The department in the Jerusalem Rabbinate that deals with
agricultural mitzvos -- those pertaining to the land of
Israel -- has reported cases of vegetables planted in
vineyard rows in the Karmei Yosef region. These reports come
from the department's field mashgichim.
The unfortunate farming practice of using vineyards to grow
vegetables renders both grapes and vegetables halachically
forbidden, whether for consumption or for other benefit.
Farmers were simply trying to boost production, utilizing
areas that seemed to them unexploited.
The vegetables in the vineyards included large quantities of
melons and cabbages planted between the vines, says Rabbi
Shlomo Shmulevitz, director of the department. Thus every
vegetable within a daled amos radius of a vine is
prohibited for use.
Negotiations with farmers are currently under way. On the
agenda is uprooting the unusable vegetables, and deterring
other farmers from using this method to increase production.
It is hoped that this practice will be "nipped in the
bud."
