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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>As part of my studies in environmental studies, I am starting a study group on the following topic:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>"Israeli agricultural heritage knowledge in Jewish sources"<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>The topic includes collecting/collating the knowledge of Israeli agricultural practices that is recorded in the Torah, Mishna, G'mara etc.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>For example: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>In mishna Bikkurim they discuss the fact that you are not allowed to bring Bikkurim prior to Shavu'ot.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>When discussing Bikkurim with modern day agricultural experts and botanists, they doubted that it was possible to bring Bikkurim on Shavu'ot itself, b/c most of the 7 minim (except for wheat and barley) have fruit, in most of Israel, at least 1-2 months later.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>In mishna Bikkurim they bring a story to illustrate the halacha that it is not allowed to bring Bikkurim prior to Shavu'ot:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>One year the people of Har Tzevo'im brought Bikkurim prior to Shavu'ot and they were not accepted and had to turn back.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>What we learn here is that there was at least one area in historic Israel that had fruits that were ripe enough to bring for Bikkurim even prior to Shavu'ot. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>[Har Tzevo'im is probably the area known today as Wadi Kelt on the border of the Judean Desert].<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>The meetings will take place once a month, probably in Ramat Gan.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>If there is sufficient interest, it would be possible to use an online video conferencing medium.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>Depending on the participants, the meetings will be conducted in Hebrew.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>Shoshana L. Boublil<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'>Ramat Gan, Israel<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed'><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>