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13 Shvat 5777 - February 9, 2017 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Sweet but Forbidden Fruit: Don't Give Children Buggy Fruit!

By Dei'ah Vedibur Staff

In response to inquiries, HaRav Moshe Bransdorfer of the Eida Chareidis in Yerushalayim, rules that it is forbidden to give dried fruits that have a reasonable suspicion of harboring forbidden bugs to children who do not know enough to check them.

As reported in Mercaz HaInyanim, HaRav Bransdorfer ruled that it is forbidden to give small children who don't understand Tu BeShevat fruits which need checking, and whoever does so is guilty of placing a stumbling block `before the blind' and is considered to be feeding them forbidden food.

This would apply to fruits such as dates, figs and raisins, since these have a reasonable suspicion of harboring forbidden insects, and young children are not old enough and responsible enough to know how to check these problematic fruits. HaRav Bransdorfer ruled that this prohibition falls under the lav of not placing a stumbling block before the blind.

In the circle is a living worm in a fig, that is hard to see even when pointed out
FigBug3

This ruling was in response to a question from the melamed Rav Moshe Dovid Turnheim who noted that many children studying in chadorim who are being taught to be very careful in mitzvah observance are given Tu BeShevat fruits which need to be properly checked before eating so as not to consume bugs.

According to food expert Rav Moshe Vaye, the following are clean and no checking is required: apples (including dried), apricots canned, avocado, bananas, banana chips, Brazil nuts, coconut (whole and shredded), craisins (cranberries), esrog candied, fruit leather (in closed pkg.), kumquat candied, Macadamia nuts, mango, melon, round papaya (fresh, dried, canned), passion fruit, pecans in shell, pecans sugared, peaches canned, pears, pignolias (pine nuts), pineapple in syrup, prunes, star fruit and watermelon.

Also suitable for giving out in honor of Tu BeShevat is puffed wheat and other grains from the 7 species.

A beetle in a fig. Even experts have a hard time checking figs, and it is very time consuming to do it properly.
FigBug1

HaRav Bransdorfer wrote: "Regarding the parties held in honor of Tu BeShevat where various fruits are given out, including problematic dried fruits such as figs, dates, raisins and apricots which are usually infested - and your question how these can be given to small innocent children since it falls under the prohibition of not putting a stumbling block before the `blind', it should be very clear and obvious that the only allowance can be made for older children who know how to properly check these fruits or know that they must first be checked by an adult (parent), as the Shulchon Oruch states that it is forbidden to feed these to them by hand.

"Melamdim are therefore obligated to avoid given problematic dried fruit to children in the lower grades since this is considered as if they are actually feeding them by hand."

 

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