Does Kilayim apply to non-food plants

Question

The Mishna of Kilayim mostly refers only to food plants.

I see only a few references to non food plants (below)

It doesn't seem like they are on the same level as food plants but there is still "something" with them.

Can I plant flax with cotton (inedible) or marijuana with tobacco (consumed but not "eaten") or different kinds of flowers?

Examples From the Mishna:

Woad (a dye) that grew in a grain field Herbs that grew in a clover field. You can leave these in unless you start to do some weeding.

A dispute whether you can plant flax to separate two grain fields.

Sort of, but it they are not kilayim, why are there some restrictions? — Clint Eastwood, Mar 27 '24 at 00:04
both flax and cotton are edible (or at least parts of them are commonly eaten) — Esther, Mar 27 '24 at 19:50
were they commonly eaten in antiquity or only by modern health nuts? — Clint Eastwood, Mar 27 '24 at 20:24
Cottonseed oil is commonly used now, but is made using processes that weren't around then, so probably not (although it's currently eaten by everyone, not just "health nuts". Or conversely, by everyone except "health nuts" who don't use seed oils). From what I can see by Googling, flaxseed used to be consumed historically for millenia, but it appears to mostly have been used medicinally. — Esther, Mar 27 '24 at 20:51

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 26 '24 at 21:02

A look at שולחן ערוך, יורה דעה סימן רצ״ו shows:

ב:) אין אסור משום כלאי הכרם אלא מיני תבואה ומיני ירקות בלבד אבל שאר מיני זרעים מותר לזרעם בכרם ואין צריך לומר שאר אילנות:‏

I.e. Only grains and vegetables may not be planted in a vineyard, other seeds may be planted.

Similarly in כלאים פרק ה - משנה ח

הַמְקַיֵּם קוֹצִים בַּכֶּרֶם, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, קִדֵּשׁ. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, לֹא קִדֵּשׁ אֶלָּא דָבָר שֶׁכָּמוֹהוּ מְקַיְּמִין. הָאִירוּס וְהַקִּסּוֹם וְשׁוֹשַׁנַּת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכָל מִינֵי זְרָעִים, אֵינָן כִּלְאַיִם בַּכָּרֶם. הַקַּנְבּוֹס, רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, אֵינוֹ כִלְאָיִם, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, כִּלְאָיִם. וְהַקִּנְרָס, כִּלְאַיִם בַּכָּרֶם:‏
One who allows thorns to remain growing in a vineyard: Rabbi Eliezer says: he [thereby] prohibits [the vineyard]. But the sages say: he does not prohibit except if it something that is generally allowed to grow. Iris, ivy, and the king’s lily, and all manner of seeds are not kilayim in a vineyard. [As for] hemp: Rabbi Tarfon said: it is not kilayim, But the sages say it is kilayim. Artichokes are kilayim in a vineyard.

It seems that Kilayim does not apply to non-food plants.

@ClintEastwood, according to Wikipedia: Hemp is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products, including rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel. — Danny Schoemann, Mar 27 '24 at 13:26
@ClintEastwood in the Mishna they already seem to debate this, with R' Tarfon seemingly not being a hemp-seed eater. My guess is that hemp was mainly used for textiles, but some small part was used for food. — Danny Schoemann, Mar 28 '24 at 08:24

Does Kilayim apply to non-food plants

1 Answers1