What is the significance of the seven species mentioned in this Pasuk?
Rashi (in Ki Savo, 26:2): These are the seven fruits for which Eretz Yisrael is praised.
Seforno: "Eretz Chitah u'Se'orah" teaches us that Eretz Yisrael provides its inhabitants with the basic ingredients for sustenance, and "Eretz Zeis Shemen u'Devash" that it also produces delicacies. 1
Targum Yonasan: "Gefen" refers to vines that produce sweet and strong wine. Refer also to 8:8:3:1 and to 8:8:4:1.
B'rachos, 44a: The Torah actually hints at the measurements in connection with various Mitzvos 2 : "Chitah" - a wheat loaf with regard to Achilas P'ras; 3 "Se'orah" - a bone the size of a barley with regard to Tum'as Ohel of a Meis; "Gefen" - the Shi'ur of a Revi'is of wine 4 for which a Nazir is subject to Malkos; "Te'einah" - food the size of a dried fig for which one is Chayav for carrying on Shabbos; "Rimon" - a hole the size of a pomegranate that causes private vessels to lose their status as Keilim; 5 "Zeis Shemen" - the majority of measurements are a k'Zayis; 6 "D'vash" - the Shi'ur for eating on Yom Kipur is that of a large date.
The Seforno does not comment on grapes, figs and pomegranates.
Torah Temimah: The Gemara concludes however, that this Pasuk is merely an Asmachta, since all Shi'urim are Halachah le'Moshe mi'Sinai.
See Torah Temimah, note 5.
See Torah Temimah, note 6.
See Torah Temimah, note 7.
See Torah Temimah, note 8. DH 'asher Avanehah Barzel' as to how this constitutes a praise of Eretz Yisrael.
What is the significance of the order in which the seven species are listed?
B'rachos, 41a: Whatever is mentioned earlier takes precedence regarding reciting a B'rachah - wheat takes precedence over barley, and grapes over figs and pomegranates. 1
Why does the Torah repeat the word Eretz" in the same Pasuk?
Refer to 8:7:151:2.
B'rachos, 41a: To teach us the order of significance with regard to the B'rachah - Because whatever is closer to the word "Eretz" takes precedence over what is further away. Consequently, adding the second "Eretz" teaches us that olives and dates take precedence over grapes 1 with regard to the B'rachah 'Borei P'ri ha'Eitz'.
Oznayim la'Torah #1 (citing the P'nei Yehoshua): In order to learn via a Gezeirah Shavah "Eretz" "Eretz" that Bikurim is confined to the seven species. 2
Oznayim la'Torah #2 (citing the Yerushalmi in Bikurim): Because bread and oil (rhe first item after the "Eretz" because they are the mainstay of the house, 3
Oznayim la'Torah #3: To draw a distinction between the first five, which are always healthy to eat - even if one chews wheat and barley grains - and the last two, which are sometimes harmful. 4
Since they are closer to the second Eretz than it is to the first. See Oznayim la'Torah DH 'Eretz Chitah u'Se'orah' #2, who elaborates further and discusses as to why the Torah does not omit the second "Eretz" and simply list the seven species in the correct order.
See Oznayim la'Torah DH 'Eretz Chitah u'Se'orah' #2, who elaborates.
See Oznayim la'Torah, towards the end of DH 'Eretz Chitah u'Se'orah' #2.
What are the implications of "Zeis Shemen"?
Rashi and Targum Yonasan: It means oil-producing olives. 1
Oznayim la'Torah: It implies olive-oil - to preclude olives, as the Gemara states in Horayos, 13b: 'Just as olives cause a person to forget what one learnt over seventy years, so does olive-oil help him recall what he learnt over seventy years.
See Sifsei Chachamim.
What sort of honey is the Pasuk referring to?
Rashi (in Mishpatim Sh'mos, 24:26) and Targum Yonasan: It is referring to honey-producing dates. 1
Rashi (in Sukah, 6a): In fact, all sweet foods are called 'honey', and dates are a species of sweet food.
Why does the Torah not write simply 'Eretz Zeisim u'Temarim'?
Oznayim la'Torah: It writes "Zeis Shemen" because olives are harmful, and "D'vash" because dates are sometimes harmful 1 - when they are not eaten as a desert, as the Gemara states in Kesuvos 12 and in other locations.
Though it is not clear how the word "D'vash" implies this
Seeing as wheat is mentioned in the Pasuk before grapes, why do we recite the B'rachah on wine before the B'rachah on Chalah when reciting Kidush on Shabbos and Yom Tov?
