Status of Orlah Fruit
Question
Hello I was reading about orlah fruit which are considered un-kosher if the fruit is beared within the first three years of the fruits life. Citrus fruit such as oranges can bear fruit within the first 1-2 years of the trees life. So if I bought a orange from the grocery store (U.S),would it be considered treif?
Answers
The Torah obligation of Orlah applies only to fruits grown in Israel. There is a Rabbinic obligation for fruits grown outside of Israel. However, the obligation is somewhat less stringent than that for fruits grown in Israel. This means, outside of Israel, if you do not know if the fruit comes from a tree that is younger than three years old, you may eat the fruit. If, however, the fruit is clearly signed as being from trees younger than three years old, it would be forbidden to eat them.
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