๐Ÿง„ Shoom (ืฉื•ื) Garlic ๐Ÿง„
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ByKetzirah Lesser
ืกืคืจ ื”ืžื“ื•ืช, ืื”ื‘ื”, ื—ืœืง ืจืืฉื•ืŸ ื™ืดื
ื™ื. ื”ึทืฉึผืื•ึผื ืžึฐืกึปื’ึผึธืœ ืœึฐืึทื”ึฒื‘ึธื”.
Sefer HaMiddot, Love, Part I 11
11. Garlic is conducive (segula) to love.
ื‘ื‘ื ืงืžื ืคืดื‘ ื:ื™ืณ

ื•ืฉื™ื”ื• ืื•ื›ืœื™ืŸ ืฉื•ื ื‘ืข"ืฉ ืžืฉื•ื ืขื•ื ื” ื“ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ืชื”ืœื™ื ื, ื’) ืืฉืจ ืคืจื™ื• ื™ืชืŸ ื‘ืขืชื• ื•ื"ืจ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื•ืื™ืชื™ืžื ืจื‘ ื ื—ืžืŸ ื•ืื™ืชื™ืžื ืจื‘ ื›ื”ื ื ื•ืื™ืชื™ืžื ืจ' ื™ื•ื—ื ืŸ ื–ื” ื”ืžืฉืžืฉ ืžื˜ืชื• ืžืข"ืฉ ืœืข"ืฉ

Bava Kamma 82a:10

The Gemara explains the next listed ordinance: And that one should eat garlic Shabbat eve. This is due to the fact that garlic enhances sexual potency, and Friday night is an appropriate time for conjugal relations. As it is written concerning the righteous: โ€œAnd he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, who brings forth his fruit in his seasonโ€ (Psalms 1:3); and Rabbi Yehuda says, and some say it was Rav Naแธฅman, and some say it was Rav Kahana, and some say it was Rabbi Yoแธฅanan who said: This is referring to one who engages in sexual intercourse every Shabbat eve.

ื‘ื‘ื ืงืžื ืคืดื‘ ื:ื™ืดื
ืช"ืจ ื—ืžืฉื” ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื ืืžืจื• ื‘ืฉื•ื ืžืฉื‘ื™ืข ื•ืžืฉื—ื™ืŸ ื•ืžืฆื”ื™ืœ ืคื ื™ื ื•ืžืจื‘ื” ื”ื–ืจืข ื•ื”ื•ืจื’ ื›ื ื™ื ืฉื‘ื‘ื ื™ ืžืขื™ื™ื ื•ื™"ื ืžื›ื ื™ืก ืื”ื‘ื” ื•ืžื•ืฆื™ื ืืช ื”ืงื ืื”:
Bava Kamma 82a:11

The Sages taught in a baraita that five matters were stated with regard to garlic: It satisfies; it warms the body; it causes oneโ€™s countenance to shine; it increases oneโ€™s sperm, and it kills lice that are in the intestines. And some say that it also instills love into those who eat it and removes jealousy from them.

ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื™ืดื:ื”ืณ
ื–ึธื›ึทึ™ืจึฐื ื•ึผึ™ ืึถืชึพื”ึทื“ึผึธื’ึธึ”ื” ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพื ึนืื›ึทึฅืœ ื‘ึผึฐืžึดืฆึฐืจึทึ–ื™ึดื ื—ึดื ึผึธึ‘ื ืึตึฃืช ื”ึทืงึผึดืฉืึผึปืึดึ—ื™ื ื•ึฐืึตืชึ™ ื”ึธึฝืึฒื‘ึทื˜ึผึดื—ึดึ”ื™ื ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื”ึถื—ึธืฆึดึฅื™ืจ ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื”ึทื‘ึผึฐืฆึธืœึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึฐืึถืชึพื”ึทืฉืึผื•ึผืžึดึฝื™ืืƒ
Numbers 11:5

We remember the fish that we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.

ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื™ืดื:ื™ืณ
ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึฐืžึทึจืข ืžึนืฉืึถึœื” ืึถืชึพื”ึธืขึธึ—ื ื‘ึผึนื›ึถื”ึ™ ืœึฐืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึฐื—ึนืชึธึ”ื™ื• ืึดึ–ื™ืฉื ืœึฐืคึถึฃืชึทื— ืื‡ื”ึณืœึ‘ื•ึน ื•ึทื™ึผึดึฝื—ึทืจึพืึทึคืฃ ื”' ืžึฐืึนึ”ื“ ื•ึผื‘ึฐืขึตื™ื ึตึฅื™ ืžึนืฉืึถึ–ื” ืจึธึฝืขืƒ
Numbers 11:10

Moses heard the people weeping, in family groups, publicly, and the Eternalโ€™s anger was greatly aroused. It displeased Moses whose mission it was to raise up the people to spiritual perfection, and who were now weeping because they missed the onions and the garlic.
(ืจืžื‘"ืŸ, ืจืฉ"ื™.)

