Ful Halavan Rabbi Moshe Bloom

INSTITUTE

BY RABBI MOSHE BLOOM

www.toraland.org.il/en

Ful Halavan: the “White Bean” and Kilei Hakerem

Q u e s t i o n :

Grapes began growing on my grapevine, and I trellised them onto a plastic string. I cleared everything 1 amah from the trunk of the vine. Thyme and mint grow nearby. Now the branches of the vine hang over the thyme and the plastic string hangs over the mint. Am I forbidden to benefit from my grapes, thyme, and mint now?

Answer: It is forbidden to allow kilei hakerem grow throughout the year. However, the grapes become forbidden

for benefit only from the time they reach the size of a ful halavan (Rambam, Kila’im 5:13); this size is approximately from 5–10 mm. At this time of the year, the grapes have reached the size of a ful halavan, so if the grapes and vegetables or herbs grew together, they all become forbidden.

If the grapevine is hanging over the thyme, it is forbidden even through there is one amah between the place the vine was planted and the thyme.

It is forbidden to plant mint underneath the trellis wire of a grapevine, even in places where the grapevine hasn’t yet reached. Nevertheless, in this case the grapes and mint would not be forbidden. As well, It is imperative to ensure that even if I didn’t actively plant mint there, the mint is cleared from the area.

In the present case, where the vinegrower was not aware of the prohibition, he or she should immediately direct the vine elsewhere. If this is performed promptly, the grapes, thyme, and mint will not be forbidden.

We recommend that those growing grapevines in their yards check that no vegetables or herbs are growing underneath or nearby, to avoid the kilei hakerem prohibition.

D o n ’ t w a i t f o r t h e n e x t C h a m s i n