Translation:Mishnah/Seder Zeraim/Tractate Orlah/Chapter 1/2

Introduction

This mishnah discussing the planting of trees by Gentiles.

Hebrew Text

עת שבאו אבותינו לארץ, ומצאו נטוע--פטור; נטעו--אף על פי שלא כבשו, חייב. הנוטע לרבים, חייב; רבי יהודה פוטר. הנוטע ברשות הרבים, והנוכרי שנטע, והגזלן שנטע, והנוטע בספינה, והעולה מאליו--חייב בעורלה.

English Translation

(2) At the time that our forefathers came into the Land and found [food trees] already planted, [since the verse states: “and you plant”] it is exempt. If [after they came to Land] they [a Jew or Gentile] planted a tree though [the Land] had not yet been conquered [the word “any” comes to include such a case, and thus] it was subject. If one planted a tree [on his property] for public use, it is subject [the word לכם in plural “it must be blocked to לכם,” includes the case where it was for public use], but Rabbi Yehudah exempts [he maintains the plural word, ונטעתם — and you plant” is also an inclusion, thus one inclusion לכם, written after another inclusion ונטעתם, comes to exclude (Menahot 89a)]. If one planted on public property [for personal use], or, if a Gentile planted [a tree], or, if a thief planted [a tree on property that was not his], or, if one planted on a boat [made from clay, where the roots puncture the clay, or one from wood where it has a hole on its bottom], or a tree which grew on its own, it is subject to orlah.