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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>As a fellow urbanite, this is indeed why I felt it so important to post this, when I first realized that 7 HaMinim are not just "common" Israeli fruit but that the actual Jewish calendar, halachot and Hagim are interdependent with their lifecycle.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>For example ( I had thought to save this for Shavu'ot) the Bikkurim on Shavu'ot are brought from 7 Ha Minim. BUT…. They do not give fruit throughout Israel at Shavu'ot. In some areas, they give fruit earlier, in some later.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Only by having Jews come to Beit HaMikdash from ALL OVER ISRAEL on Shavu'ot, each bringing the fruit in their area that is ready – can all the minim be brought at the same time to Beit HaMikdash.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thus Bikkurim promotes not only internal tourism, but more importantly – Jewish brotherhood.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Shoshana L. Boublil<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 4.0pt'><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Subject:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> RE: [Avodah] Birkat HaIlanot<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Simply put: while every fruit must be preceded by a blossom, fig blossoms are particularly well hidden, to the point that I (city boy that I am with very limited fig-exposure) I thought they had none.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The pasuk, as I tried to say, indicates that in other times besides that being described, figs do have blossoms. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Gershon<br>gershon.dubin@juno.com<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>____________________________________________________________</span><br><a href="http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3132/4d9cc0495a8a65dd52est02vuc" target="_blank"><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#004080;text-decoration:none'>Obama Urges Refinance</span></b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";text-decoration:none'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;text-decoration:none'>If you owe under $729k you probably qualify for Obama's Refi Programs<br></span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3132/4d9cc0495a8a65dd52est02vuc" target="_blank"><span style='color:black'>SeeRefinanceRates.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></body></html>