ืจืฉ"ื™ ืขืœ ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื™ืดื:ื”ืณ:ื‘ืณ
ืืช ื”ืงืฉืื™ื. ืึธืžึทืจ ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ืฉืึดืžึฐืขื•ึนืŸ ืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตื™ ืžึธื” ื”ึทืžึผึธืŸ ืžึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทื ึผึถื” ืœึฐื›ึธืœ ื“ึผึธื‘ึธืจ ื—ื•ึผืฅ ืžึตืึตืœึผื•ึผ? ืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตื™ ืฉืึถื”ึตืŸ ืงึธืฉืึดื™ื ืœึทืžึผึฐื ึดื™ืงื•ึนืช, ืื•ึนืžึฐืจึดื™ื ืœึฐืึดืฉืึผึธื” ืึทืœ ืชึผึนืื›ึฐืœึดื™ ืฉืื•ึผื ื•ึผื‘ึธืฆึธืœ ืžึดืคึผึฐื ึตื™ ื”ึทืชึผึดื™ื ื•ึนืง, ืžึธืฉืึธืœ ืœึฐืžึถืœึถืšึฐ ื•ึฐื›ื•ึผ', ื›ึผึดื“ึฐืึดื™ืชึธื ื‘ึผึฐืกึดืคึฐืจึตื™:
Rashi on Numbers 11:5:2

ืืช ื”ืงืฉืื™ื THE CUCUMBERS โ€” R. Simeon said, โ€œWhy did the manna change its flavor into that of anything one wished (as the Midrash states) except into these vegetables here mentioned, the taste of which it appears not to have assumed since the people lusted for them? Because they are injurious to nursing mothers. So indeed people say to a woman: Do not eat garlic and onions on account of the baby. A parable! This may be compared to a king, etc. as it is related in the Sifrei Bamidbar 87.

ื™ื•ืžื ืขืดื” ื:ื™ืณ
ืดืึตืช ื”ึทืงึผึดืฉึผืื•ึผืึดื™ื ื•ึฐืึตืช ื”ึธืึฒื‘ึทื˜ึผึดื™ื—ึดื™ืืด, ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ืึทืžึผึตื™ ื•ึฐืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ืึทืกึผึดื™, ื—ึทื“ ืึธืžึทืจ: ื˜ึทืขึทื ื›ึผื‡ืœ ื”ึทืžึผึดื™ื ึดื™ืŸ ื˜ึธืขึฒืžื•ึผ ื‘ึผึทืžึผึธืŸ, ื˜ึทืขึทื ื—ึฒืžึตืฉืึถืช ื”ึทืžึผึดื™ื ึดื™ืŸ ื”ึทืœึผึธืœื•ึผ ืœึนื ื˜ึธืขึฒืžื•ึผ ื‘ึผื•ึน, ื•ึฐื—ึทื“ ืึธืžึทืจ: ื˜ึทืขึทื ื›ึผึธืœ ื”ึทืžึผึดื™ื ึดื™ืŸ ื˜ึธืขึฒืžื•ึผ ื˜ึทืขึฐืžึธืŸ ื•ึผืžึทืžึผึธืฉืึธืŸ, ื•ึฐื”ึทืœึผึธืœื•ึผ ื˜ึทืขึฐืžึธืŸ ื•ึฐืœึนื ืžึทืžึผึธืฉืึธืŸ.
Yoma 75a:10

The Gemara returns to the same verse: It states: โ€œWe rememberโ€ฆthe cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlicโ€ (Numbers 11:5). Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi debate the verseโ€™s meaning. One said: They tasted the flavor of all types of food in the manna, but they cried because they could not taste the tastes of these five foods that they mentioned. And one said: They tasted the flavor of all types of food, as well as their textures. The sensation was so strong that it seemed to them like they were eating those very foods. However, with the foods they listed, the people tasted only their flavor but not their texture.

ืžืฉื ื” ื ื“ืจื™ื ื’ืณ:ื™ืณ
ื”ึทื ึผื•ึนื“ึตืจ ืžึดืฉึผืื•ึนื‘ึฐืชึตื™ ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืช, ืึธืกื•ึผืจ ื‘ึผึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœ ื•ึฐืึธืกื•ึผืจ ื‘ึผึทื›ึผื•ึผืชึดื™ื. ืžึตืื•ึนื›ึฐืœึตื™ ืฉืื•ึผื, ืึธืกื•ึผืจ ื‘ึผึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœ ื•ึฐืึธืกื•ึผืจ ื‘ึผึทื›ึผื•ึผืชึดื™ื. ืžึตืขื•ึนืœึตื™ ื™ึฐืจื•ึผืฉืึธืœึทื™ึดื, ืึธืกื•ึผืจ ื‘ึผึฐื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœ ื•ึผืžึปืชึผึธืจ ื‘ึผึทื›ึผื•ึผืชึดื™ื:
Mishnah Nedarim 3:10

