The desire to understand the natural world of our ancestors, their language and the environment in which they lived and worked, motivates us to be interested in and to research plants mentioned in Biblical sources.
There are about one hundred plants mentioned in the Old Testament, and about four hundred that are mentioned in the Mishnah and the Talmud. The plants are mentioned in different contexts. For example, plants were used for ritual purposes (the Priests (Cohanim) would concoct incense from plants for use in the Temple) as metaphors and as allegories. Our ancestors also used plants in everyday life as well as in the fulfillment of religious commandments. They are mentioned in the sources in contexts of payment of offerings and tithes, Orlah (prohibition of eating or deriving benefit from the fruit of a tree during the first three years after planting), Leket, Shikhehah, Pe'Ah (gifts to the poor – the parts of the crops that a farmer must leave in the field for the poor), in rituals of impurity and purification, in questions pertaining to the use of agricultural produce such as Shaatnez (the prohibition of wearing a cloth made of a fabric that contains both wool and linen), Kil'ayim ("mixture" – the prohibition of crossbreeding seeds or animals, and mixing wool and linen), as raw materials for dyeing and for the soap industry, as symbols of love and longing (Song of Songs), etc. Most of the descriptions do not deal with the botanical aspect of the plant.
According to tradition, there existed a “Popular Hebrew Medical Book" in which most of the mentioned medicines were made from plants. Tradition attributes the book to King Solomon, and King Hezekiah concealed it (Bereita, Pesachim).
Further reading...
The Talmud tells the story of a Sage who had a list of plants on the wall of his room (perhaps the first plant key?).
Most of familiar plants in Israel today grew here also during the days of the Old and New Testament, and were familiar to our ancestors. Since all the references to plants in the Holy Scriptures are indirect, there exist disagreements among researchers as to the identity of the plants mentioned in Biblical sources. Many researchers investigated and still investigate this field. Their conclusions and quotes from their sayings are presented in the various plant pages.
Rabbi Dr. Immanuel Löw (1854-1904), the first researcher of the new age, whose studies still comprise a cornerstone for the identification of plants mentioned in Jewish Scriptures, should be mentioned. Rabbi Dr. Immanuel Löw was the rabbi of Szeged, Hungary. He studied the plants of the Land of Israel that are mentioned in Biblical sources, and was the most esteemed plant researcher since Pliny the Elder. Even though he never visited the Holy Land, he wrote the important book “The Plants of the Jews” (Die flora der Juden).
Plants are also mentioned in the New Testament, usually as metaphors. Many plants and flowers have become symbols in the Christian world: Madonna Lily (Lilium candidum), Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum) and others. These can also be found on the “Biblical Plants” pages. Explanations are given in the relevant plant pages. Surfers who would like to add information on this topic are invited to do so through the
mail link of the site.
Please wait...
