ALERT – The Great Haddasim Scam – A Halachic Analysis And Warning
(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times)
“Psst.. Hey Buddy, wanna buy some Arba Minim? I got Lulavs, Esrogs, and some good Hadassim for you..”
Watchout, however, you may be purchasing something that Chazal call, “Fools’ Hadassim.”
Most people know that the nickname for Iron Pyrite is “Fools’ Gold.” Few people, however, know that there are non-kosher Hadassim out there called “Fools’ Hadassim” or rather, in the Hebrew – “Hadas Shoteh.”
It is one of the scandals having to do with the Haddasim that has not really been adequately addressed. When “photocopied Mezuzos” were being sold at Jewish Seforim stores and Judaica shops – the Sofrim and Rabbonim got together and pulled the plug on it. When falsified kosher certifications were printed on non-kosher cheese in Canada this past summer – the Canadian authorities were able to find it and stop it.
Yet for some reason, the non-triple leaved Haddasim scam has never really been fully revealed or addressed. By the way, the Hadas or myrtle is a woody, evergreen plant with essential oils that is indigenous to the Mediterranean area.
THE PROBLEM
What is the Hadassim scam? It is a fact that is only whispered among Talmidei Chachomim, but many, many of the Hadassim that are sold are not kosher – and never were. Most of the haddasim being sold are unkosher, because they do not fit the halachic requirement of Meshulashim – three leaves emerging from the same circumference of the twig. Indeed, even some of the pre-packaged Hadassim with a hechsher from a BaDaTz are invalid and in these cases it is almost impossible to check them because the packages are closed and cannot be inspected.
The Gemorah in Sukkah 32b explains that the word “avos” used to describe the hadas plant means that the leaves are braided. In order for something to be considered braided – three strands are required.
TWO POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS- [Or buy Shain's Brisker בריסקער Hadasim, in Lakewood-ys]
What needs to be done is that the Judaica stores who sell the haddasim (and of late the makeshift street-corner Arba Minim dealers) should inform the consumer that the majority of hadassim are actually non-kosher. Either that or they should stop selling the problematic ones altogether.
THE THREE, OR FOUR VIOLATIONS
There are actually three or four areas in which halacha is being violated. Firstly, the innocent people who are buying the Arba Minim with haddasim that are posul are not fulfilling the Mitzvah of Arbah Minim. They could be spending $150 on an esrog only to find that they did not fulfill the Mitzvah at all since the hadassim were posul.
The second violation is that of Bracha Levatalah. Those people with haddassim that are not meshulash – are reciting blessings incorrectly.
The third violation is that of Lifnei Iver – putting a stumbling block before the blind.
And finally, the fourth possible violation: Many Rishonim are of the opinion that a non-triple-leaved Hadas is actually considered a different halachic genus. If that is the case than there is also a violation of Bal Tosif – the prohibition of adding onto the Torah. This violation would even be violated if someone had merely added one extra Hadas to three fully kosher ones. Other Rishonim hold that the violation involved in using a Hadas Shoteh – Fools’ Hadas is not that it is a different halachic species or genus – it is that it is not Hadar – beautiful.
As far as the question as to how it is possible for the Fools’ Hadas to be considered a different genus, the Mishnas Yaavetz explains that it is in fact, possible, for two different geus to emerge from the same mother. There is also the idea that sometimes a male offspring is permitted while a female offspring would be forbidden.
“Psst.. Hey Buddy, wanna buy some Arba Minim? I got Lulavs, Esrogs, and some good Hadassim for you..”
Most people know that the nickname for Iron Pyrite is “Fools’ Gold.” Few people, however, know that there are non-kosher Hadassim out there called “Fools’ Hadassim” or rather, in the Hebrew – “Hadas Shoteh.”
It is one of the scandals having to do with the Haddasim that has not really been adequately addressed. When “photocopied Mezuzos” were being sold at Jewish Seforim stores and Judaica shops – the Sofrim and Rabbonim got together and pulled the plug on it. When falsified kosher certifications were printed on non-kosher cheese in Canada this past summer – the Canadian authorities were able to find it and stop it.
Yet for some reason, the non-triple leaved Haddasim scam has never really been fully revealed or addressed. By the way, the Hadas or myrtle is a woody, evergreen plant with essential oils that is indigenous to the Mediterranean area.
THE PROBLEM
What is the Hadassim scam? It is a fact that is only whispered among Talmidei Chachomim, but many, many of the Hadassim that are sold are not kosher – and never were. Most of the haddasim being sold are unkosher, because they do not fit the halachic requirement of Meshulashim – three leaves emerging from the same circumference of the twig. Indeed, even some of the pre-packaged Hadassim with a hechsher from a BaDaTz are invalid and in these cases it is almost impossible to check them because the packages are closed and cannot be inspected.
The Gemorah in Sukkah 32b explains that the word “avos” used to describe the hadas plant means that the leaves are braided. In order for something to be considered braided – three strands are required.
TWO POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS- [Or buy Shain's Brisker בריסקער Hadasim, in Lakewood-ys]
What needs to be done is that the Judaica stores who sell the haddasim (and of late the makeshift street-corner Arba Minim dealers) should inform the consumer that the majority of hadassim are actually non-kosher. Either that or they should stop selling the problematic ones altogether.
THE THREE, OR FOUR VIOLATIONS
There are actually three or four areas in which halacha is being violated. Firstly, the innocent people who are buying the Arba Minim with haddasim that are posul are not fulfilling the Mitzvah of Arbah Minim. They could be spending $150 on an esrog only to find that they did not fulfill the Mitzvah at all since the hadassim were posul.
The second violation is that of Bracha Levatalah. Those people with haddassim that are not meshulash – are reciting blessings incorrectly.
The third violation is that of Lifnei Iver – putting a stumbling block before the blind.
And finally, the fourth possible violation: Many Rishonim are of the opinion that a non-triple-leaved Hadas is actually considered a different halachic genus. If that is the case than there is also a violation of Bal Tosif – the prohibition of adding onto the Torah. This violation would even be violated if someone had merely added one extra Hadas to three fully kosher ones. Other Rishonim hold that the violation involved in using a Hadas Shoteh – Fools’ Hadas is not that it is a different halachic species or genus – it is that it is not Hadar – beautiful.
As far as the question as to how it is possible for the Fools’ Hadas to be considered a different genus, the Mishnas Yaavetz explains that it is in fact, possible, for two different geus to emerge from the same mother. There is also the idea that sometimes a male offspring is permitted while a female offspring would be forbidden.