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SPICES
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Emperor (probably Hadrian) asked Rabbi Joshua Ben Hananiah,
"What gives your Sabbath meal such an aroma?" To
this R. Joshua replied, "We have a certain spice (tavlin)
called the Sabbath which we put into it [the Sabbath dish],
and this gives it its aroma." [1] |
The Bible has no special
word for spice. In the talmudic and midrashic literature, the term tavlin
is used, from the verb 
(t-v-l), tavel, which is apparently connected with the root balol
(“to mix”). Pungently spiced foods were very popular among the
Jews of Erez Yisrael and Babylonia, even as they are today among oriental
Jews; it has been suggested that the more pungent-tasting ones (such as
pepper) also have some disinfectant action, important under the inferior
conditions of food hygiene prevalent in the East.
The general name for spices in rabbinic literature is  mashbihei
okhelin (“food enhancers)[2],
or alternatively (and less commonly) 
zikei kiderah (fluid spices in the cooking pot) is also used.[3]
Among the “food improving” spices may also be included pungent-tasting
vegetables, such as garlic, leek and onion. Some aromatic plants (incenses
and perfumes), such as cinnamon and saffron, were also used as spices.
In addition to these aromatic plants and vegetables, the Bible also mentions
four kinds of spices – hyssop, caper, cumin, and fennel-flower, while
talmudic literature refers to dozens of varieties, the most important
of which are the following:
ammomum
(hamam, of the ginger family): seed added to coffee by Oriental communities
(hel in Arabic)
asafetida (hiltit): spice still used in Iran.
caper (the fruit aviyyonah; the flower buds zalat):
eaten picked in salt or vinegar
caraway (karbos): seed used as spice, thick root eaten
as vegetable.
costus (kosht, of the ginger family): “food enhancer,”
ingredient in incense used in the Temple. |
mint
(na’ana, Arabic name): leaves used as a spice and yield
an ethereal oil.
mustard (hardal): condiment extracted from the seeds.
pepper (pilpil): most popular spice.
rue (pigam): leaves have pungent aroma, used by Oriental
communities.
safflower (kozah, kurtama, morika): leaves used as a
spice and its seed as food and spice.
saffron (karkom): stigmas of the flower used as a spice
and a dye. |
cumin
(cammon): used as spice on bread during biblical and Talmudic periods.
dill (shevet): used in mishnaic times as a spice.
dodder (keshsut): fruit used a spice, mainly in wine.
fennel (gufnan in Mishnah; shumar in Talmud):
spice similar to dill.
Fennel-flower (kezah): seed used as a spice on bread.
hyssop (ezov): leaves used as a spice.
lavender (ezovyon): leaves used as a perfume and medicine. |
savory
(si’ah): wild spice, mentioned together with hyssop and
thyme.
sesame: oil of seed used as a food and in lamps.
sumac (og): fruit of the sumac tree, used as a spice.
thyme (koranit): tiny aromatic leaves have pungent aroma,
used as a spice, like hyssop and savory (three are mentioned together). |
The rabbis composed
blessings of thanksgiving for personal enjoyments and benefits (birkhot
ha nehenin), among several blessings to be recited upon smelling fragrant
plants and spices:[4]
On smelling fragrant
woods or barks:
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the
Universe, who creates diverse kinds of spices.
 On
smelling fragrant plants:
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the
Universe, who creates fragrant plants.
On smelling fragrant
spices:
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the
Universe, who creates fragrant woods
 On
smelling fragrant oils:
Blessed
are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates fragrant
oil.
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[1]
JT Shabbat 119a [Back]
[2] Sif. Deut. 107; several kinds of
spice are mentioned here. [Back]
[3] Yoma 75a;; Hul. 77b
[Back]
[4] BT Berkhot 43b [Back]
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SPICES
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