Armenian cucumber

Hebrew: מְלָפְפוֹן פָקוּס, melafefon fakus
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Scientific name: Cucumis melo var. flexuosus

The Armenian cucumber, from the Cucurbitaceae family, is from the cucumber genus. It is a summer crop, long and narrow in shape. Numerous archaeological findings suggest that it was one of the main food species commonly consumed in our region in antiquity.

In Scriptures, the kishu is mentioned as a plant the Israelites longed to eat in the desert, recalling the delicacies they ate in Egypt. In the Mishnah, kishu’im are frequently mentioned, usually alongside cucumbers.

There is no dispute that what we refer today as kishu, zucchini, is not the same plant mentioned by the Sages or in the Torah since it originates from the Americas. However, there are various species within the Cucurbitaceae family that might be the kishu and melafefon (cucumber) mentioned in ancient texts. One of the primary plants mentioned is the Armenian cucumber.

Terumot and ma’aserot (offerings and tithes): One of the actions that the Sages mention that obligate the kishu and melafefon in terumot and ma’aserot is pikus (מִשֶּׁיְּפַקֵּס), removing the fuzz covering the vegetable. Indeed, one of the defining features of Armenian cucumbers is that it is covered with a fine layer of fuzz.

Kilei zera’im & kilei hakerem (interplanting mixed species – annuals & grapevines): The Armenian cucumber is an annual, so it is classified as a vegetable. Therefore, it should not be planted near other vegetables or a vineyard.