Gardening - Grapevine

QUESTION: I have a grapevine growing in my garden (not in Israel). May I plant other vegetables near the grapevine?

ANSWER: The Torah (Devarim 22:9) says “You shall not sow your vine with a mixture of seeds.” This prohibition forbids planting grains or vegetables in close proximity to a vineyard (kilei ha'kerem). Although a vine is a tree, this prohibition applies even though no grafting occurs. This Biblical prohibition only applies in the land of Israel. However, Chazal extended this prohibition to outside of Israel as well only in one specific scenario. This one unique scenario is detailed in the Rambam (Hilchos Kilayim 8:13). There, the Rambam explains that outside of Israel, the only Rabbinic prohibition is to plant seeds from two species of grain (or two species of vegetable) together with a grape seed in the same hole. In all other scenarios, there is no prohibition at all outside of Israel. However, the Birchei Yosef (Yoreh De’ah 296:5) writes that outside of Israel, although planting vegetables in a vineyard is not prohibited, it is still considered improper.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.