Blessings over the Kumquats

It’s December and the citrus is ready for picking in the Galilee. Join me in the short video below as I sample my first kumquat of the year from this tree in Yavne’el!

It’s sweet and delicious. There are two blessings to be made. First on the fruit itself. The second on being thankful that once again this year we have lived to enjoy this season. Here is an explanation about true meaning of reciting a blessing.

BLESSING OVER THE FRUIT

In Jewish law, a fruit is defined as something growing from a perennial tree that does not renew its stem and does not grow too close to the ground. Thus, apples, grapes, nuts (except peanuts) and kumquats are fruit, but strawberries, watermelon and bananas are not.

Here’s the first blessing I recited on the kumquat:

Baruch atah A-donoy, Elo-heynu Melech Ha’Olam borei pri ha-aitz.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.

THE SHEHECHIYANU BLESSING

The first time each year you eat a fruit or vegetable which is seasonal, (i.e., one which grows only at a certain time of the year, the fruit is considered a “new fruit”) this special blessing is recited. In many countries most fruits are available all year round. Here in the Galilee, where we eat locally grown fruits in season, it’s a real event to taste the first fruits like these kumquats,

Here’s the second blessing I recited over the kumquat:

Baruch atah A-donoy, Elo-heynu Melech Ha’Olam she-he-chee-ya-nu v’ki-yi-ma-nu
vi-hi-gi-ya-nu la-zman ha-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the
Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and
enabled us to reach this occasion.

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