile grafts a fruit tree on a non-fruit bearing tree, the prohibition of orlah applies.5יוְגוֹי שֶׁהִרְכִּיב אִילָן מַאֲכָל עַל גַּבֵּי אִילָן סְרָק, חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה.

If a gentile desires to observe the mitzvah of neta reva’i, its laws apply to him and it is consecrated like neta reva’i belonging to a Jew.וְיֵשׁ לְנָכְרִי נֶטַע רְבָעִי - שֶׁאִם בָּא לִנְהֹג בְּמִצְוָה זוֹ, הֲרֵי הוּא קֹדֶשׁ כְּנֶטַע רְבָעִי שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

11With regard to the prohibition of orlah, planting a tree refers to planting a seed, a bough from a tree, or uprooting the entire tree from one place and planting it in another. We begin counting the three years from the time of the planting.6יאאֶחָד הַנּוֹטֵעַ גַּרְעִינָּה אוֹ יִחוּר מִן הָאִילָן, אוֹ שֶׁעָקַר אֶת כָּל הָאִילָן מִמָּקוֹם וּנְטָעוֹ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר - הֲרֵי זֶה חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה, וּמוֹנֶה מִשְּׁעַת נְטִיעָתוֹ.

The following laws apply if a tree was shaken from its place, but not uprooted and then one filled the surrounding area with earth. If it could live without the surroundings having been filled with earth, is exempt. If not, it is considered as if it was uprooted and replanted and the prohibition does apply.זִעְזְעוֹ אֶת הָאִילָן וְלֹא עֲקָרוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מִלָּא סְבִיבוֹתָיו בֶּעָפָר: אִם יָכוֹל לִחְיוֹת אִלּוּ לֹא מִלָּא סְבִיבוֹתָיו, הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר; וְאִם לַאו - הֲרֵי זֶה כְּמִי שֶׁעָקַר וְנָטַע, וְחַיָּב.

12Similarly, when a tree was uprooted and there remained a root, even one as thin as a needle over which embroiderers wind thread, if one returned it to its original place and replanted it, it is exempt from the prohibitions of orlah, because it could live.יבוְכֵן אִילָן שֶׁנֶּעְקַר וְנִשְׁאַר מִמֶּנּוּ בָּאָרֶץ שֹׁרֶשׁ אֶחָד, אַפִלּוּ כְּמַחַט שֶׁמְּלַפְּפִין עָלֶיהָ הָרוֹקְמִין אֶת הַשָּׁנִי, וְהֶחֱזִירוֹ לִמְקוֹמוֹ וּנְטָעוֹ - פָּטוּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִחְיוֹת.

The following rules apply if the tree was uprooted entirely together with the clod of earth to which its roots were attached and he replanted it as it is, together with that earth. If it could live from that clod of earth even if it was not replanted, it is as if it was not uprooted. If not, the laws of orlah apply.נֶעְקַר כֻּלּוֹ, וְנֶעְקְרָה הַסֶּלַע שֶׁשָּׁרָשָׁיו בָּהּ עִמּוֹ, וְחָזַר וּנְטָעוֹ כְּמָה שֶׁהוּא, בְּכָל הָאֲדָמָה שֶׁסְּבִיבוֹת שָׁרָשָׁיו: אִם יִהְיֶה יָכוֹל לִחְיוֹת מֵאוֹתָהּ אֲדָמָה אִלּוּ לֹא נְטָעוֹ, הֲרֵי הוּא כְּמִי שֶׁלֹּא נֶעְקַר; וְאִם לַאו, חַיָּב.

13When a tree was cut down from above the earth and a new tree grew from its roots, the prohibition of orlah applies.יגאִילָן שֶׁקְּצָצוֹ מֵעִם הָאָרֶץ, וְהֶחֱלִיף - חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה.

The three years are counted from the time the first tree was cut down.וּמוֹנִין לוֹ מִשְּׁעַת קְצִיצָה.

14Whether one plants a tree, one extends one,7 or grafts it, the laws of orlah apply.ידאֶחָד הַנּוֹטֵעַ וְאֶחָד הַמַּבְרִיךְ וְאֶחָד הַמַּרְכִּיב - חַיָּב.

When does the above apply? When one cut off a bough from the tree and planted it in the earth or grafted it to another plant.בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּשֶׁחָתַךְ בַּד אֶחָד מִן הָאִילָן וְהִבְרִיכוֹ בָּאָרֶץ, אוֹ הִרְכִּיבוֹ בְּאִילָן אַחֵר.

