Rabbi Moshe Bloom is Former Rosh Kollel in Warsaw, Poland 2013-2017. He Currently serves as Educational Coordinator at Midreshet HaTorah VeHa'Aretz and Head of the English Department at Machon HaTorah VeHa'Aretz.
In this week's Torah portion, Parashat Noach, Noah and his family leave the Ark and receive God's blessing to rebuild the world. Noah becomes a farmer and plants a vineyard. Later, he drinks wine from his grapes, gets drunk, and embarrasses himself in front of his children.
Basic Facts About Grapevines - Information from "Gan HaMitzvot":
How Grapes Grow: Grapevines are climbing plants. If they spread out along the ground, they are called a Gefen Roglit. If they are grown on a trellis or fence, they are called a Dalit.
Pruning: Grapevines grow very fast. Farmers must cut them back (prune them) every year so the plant stays healthy and produces good fruit to sell.
Four Main Uses: People historically grew grapes to make grape juice and wine, dry them into raisins, cook them into grape honey, or eat them fresh as fruit.
Special Status in Judaism: Wine made from grapes used for holy purposes in the Beit HaMikdash, has its own special blessing (Borei Peri HaGafen), is forbidden for a Nazirite, and is required for Shabbat Kiddush.
What is Kil'ei HaKerem? (Mixing Crops with Grapes)
The Torah (Deuteronomy 22:9) forbids planting other types of crops next to a grapevine.
Strict Rules: Most mixed-crop prohibitions (Kil'ayim) only forbid eating the grown food. Mixing crops with a vineyard is much stricter: you cannot eat the food or get any benefit from it at all, it must be burned.
Torah Law Today: In the Land of Israel, this rule remains a direct commandment from the Torah d'Oraita today.
Grain near young vine shoots
Why Is This Rule So Strict?
Wine is special because it can be used for holy acts like Kiddush, but it can also lead to drunkenness and ruin, as happened to Noah. Furthermore, basic foods like grains and vegetables are necessities for survival, while wine is a luxury. The Torah teaches us to keep clear boundaries between life's essential necessities and luxuries.
The Basic Rules of Distance
What cannot be planted near a vine?
Vegetables, grains, beans, tea plants, or annual spices. If they grow by accident, they must be removed.
How far away must you plant?
Single Vine or Single Row: Keep at least 1 ammah (about 48 cm / 19 inches) between the vine and the vegetable.
Watch out for Overhang: You must ensure the branches or leaves of the vine do not stretch over the vegetable. If the vine casts a shadow over the vegetable, the vegetable becomes forbidden.
Mint Warning: Do not plant mint near grapevines because mint spreads very fast and is hard to control.
Trellises: If a vine is trained on a support frame or trellis, the law considers the vine to cover the entire frame. You cannot plant vegetables under or near any part of that frame.
Full Vineyards: If you have a full vineyard (at least 2 rows with a total of 5 vines), you must keep a distance of 4 ammot (about 192 cm / 6.3 feet).
Important Guidelines to Remember
Wild Growth: If vegetables grow near your vine by accident without your knowledge, you cannot use them until you pull them out, but they aren't forbidden forever. Uproot them as soon as you see them.
Location: This rule is a Biblical command inside the Land of Israel, but a Rabbinic command outside of Israel.
Flowers & Grass: You may plant trees near grapevines. Ornamental flowers and grass are generally allowed near vines as well though some rabbis are strict.
When Does It Become Forbidden? Vegetables become forbidden once they take root near the vine. The grapes themselves become forbidden once they reach a small fruit stage (smadar).
Buying Grapes: In some places (like near Hebron), non-Jewish farmers sometimes plant cabbages between grapevines. If you buy or receive grapes from them, you are permitted to eat them after the fact. However, to start with (l'chatchilah), you should only buy grapes with reliable kosher supervision.
May we merit to fulfill all the land-related commandments properly!
For comments: h.moshe@toraland.org.il
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