Seven Species
The Seven Species (Hebrew: שִׁבְעַת הַמִינִים, Shiv'at HaMinim) are seven agricultural products—two grains and five fruits—that are listed in the Hebrew Bible as being special products of the Land of Israel.
The seven species listed are
History
The Seven Species have played an important role in the food of the Israelites in the Land of Israel and the religious traditions of Judaism.
Many references to these basic foods can be found in
Wheat
The ancient Israelites cultivated both wheat and barley. These two grains are mentioned first in the biblical list of the Seven Species of the land of Israel and their importance as food in ancient Israelite cuisine is also seen in the celebration of the barley harvest at the festival of Passover and of the wheat harvest at the festival of Shavuot.[4]
Barley
A hardy cereal that has coarse bristles coming from the ears. It is widely cultivated, mainly for use in brewing and stockfeed.
Grapes
Grapes were used mainly for the production of wine, although they were also eaten fresh and dried.[5]
Figs
Pomegranates
Olives
The
Dates
While in Jewish law dates are under the category of the seven species, bee honey may have been the type of honey that is referred to in the Torah. By the time the Talmud was written honey bees were extinct in Israel, and dates were used in place of honey, the excavation of Tel Rehov shows that beekeeping was practiced in Israel in the early Iron Age 3,000 years ago during the time of
Several accounts in Torah also indicate that bee honey existed in ancient Israel; in the Book of Judges Samson takes honey from a bee hive that he finds in the carcass of a lion (Judges 14:8–9, see also Samson's riddle).
As a reference for measurements
The size of various measurements are tied to the specific amounts and sizes of
Modern significance
The seven species are traditionally eaten on Tu Bishvat, the Jewish "New Year for Trees"; on Sukkot, the "Festival of Booths"; and on Shavuot, the "Festival of Weeks". In halakha (Jewish law), they are considered more important than other fruits, and a special berakhah (blessing) is recited after eating them. Additionally, the blessing prior to eating them precedes those of other food items, except for bread. The seven species are all important ingredients in Israeli cuisine today.
Deuteronomy 8:8 is prominently inscribed (in the Latin
References
Notes
- ^ Cooper 1993, pp. 4–9.
- ^ "The Seven Species". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ Zisling, Yael. "The biblical seven species". Gems in Israel. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- ^ Macdonald 2008, pp. 19–21.
- ^ Marks 2010, p. 237.
- ^ Marks 2010, p. 196.
- ^ Macdonald 2008, pp. 28–31.
- ^ Marks 2010, pp. 479–480.
- ^ Macdonald 2008, pp. 23–24.
- ^ Marks 2010, pp. 153–154.
- ^ Ancient bees found in Israel hailed from Turkey By Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times (June 8, 2010)
Sources
- Cooper, John (1993). Eat and Be Satisfied: A Social History of Jewish Food. New Jersey: ISBN 0-87668-316-2.
- ISBN 978-0470391303.
- Macdonald, Nathan (November 17, 2008). ISBN 978-0-8028-6298-3.
Further reading
- Anonymous; Suval, Yeshaya (Illustrator) (July 2, 2012). The Seven Species Coloring Book. Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S.A.: OK Playtime. ISBN 978-1560623786.
- )