If, however, one extended a branch of an elder plant and then implanted it in the earth or grafted it onto another tree,8 leaving the bough connected to the elder tree, the new growth is exempt from the prohibition of orlah.אֲבָל אִם מָתַח בַּד אֶחָד מִן הָאִילָן הַזָּקֵן וְהִבְרִיכוֹ בָּאָרֶץ, אוֹ הִרְכִּיבוֹ בְּאִילָן אַחֵר וְעִיקַר הַבַּד מְעֻרֶּה בָּאִילָן הַזָּקֵן - הֲרֵי זֶה פָּטוּר.

15If the new growth which was originally extended grew and produced fruit and, afterwards, the source from which it was connected to the elder tree was separated, we count the years of orlah from the time that it was separated.9טוגָּדַל זֶה הַיֶּלֶד שֶׁהִבְרִיךְ וְעָשָׂה פֵּרוֹת, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִפְסַק עִיקָרוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מְעֻרֶּה בָּאִילָן הַזָּקֵן - מוֹנֶה מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנִּפְסַק.

The fruit that was growing on the tree before it was separated is, however, permitted, because it grew while permitted.וְאוֹתָן הַפֵּרוֹת מֻתָּרִין, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגָּדְלוּ בְּהֶתֵּר.

If he left the fruit on the new tree after the connection to the original tree was severed until their growth increased by a two-hundredth, the fruit is forbidden.10וְאִם הִנִּיחָן אַחַר שֶׁנִּפְסַק הָעִיקָר עַד שֶׁהוֹסִיפוּ בְּמָאתַיִם - הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ אֲסוּרִין.

16When a young tree11 was grafted on to an elder tree and there were fruit on the younger tree, the fruit on the younger tree are forbidden even if the fruit increases 200 times its size. For the basic fruit that comes from a forbidden entity cannot be elevated by the new permitted substances that grow.טזיַלְדָּה שֶׁסִּבְּכָהּ בִּזְּקֵנָה, וְהָיוּ פֵּרוֹת בַּיַּלְדָּה, אַפִלּוּ הוֹסִיפוּ מָאתַיִם - הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ הַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁל יַּלְדָּה אֲסוּרִין, שֶׁאֵין גִּדּוּלֵי הֶתֵּר מַעֲלִין אֶת הָעִיקָר הָאָסוּר.

17The following rule applies when a branch was extended from a tree and implanted in the earth and afterwards, the tree itself was entirely uprooted and it derives its nurture only from the branch implanted in the earth. The tree is considered as if it was planted at this time and the prohibition of orlah applies to it.יזאִילָן שֶׁהִבְרִיךְ מִמֶּנּוּ בַּד בָּאָרֶץ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נֶעְקַר הָאִילָן כֻּלּוֹ וַהֲרֵי הוּא חַי מִן הַבַּד שֶׁהִבְרִיךְ בָּאָרֶץ - נַעֲשָׂה אוֹתוֹ אִילָן כְּאִלּוּ עַתָּה נִטַּע, וְחַיָּב בְּעָרְלָה.

The three years are counted for the tree and for whatever grew from the implanted branch from the time it was uprooted.וּמוֹנֶה לָאִילָן וּלְמַה שֶׁצָּמַח מִן הַהַבְרָכָה, מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנֶּעְקַר.

18When a person extended a branch and implanted it in the earth and it grew, he then extended and implanted a branch from the new growth and it grew, and then he extended and implanted a branch from the third growth - and continued doing so even for 100 implants each connected with each other - since the connection with the primary plant has not been severed, all of the fruit is permitted.יחהֲרֵי שֶׁהִבְרִיךְ בַּד בָּאָרֶץ, וְצָמַח, וְהִבְרִיךְ בַּד אַחֵר מִמַּה שֶׁצָּמַח בָּאָרֶץ, וְצָמַח, וְחָזַר וְהִבְרִיךְ מִן הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, אַפִלּוּ הֵן מֵאָה מְעֻרִּין זֶה בְּזֶה, הוֹאִיל וְלֹא נִפְסְקוּ מִן הָעִיקָר הָרִאשׁוֹן - הַכֹּל מֻתָּר.

If the connection to the original plant is severed,12 the orlah years are counted from the time of the severance.וְאִם נִפְסַק עִיקָר הָרִאשׁוֹן, מוֹנֶה לַכֹּל מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנִּפְסַק.

19A tree which grows from a stump is exempt from the prohibitions of orlah. If it grows from the roots, the prohibition of orlah applies. The prohibition of orlah applies to a dwarf vine which is less than a handbreadth high throughout its entire life, because it looks like a tree that is one year old.יטוְאִילָן הַיוֹצֵא מִן הַגֶּזַע, פָּטוּר מִן הֶעָרְלָה; מִן הַשָּׁרָשִׁים, חַיָּב בֶּעָרְלָה. יַלְדָּה פָּחוֹת מִטֶּפַח - חַיֶּבֶת בֶּעָרְלָה כָּל שְׁנוֹתֶיהָ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִרְאֵית כִּנְטִיעָה בַּת שְׁנָתָהּ.

