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Judaism And Bees

In Hebrew, “bee” is translated with Deborah, which is the name of two important women: the nurse of the matriarch Rebecca and the prophetess Deborah (1107-1067BCE). Deborah was the fourth Judge of pre-monarchic Israel and the only women among them. 

Since beekeeping is not described in the Torah, honey was long understood to mean date syrup or honey of wild honeybees. However, archaeological findings of beehives in the Jordan Valley that are more than 3,000 years old challenge these interpretations. One thing is clear: the Torah describes wild honey as one of the finest foods, which also plays an important role in the story of Samson’s riddle:
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The sweetness of honey
The natural sweetness of honey is used to symbolize the sweet aspects of life and is eaten in pastries and on various holidays, such as Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. Celebrants dip apple slices into honey followed by the recitation of a prayer for a good and sweet year. The honey here symbolizes the hope for a happy and prosperous new year. In the Midrash (the biblical commentary on the Scriptures), honey is a metaphor for the sweetness and wisdom of the Torah. For example, in King Solomon’s verse, “honey and milk under your tongue”, honey represents the sweetness of the words of the Torah. Accordingly, honey and milk are also consumed on the Shavout holiday, celebrating the Giving of the Torah. The Talmud also provides several hints on the positive effects of honey, such as restoring vision or improving memory.
Shortly after killing a young lion with his bare hands, Samson found a swarm of bees living in the carcass of the lion and ate from the honey they had produced. Shortly thereafter, at his wedding feast, Samson told the audience the following riddle: “Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet” (Judges 14:14). The guests, driven by the desire to win the promised prize, pressured the bride to find out the solution. After begging to her newly wed husband, he gave her the answer: “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” (Judges 14:18). The bride told the guests but Samson soon realized he had been deceived. Enraged, he left the wedding and the bride was married to another man.

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The bee itself belongs to the class of unclean insects, so normally the rule “that which comes from something which is tameh [non-kosher] is tameh,” (Bek. 1:2) should apply to honey. However, rabbis claimed that honey is only stored in the bee’s body and is therefore not a product of the bee itself. Thus, honey and other bee products are considered kosher. 

For more reflection on bees and Judaism check out this speech on bees and Judaism given by Dr. Deborah Williger (Institute for Theological Zoology) at our award ceremony.
© 2021 BEES FOR PEACE
Bees for Peace is a program of 
Pollinator Partnership Canada, a federally recognized charitable organization
(charitable registration no. 84169 5174 RR0001)
Validation of Pollinator Partnership Canada's charitable registration may be found here.

Bees for Peace acknowledges that it is operating primarily on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, in territory covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Why and How
    • Team
    • Achievements
  • Finding Value in the Web of Life
    • Bees in Religious and Cultural Traditions >
      • Buddhism and Bees
      • Christianity and Bees
      • The Gurung and Bees
      • Hinduism and Bees
      • Islam and Bees >
        • Unani medicine
      • Judaism and Bees
      • The Kawaiwete and Bees
      • The Mayas and Bees
      • The Ogiek and Bees
      • Bees in Indigenous Cultures
    • Web of Life >
      • Buddhism and Nature
      • Christianity and Nature
      • Hinduism and Nature
      • Islam and Nature
      • Judaism and Nature
      • Sikhism and Nature
      • The Golden Rule
    • Faith and Environmentalism >
      • Bees for Peace Israel
      • Islamic Help
  • Bee Protection Made Easy
    • Bees and Other Pollinators
    • Bee Hotels
    • Pollinator Gardens
    • COVID-19 and Community
  • Our Networks
  • Support us!
    • Contact and Privacy
    • Get Involved!