orlah

Orlah is a biblical prohibition in Jewish dietary law concerning fruit from trees. The command appears in Leviticus 19:23–25, which states that fruit from a tree during its first three years may not be eaten. This rule applies to trees planted in the Land of Israel and is part of the Torah’s broader system of agricultural laws governing cultivation and permissible produce.

In the fourth year, the fruit is designated neta revai and is treated with special sanctity. Traditionally, the fruit of the fourth year is to be eaten in Jerusalem or otherwise set aside for a dedicated ritual, reflecting its status as holy for praise to the Lord. After the fourth year, ordinary consumption of the fruit becomes permissible, provided other agricultural laws, such as tithes and offerings, are observed for produce grown in Israel.

Scope and practical implications: Orlah applies specifically to fruit trees planted after the commandment. It does not apply to fruit from trees already beyond the first three years. The biblical injunction is generally understood as binding in the Land of Israel; many rabbinic authorities treat orlah obligations as not applicable outside the land, though practices and stringencies can vary among communities.

Rabbinic literature and later codifications: Orlah is discussed in the Mishnah, particularly in tractate Orlah, and is codified in later Jewish legal codes, including the Shulchan Aruch. In modern practice, observance involves identifying the planting year, marking trees, and ensuring that orlah fruit is not consumed, especially within Israeli agriculture where orlah rules intersect with general laws of terumot and ma’aser.