One who takes a vow that deriving benefit from those who rest on Shabbat is forbidden to him is prohibited from deriving benefit from a Jew, and he is also prohibited from deriving benefit from Samaritans [Kutim] because they are also Shabbat observers. One who takes a vow that deriving benefit from those who eat garlic on Shabbat night is forbidden to him is prohibited from deriving benefit from a Jew, and he is also prohibited from benefiting from Samaritans. However, if one takes a vow that deriving benefit from those who ascend to Jerusalem is forbidden to him, he is prohibited from deriving benefit from a Jew, but he is permitted to benefit from Samaritans because they do not ascend to Jerusalem, but rather, to Mount Gerizim.

ืžืฉื ื” ื ื“ืจื™ื ื—ืณ:ื•ืณ
ืึธืžึทืจ ืงื•ึนื ึธื ื‘ึผึธืฉื‚ึธืจ ืฉืึถืึตื™ื ึดื™ ื˜ื•ึนืขึตื ืขึทื“ ืฉืึถื™ึผึฐื”ึตื ื”ึทืฆึผื•ึนื, ืึตื™ื ื•ึน ืึธืกื•ึผืจ ืึถืœึผึธื ืขึทื“ ืœึตื™ืœึตื™ ืฆื•ึนื, ืฉืึถืœึผึนื ื ึดืชึฐื›ึผึทื•ึผึตืŸ ื–ึถื” ืึถืœึผึธื ืขึทื“ ืฉืึธืขึธื” ืฉืึถื“ึผึถืจึถืšึฐ ื‘ึผึฐื ึตื™ ืึธื“ึธื ืœึถืึฑื›ึนืœ ื‘ึผึธืฉื‚ึธืจ. ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ื™ื•ึนืกึตื™ ื‘ึฐื ื•ึน ืื•ึนืžึตืจ, ืงื•ึนื ึธื ืฉืื•ึผื ืฉืึถืึตื™ื ึดื™ ื˜ื•ึนืขึตื ืขึทื“ ืฉืึถืชึผึฐื”ึตื ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืช, ืึตื™ื ื•ึน ืึธืกื•ึผืจ ืึถืœึผึธื ืขึทื“ ืœึตื™ืœึตื™ ืฉืึทื‘ึผึธืช, ืฉืึถืœึผึนื ื ึดืชึฐื›ึผึทื•ึผึตืŸ ื–ึถื” ืึถืœึผึธื ืขึทื“ ืฉืึธืขึธื” ืฉืึถื“ึผึถืจึถืšึฐ ื‘ึผึฐื ึตื™ ืึธื“ึธื ืœึถืึฑื›ึนืœ ืฉืื•ึผื:
Mishnah Nedarim 8:6

Similarly, if he said: Meat is konam for me, and for that reason I will not taste it until it will be the fast of Yom Kippur, he is prohibited from eating meat only until the eve of [leilei] the fast. This is because it is understood that this individual intended for his vow to apply only until the time when it is customary for people to eat meat in the festive meal before the fast, and he did not intend to prevent himself from being able to participate in that meal. Rabbi Yosei, his son, says: One who vows: Garlic is konam for me, and for that reason I will not taste it until it will be Shabbat, it is prohibited for him to eat garlic only until the eve of Shabbat, as it is understood that this individual intended for his vow to apply only until the time when it is customary for people to eat garlic.

