#229: Fragrant Fruits and Flowers
1. Chazal forbade smelling edible fruits that are attached to a tree due to concern that one may detach it to eat and violate the melachah of kotzer. Therefore, one may not smell apples, oranges, an etrog, or any other fruit still attached to a tree. However, hadasim (myrtle branches) may be smelled because they are not edible (Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 336:10).
2. Fragrant herbs growing in the ground may be smelled on Shabbat even when they are still growing since they are used primarily used for smelling (Orchot Shabbat 18:62). Similarly, flowers may be smelled even if they are still growing since they are not edible, unlike the fruit discussed above (Shemirat Shabbat K’hilchatah 26:22).
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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.
