[Avodah] Shibboles Shu'al

[Micha Berger]

I just wrote:
: I just caught up with yesterday's daf, Challah 1. Amud beis through
: 2a discusses the 5 minim...

Well, 2a raises an interesting question if we're to continue to identify
shiboles shu'al with oats. (See the thread at
<http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/getindex.cgi?section=Y#YEAST%20ISNT%20CHAMEITZ>
for some arguments for and against.)

In the previous post I discussed the gemara's reliance on chimutz to
define which are the 5 grains. That's from the beginning of the sugya.
At the end, it brings a ra'ayah from Yeshaia 28:25
    ... vesam chitah, sorah, use'orah, nismah vekhusemes gevulaso.
And the gemara says that sorah (spelled with a sin) is shibboles
shu'al. Why then does the pasuq call is "sorah"? because it is made like
a shurah.

Now, of all the grains usually listed as the 5: wheat, oats, barley,
rye and spelt (in the order in the pasuq here), oats is the only one
that does NOT grow in rows.

See the pictures at
http://thesensitivebaker.com/gluten-free-bakery/index.php/are-oats-even-related-to-wheat/
(or <http://bit.ly/hjPGVR>). That web page defends oats as shibboles
shu'al even though the Bavli says all 5 grains are breeds of chitah or
seorah, and barley doesn't look remotely like either (nor is taxanomically
close).

But you'll see that the other 4 grains grow in rows at the end of the stalk,
oats grow off the sides off little stemlets.

So, in what sense does the Y-mi call this "keshurah"?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The purely righteous do not complain about evil,
micha at aishdas.org        but add justice, don't complain about heresy,
http://www.aishdas.org   but add faith, don't complain about ignorance,
Fax: (270) 514-1507      but add wisdom.     - R AY Kook, Arpilei Tohar