Hebrew: אָנָנָס, ananas
Family: Bromeliaceae
Scientific name: Ananas comosus
The pineapple is a perennial plant with long leaves that cover a thick stem. Each stem produces one fruit only, but often secondary shoots develop from the stem or root suckers, which also produce additional stems, each bearing a single fruit. As the plant matures, many side shoots form and produce fruit. However, the quality and size of the fruit decreases, and the plant becomes a tangle of thorny leaves, losing its economic efficiency. In Israel, the plant is uprooted after the first fruit is produced (15-24 months); in other places in the world, it is uprooted after producing from 2-4 fruits. The leaves cover the entire stem, which cannot be seen without removing the leaves.
The pineapple fruit develops from the inflorescence of many flowers that fuse to form the fruit (a multiple fruit). The fruit can be used in various ways: fresh, canned, as part of different dishes, and as juice.
The pineapple is a tropical plant native to Central and South America, introduced to our region only a few centuries ago. Today, it is successfully cultivated in various parts of Israel, including the western Negev.
Tree or vegetable: Since pineapple is a perennial, the primary halachic discussion about pineapple revolves around whether it is classified as a vegetable or a tree, the latter classification necessitating waiting three orlah years before its consumption.
The key criterion mentioned in Rabbinic literature regarding the definition of a tree or vegetable is the plant’s structure. Any plant that produces leaves from its base (me’ikaro) is considered a vegetable. One interpretation of “base” refers to the trunk or stem. Since pineapple leaves completely cover the stem from the ground up to the top of the plant, it is considered a vegetable.
Additionally, halachic authorities have noted that a tree is typically defined by its fruit improving in quality and quantity each year. In contrast, the quality of pineapple fruit declines over time, similar to vegetables.
The growth characteristics of the pineapple further resemble those of a vegetable, such as its thin roots.
As a result, the accepted halachic classification of pineapple is a vegetable, meaning it is not subject to the laws of orlah (the three-year prohibition on consuming fruit from newly planted trees). However, this classification also has stringent implications:
Kilei zera’im & kilei hakerem (interplanting mixed species – annuals & grapevines): Pineapples should be properly distanced from edible annuals and grapevines.
Blessing: Borei peri ha’adamah (Creator of fruits of the ground).
Shemitah (Sabbatical year): Despite being classified as a vegetable, since the pineapple is a perennial plant, it is not subject to the sefichin prohibition even if the fruit itself begins to develop only after Rosh Hashanah of the shemitah year (see Learn More for an explanation on sefichin).
© כל הזכויות שמורות 2024 | הצהרת נגישות