When does the above apply? To one tree or to a group of five, planted in a pattern where two are planted opposite another pair and a fifth is planted behind them. If, however, an entire vineyard is less than a handbreadth high, it would be a matter of common knowledge and its age is calculated in the same way as other trees.בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בִּנְטִיעָה אַחַת, אוֹ שְׁתַּיִם כְּנֶגֶד שְׁתַּיִם וְאַחַת יוֹצְאָה זָנָב; אֲבָל אִם הָיָה הַכֶּרֶם כֻּלּוֹ פָּחוֹת מִטֶּפַח - הֲרֵי זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹ קוֹל, וּמוֹנִין לוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמּוֹנִין לִשְׁאָר הָאִילָנוֹת.

20We may plant a branch from a tree that is orlah, but we may not plant a nut that is orlah, because it is produce and it is forbidden to benefit from it, as we explained in Hilchot Ma’achalot Assurot. If one transgressed and planted a nut that is orlah, the tree that grows from it is permitted like other trees.כנוֹטְעִין יִחוּר שֶׁל עָרְלָה, וְאֵין נוֹטְעִין אֱגוֹז שֶׁל עָרְלָה - מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא פְּרִי, וּפֵרוֹת עָרְלָה אֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָאָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת אִסּוּרֵי מַאֲכָלוֹת. וְאִם עָבַר וְנָטַע אֱגוֹז שֶׁל עָרְלָה, הֲרֵי הַצּוֹמֵחַ מֻתָּר כִּשְׁאָר הָאִילָנוֹת.

21Similarly, one may not graft underdeveloped clusters of dates, because they are considered as food.כאוְכֵן אֵין מַרְכִּיבִין כַּפְנִיוֹת שֶׁל עָרְלָה בִּדְקָלִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן כְּפְּרִי.

If one transgressed and grafted them, the fruits are permitted. The rationale is that whenever an entity has two causes, one forbidden and one which is permitted, since it comes as a result of both of them, it is permitted. Therefore a plant that grows from fruit that is orlah is permitted, because its growth was caused by the forbidden fruit and the earth which is permitted.עָבַר וְהִרְכִּיב, מֻתָּר. שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי גוֹרְמִין, אֶחָד אָסוּר וְאֶחָד מֻתָּר - הֲרֵי זֶה הַנִּגְרָם מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם מֻתָּר. לְפִיכָךְ הַצּוֹמֵחַ מִפֵּרוֹת עָרְלָה - מֻתָּר, שֶׁהֲרֵי גָּרַם לַצִמֻחַ הַפְּרִי הָאָסוּר וְהָאָרֶץ הַמֻּתֶּרֶת.

Footnotes

The three years of orlah are counted from the time the tree is planted regardless of when he thought of using it for food (Radbaz).

I.e., he does not plant the trees in order to partake of the food himself, but to leave it as ownerless, for any passers by to partake of them [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Orlah 1:2)].

This applies even if the rocky terrain is a person's private property. We are forced to say that for the previous halachah already mentioned a tree that grew on its own accord in the public domain (Radbaz). The rationale for this law is that since the soil is not good, the trees will not grow well and will only produce a minimal amount of fruit. Hence, it is considered as if one has planted these trees for purposes other than their fruit and the prohibition of orlah does not apply as stated in Halachah 2.

The candelabrum in the Temple.

It is forbidden for a Jew to make such a graft. Once it is made, however, a Jew can benefit from the fruit. He must, however, wait the three orlah years (Radbaz).

I.e., in the case of a replanted tree, we do not consider the years it grew in its previous place.

Havrachah, translated as “extending,” is a technique that was used particular with regard to vines. After a vine had grown for a long time, the head of the vine is planted in the ground where it grows new roots and thus has the potential to better nurture the new growth. As evident from the continuation of the halachah, sometimes the connection to the original vine is severed and it continues to grow as entirely independent plant. Other times, the connection is allowed to continue and then it is considered only as an extension of the original plant.

Thus the grafted branch will be receiving nurture from two sources (ibid.).

For severing the connection is considered like planting it.

10.

For the prohibition of orlah is nullified in a mixture one/two hundredth the size of the forbidden matter. In the instance mentioned above, once the connection to the original tree is severed, everything which grows is considered as orlah. Thus the fruit remaining on the tree has both permitted and forbidden elements to its existence. If it grows more than the amount stated above, the prohibited substance within it is not nullified and it causes the entire fruit to become forbidden.

11.

I.e., one that was not yet three years old.

12.

The implanted plants are considered as new entities and the prohibition of orlah applies to them.

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Maaser Sheini - Chapter 10

Maaser Sheini - Chapter 10

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