[Avodah] Plants in Cities Coronavirus Curfew

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, May 12, 2020 at 10:22:04PM -0400, Zev Sero wrote:
> Re: Yerushalayim, see Hil' Beis Habechira 7:14.

Which
1- Begins "Yerushayim mequdeshes mish'ar ha'arayos hammuqafos chomah",
so being on this list means it is NOT true of other cities.

2- Has pre-existing flower gardens from the days of "nevi'im rishonim"
as an exception. (Interesting turn of phrase, given how we group Tanakh,
But I don't know exactly when the Rambam means.)

The Kesef Mishnah says the source it BQ 82b, which explains why. So I
went there.

The problem with gardens, orchards and crop fields (Rambam: ganos,
padeisim, ve'einah nizr'as...) are the smell (sircha), which Rashi says
is from either weeds decaying after they were pulled or fertilizer.

> Re any city, see Bava Basra 24b.

Trees in particular, not plant in general.

Ula says because noy ha'ir, which Rashi back on the mishnah quotes and
says because it is pretty for a city to have free space in front of it.
Nothing about IN the city.

Seems to me that aside from Y-m there is nothing there against plants in
the city, especially if you use a bagging mower and a modern not-so-smelly
fertilizer. It is kind of rare to get an unpleasant odor coming up from
the median of Park Ave or Sederot Rothchild.


But the aesthetic judgment too, it's only about trees up against a city's
walls. Not even sure Rashi would expect this of unwalled cities.


Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

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