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Torah Flora

Plants and nature in Bible and Jewish tradition

Bananas—For blessing, not for slapstick, even on Purim

(Botanical basis of the blessing said before eating a banana; March 2008)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Blessings, Purim Tagged banana, Blessings, Purim

Mushrooms—Selfish, helpful, and rocket fuel

(Mushrooms in halacha, kabbalah, social criticism, and biology; March 2008)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Blessings Tagged Blessings, mushrooms

A tree that helps animals prepare for Purim?

(Elephants and the marula fruit; March 2008)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Purim Tagged marula, Purim

Timber for the tabernacle… Today

(Midrashic and botanical evidence of the source of the lumber used in building the mishkan; December 2007)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Land of Israel Tagged acacia, land of Israel, tabernacle (mishkan)

Ashkelon—Ancient Rome’s source for gourmet produce

(Ancient Israeli scallion and shallot exports; December 2007)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Land of Israel Tagged land of Israel, onion

Charoset for health

(Possible health benefits of cinnamon; August 2007)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Passover Tagged charoset, cinnamon, Passover, seder

The US Postal Service and a Jerusalem impostor

(The sunflower and the Jerusalem artichoke; August 2007)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Land of Israel Tagged Jerusalem, land of Israel, sunflower

How was your olive day? Tales and confusion of the white squill

(Identity and symbolism of ‘chatzav’; August 2007)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Land of Israel Tagged chatzav, land of Israel, olive, rockrose, white squill

Rav Kook plants a tree

(On the religious significance of planting trees in Israel; March 2007)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Environmental Conservation, Land of Israel Tagged Environmental Conservation, land of Israel, tree

May your children be like olive trees

(Metaphor of the olive tree in Psalm 128; March 2007)

Published August 20, 2008
Categorized as Nature in Biblical Metaphor Tagged olive, tree

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