The Seven Species are seven agricultural products - two grains and five fruits - which are listed in the Hebrew Bible as being special products of the Land of Israel. The seven species listed are wheat, barley, grape, fig, pomegranates, olive, and date . Their first fruits were the only acceptable offerings in the Temple.
The ancient Israelites cultivated both wheat and barley. These two grains are mentioned first in the biblical list of the Seven Species of the land of Israel and their importance as food in ancient Israelite cuisine is also seen in the celebration of the barley harvest at the festival of Shavuot and of the wheat harvest at the festival of Sukkot.
Barley
A hardy cereal that has coarse bristles coming from the ears. It is widely cultivated, mainly for use in brewing and stockfeed.
Grapes
s were used mainly for the production of wine, although they were also eaten fresh and dried.
Figs
were cultivated throughout the Land of Israel and fresh or dried figs were part of the daily diet. A common way of preparing dried figs was to chop them and press them into a cake. Figs are frequently mentioned in the Bible.
Pomegranates
s were usually eaten fresh, although occasionally they were used to make juice or wine, or sun-dried for use when the fresh fruit was out of season. They probably played a minor part in Israelite cuisine, but were symbolically important, as adornments on the hem of the robe of the high priest and the Temple pillars, and embossed on coinage.
Olives
The olive was a major element in the seven species. Olive oil was used not only for food and for cooking, but also for lighting, sacrificial offerings, ointment, and anointment for priestly or royal office.
Dates
were eaten fresh or dried, but were used mostly boiled into thick, long-lasting syrup called “date honey” for use as a sweetener. The honey in the Biblical reference of “a land flowing with milk and honey” is date honey. While in Jewish law dates are under the category of the seven species, bee honey may have been the type of honey that is referred to in the Hebrew Bible. By the time the Talmud was written honey bees were extinct in Israel, and dates were used in place of honey, the excavation of Tel Rehov shows that beekeeping was practiced in Israel in the early Iron age 3000 years ago during the time of king David. Several accounts in the Hebrew Bible also indicate that bee honey existed in ancient Israel; in the Book of JudgesSamson takes honey from a bee hive that he finds in the carcass of a lion.
Talmudic Interpretation
The size of various measurements are tied to the specific amounts and sizes of Halachic objects. For example, the minimum width of Tefillin straps is known by Law given to Moses at Sinai to be the size of a grain of barley. Alike, other fruits are used for measuring. Talmud scholars use the verse of Seven Species as a hint for all the measures using fruit sizes.
Modern significance
The seven species are traditionally eaten on Tu Bishvat, the Jewish "New Year for Trees", on Sukkot, the "Festival of Booths", and on Shavuot, the "Festival of Weeks". In halakha, they are considered more important than other fruits, and a special berakhah is recited after eating them. Additionally, the blessing prior to eating them precedes those of other food items, except for bread. The seven species are all important ingredients in Israeli cuisine today. Deuteronomy 8:8 is prominently inscribed on the dome of California Tower at Balboa Park in San Diego, California, referring to the species' importance in California agriculture.
