A type of fruit.
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The Fragrance of BlessingTALMUD
The Fragrance of Blessing
TALMUD
Isaac's blessing to Jacob includes a reference to the smell of a field. In the Talmudic tractate Taanit, Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, in the name of Rav, interprets Isaac's comment about Jacob's smell as referring to the smell of a field of apple trees.
The Sweet Apple of Rosh HashanahCOMMENTARY
The Sweet Apple of Rosh Hashanah
COMMENTARY
The specific practice of blessing and eating a sweet apple with honey on Rosh Hashanah highlights the importance of the apple over the honey and the necessity of a blessing even after the hamotzi. The Mishnah Berurah, Israel Meir Kagan's late 19th-century commentary on Jewish law, discusses customs related to Rosh Hashanah, including the symbolic act of eating a sweet apple with honey.
The Apple of LoveTANAKH
The Apple of Love
TANAKH
The apple is used as a symbol of refreshment and sustenance, particularly in the context of love and affection. The Song of Songs, a poetic dialogue between two lovers, uses the imagery of apples to convey deep yearning and overwhelming emotion.
The Apple Tree MetaphorCOMMENTARY
The Apple Tree Metaphor
COMMENTARY
The apple tree is used as a metaphor to illustrate the unique and intimate relationship between the Jewish people and God. Rashi, the preeminent 11th-century French biblical commentator, offers an allegorical interpretation of the Song of Songs, comparing the apple tree to the Holy One, Blessed Is He.
The Apple Tree Metaphor #2TALMUD
The Apple Tree Metaphor #2
TALMUD
The Jewish people's commitment to action before understanding is likened to an apple tree whose fruit grows before its leaves. The Babylonian Talmud in tractate Shabbat uses this metaphor to highlight the unique virtue of the Jewish people.