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Honey from Orlah Flowers

Based on the idea that honey is not something that is produced from a bee itself, rather the bee functions only as a “facilitator” of the nectar or pollen it sucks from plants in regards to the honey that comes out from it (See Bochoros Daf 7). Based on this, if the bee took from a plant that had a problem of orleh, would the honey also be ossur?

Answer:

The honey would not be prohibited. One reason for this is that the prohibition of orlah does not apply to flowers. Even for flowers on fruit bearing trees, the prohibition of orlah does not apply to the flowers themselves, which are not eaten. For flower bushes (that are not trees), there is no prohibition of orlah at all. The subject is discussed by Rishonim to Berachos 36 (see Rashba and Ritva), who dwell on the halachic status of the rose concerning orlah.

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