- Q, Dear Rabbi. Why is the planting of trees and eating their fruits so important that we have a special day to celebrate?
A. In the Land of Israel each year's crop must be tithed separately. In addition, different tithes are given on different years of the seven-year Shemitta cycle. In years 1, 2, 4 and 5, a second tithe called "Ma'aser Sheini" is separated.
In Temple times it or its monetary equivalent would be consumed in Jerusalem, while today it is redeemed on a coin which is later destroyed. In years 3 and 6 the "poor man's tithe" ("Ma'aser Ani") is separated. And fruit which grow in the 7th year are sacred Shemitta fruit.
The "new year for trees" is actually on a different date – namely Rosh Hashanah.
During a tree’s first three years – both in Israel and the Diaspora – its fruits are forbidden under the biblical injunction against eating Orlah (Leviticus 19:23). If a tree was planted sufficiently prior to Rosh Hashanah, it concludes its first year with Rosh Hashanah and then begins its second year of growth.
When partaking of fruits grown in Israel, they must be properly tithed. Otherwise, the fruits are not “kosher.”
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a
Important Numbers