ืกืคืจ ื”ืžื“ื•ืช, ืงืจื™, ื—ืœืง ืจืืฉื•ืŸ ื˜ืณ
ื˜. ืงึถืจึดื™ ื‘ึผึธื ืขึทืœ ื™ึฐื“ึตื™ ืึฒื›ึดื™ืœึทืช ืฉืื•ึผื ื•ึผื‘ึตื™ืฆึดื™ื.
Sefer HaMiddot, A Seminal Emission, Part I 9
9. Nocturnal emission can result from eating garlic and eggs [at night?].
ืคื ื™ื ื™ ื”ืœื›ื”, ืฉืžื—ืช ื”ื‘ื™ืช ื•ื‘ืจื›ืชื• ื’ืณ:ื™ืณ:ื’ืณ
ืืœื ืฉื”ื•ืื™ืœ ื•ืžืฆื•ื•ืช ืขื•ื ื” ืžืชืงื™ื™ืžืช ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ื”ืฆื“ื“ื™ื ื”ื’ืฉืžื™ื™ื ื‘ื™ื•ืชืจ ืฉื‘ืื“ื, ืฉื™ืฆืจ ื”ืชืื•ื•ื” ืฉื‘ื”ื ื’ื“ื•ืœ, ื”ืื“ื ืขืœื•ืœ ืœื”ื™ื’ืจืจ ืื—ืจื™ื”ื ื™ืชืจ ืขืœ ื”ืžื™ื“ื”, ืขื“ ืฉื™ืฉื›ื— ืืช ื”ืžืฆื•ื•ื”, ื•ื™ื—ืฉื•ื‘ ืขืœ ืขืฆืžื• ื‘ืžืงื•ื ืขืœ ืืฉืชื•. ื•ื–ื• ืžืฆื™ืื•ืช ื”ื˜ื•ืžืื” ืฉืžืชืœื•ื•ื” ืœืžืฆื•ื•ื” ืงื“ื•ืฉื” ื–ื•. ืื•ืœื ืื™ืŸ ื”ื›ื•ื•ื ื” ืœื”ื—ืœื™ืฉ ืืช ื”ืื“ื ืžืงื™ื•ื ื”ืžืฆื•ื•ื”, ืืœื ืœืขื•ื“ื“ ืื•ืชื• ืœื”ืชืขืœื•ืช ื‘ื›ื•ื•ื ืช ื”ืžืฆื•ื•ื”. ื•ื–ื”ื• ืฉืขื•ืจืจื• ื—ื›ืžื™ื ืืช ื”ืจื•ืฆื” ืœืขืœื•ืช ื‘ืžืขืœื•ืช ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉื” ื•ื”ื—ืกื™ื“ื•ืช, ืฉื™ืงื“ืฉ ืขืฆืžื• ื‘ืžืฆื•ื•ืช ืขื•ื ื”, ื”ื™ื™ื ื• ืฉื™ื›ื•ื•ืŸ ื“ืขืชื• ืœืฉืžื— ืืช ืืฉืชื• ื›ื›ืœ ื”ื™ื•ืชืจ. ื•ื›ืŸ ืžืฆื™ื ื• ืฉืขื–ืจื ื”ืกื•ืคืจ ืฉืชื™ืงืŸ ืขืฉืจ ืชืงื ื•ืช, ื•ืื—ืช ืžื”ืŸ, ืฉื™ื˜ื‘ื•ืœ ืื“ื ืื—ืจ ื”ืชืฉืžื™ืฉ, ื”ื•ื ืฉืชื™ืงืŸ ื’ื ืฉืชื™ ืชืงื ื•ืช ืฉื ื•ืขื“ื• ืœื”ืจื‘ื•ืช ืื”ื‘ื” ื‘ื™ืŸ ืื™ืฉ ืœืืฉืชื•. ื”ืื—ืช, ืฉื™ืื›ืœื• ืฉื•ื ื‘ืœื™ืœื™ ืฉื‘ืชื•ืช, ื›ื™ ื”ืฉื•ื "ืžื›ื ื™ืก ืื”ื‘ื”", ื•ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ื›ืš ื™ื•ื›ืœ ื”ืื™ืฉ ืœื”ืชื—ื‘ืจ ืืœ ืืฉืชื• ื‘ื—ืฉืง ื’ื“ื•ืœ. ื•ื”ืฉื ื™ื™ื”, ืฉื™ืžื›ืจื• ื”ืจื•ื›ืœื™ื ื‘ื›ืœ ื”ืขื™ื™ืจื•ืช ื‘ืฉืžื™ื ื•ืชื›ืฉื™ื˜ื™ื, ื›ื“ื™ ืฉื”ื ืฉื™ื ื™ืชื—ื‘ื‘ื• ืขืœ ื‘ืขืœื™ื”ืŸ (ื‘"ืง ืคื‘, ื-ื‘; ืœืขื™ืœ ื‘, ื”).
Peninei Halakhah, Simchat Habayit U'Virkhato 3:10:3

Nonetheless, since the mitzva of ona is fulfilled by means of a personโ€™s most physical elements, where lusts and urges loom large, one is prone to being overly attracted to them, to the point that one might forget the mitzva and think only about himself instead of about his wife. This is the impurity that lurks here, the flipside of this sacred mitzva. This is not meant to discourage a person from performing the mitzva, but to encourage him to refine his intentions when fulfilling it. The Sages thus encouraged one who wishes to become holier and more pious to sanctify himself through the mitzva of ona, that is, that he should be mindful of bringing his wife as much joy as possible. Ezra the Scribe, the same person who ordained that one must immerse after sexual relations, also made two enactments to increase the love between husband and wife: that they should eat garlic, an aphrodisiac, on Friday nights, thus increasing the passion of their sexual union, and that peddlers may sell perfume and jewelry everywhere, so that wives are enticing to their husbands (Bava Kama 82a-b; 2:5 above).