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The bracha on a mushroom is "shehakol" because the Talmud (Berachot 40b) correctly (I think) states that mushrooms do not derive their nutrients from the ground.

If a mushroom is growing in a vineyard, does that constitute Kilaei HaKerem (forbidden mixture of plant species in a vineyard) considering that it is not growing from the soil? What if it is growing on a rock outcropping in the vineyard so that it isn't even touching the ground?

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Double AA
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    Does the fact that a mushroom is not a plant have any bearing on this? – avi Feb 01 '12 at 20:37
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    In terms of it's taxonomic status, probably not. But the differences in structure and function which biologists pick up on may also be picked up by chazal and can lead to different applications of halacha for mushrooms than standard plants. The question is, are those differences relevant for Kilaei HaKerem. – Double AA Feb 01 '12 at 20:41
  • I could be wrong here, but I thought forbidden mixtures only count when you actually plant the vegetation. Meaning, do weeds count as kilaei hakerem, and if not, are you asking about a situation where mushrooms are planted or when they grow naturally? – avi Feb 01 '12 at 20:55
  • @avi You're rule is true of Kilaei Zeraim (mixtures of seeds) which is only forbidden to plant. When it involves grapes it's called Kilaei HaKerem and the fruit that grows even by accident is assur behanaah, forbidden to derive benefit from. So it would make a big difference even if they grew by themselves. – Double AA Feb 01 '12 at 21:07
  • fruit or plant? Can you eat Marror from a vineyard? If it's just fruit, then you don't have a problem with mushrooms, cause they don't leave a tree behind from which they grow. – avi Feb 01 '12 at 21:09
  • @avi See the Rambam's list of mitzvot here numbers 193, 215, and 216 – Double AA Feb 01 '12 at 21:10
  • @avi I mean 'fruit' as the edible part of the plant. As far as I can tell there is no difference between something that gets a "haadamah' and a 'haetz' for this rule. – Double AA Feb 01 '12 at 21:11
  • based on the Rambam there, mushrooms would not be a problem as the Talmud in brachot is telling you that the mushrooms are neither vegetable, nor grain. – avi Feb 01 '12 at 21:13
  • @avi Is it? I think you may be too tied up in English categories and Brachot. A mushroom may get a shehakol, but it could still be a 'vegetable'. And Kilayim could apply to something that isn't a 'vegetable' maybe. The category of 'vegetable' is really just poorly defined. – Double AA Feb 01 '12 at 21:19
  • What I'm saying is that the categories don't all overlap as you may wish ie in each application there could be different factors that determine a thing's inclusion in that category. – Double AA Feb 01 '12 at 21:20
  • I would only add that, from a purely scientific standpoint, Chazal were incorrect about mushrooms. Plants are autotrophic, meaning that they create their own nutrients from a few very simple molecules collected from their environment (primarily water and carbon dioxide). Fungi are heterotrophic, which means that, like animals, they collect but do not create nutrients. Mushrooms actually rely much more heavily on the soil for their nutrition than plants do. This does not negate their status as a shehakol food, of course, and mushrooms are fundamentally different from plants in so many other way –  Jan 22 '14 at 19:05
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    @user4832 What does heterotrophy have to do with soil reliance? You're missing a key step in your logic here. – Double AA Jan 22 '14 at 22:43
  • Related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/73036 – msh210 Jun 14 '16 at 16:12

1 Answers1

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A number of points:

  1. Kilaei Zeraim applies to things that grow from the ground. Mushrooms do not qualify.

  2. Kilaei Zeraim is forbidden only if you plant it intentionally OR if you leave it that after you find it and it grows to maturity.

  3. Kilaei Zeraim requires at least TWO different types of seeds to be planted in addition to the vine itself.

Danny Schoemann
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theblitz
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    I don't see how 2 is relevant. I don't know what you are saying in 3. And 1 is exactly the question I am asking but you bring no source for your claim. And BTW I was discussing Kilaei HaKerem not Kilaei Zeraim. – Double AA Jul 16 '12 at 14:41
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  • I was tring to point out that if they do grow there by themvles then it is ok as long as you remove them when you find them. This, of course, applies to other things and not to mushrooms since mushrooms are not considered a plant.
    • – theblitz Jul 16 '12 at 14:49
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    3: From Tambam : ואינו לוקה משום זורע כלאי הכרם עד שיזרע בארץ ישראל חטה ושעורה וחרצן במפולת יד – theblitz Jul 16 '12 at 14:50
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    Ok but 1 is really the important section, and I don't see a source yet. – Double AA Jul 16 '12 at 14:51
  • That means that it only counts if you you plant them in one go. – theblitz Jul 16 '12 at 14:51
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  • אין אסור משום כלאי הכרם, אלא מיני תבואה ומיני ירקות בלבד. אבל שאר מיני זרעים, מותר לזורען בכרם; ואין צריך לומר, שאר אילנות.
    • – theblitz Jul 16 '12 at 14:56
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    This comes from Rambam - Laws of Kilaim. Chap 5 Halacha 4. Only grain and vegs are forbidden. Anything else is ok. http://www.mechon-mamre.org/i/7105.htm – theblitz Jul 16 '12 at 14:56
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    What is the definition of 'vegs' as regards kilaei hakerem? – Double AA Jul 16 '12 at 16:16
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    Same as we use. Anything on a tree is fruit, wheat etc is grain. Tomato and other "fruits" are counted as vegs since they don't grow on trees. – theblitz Jul 17 '12 at 08:10
  • Well, the USDA thinks mushrooms are vegetables http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables.html# – Double AA Jul 17 '12 at 14:07