why dont we learn that orlah begins with rosh hashana for trees in shevat (vs the machlokes tishrei vs nisan), or at least a hava mina shevat?
dovid berkovitz, passaic, nj
Shalom Rav,
The Gemara learns that Rosh ha'Shanah for trees is Tishri from a Gezeirah-Shavah
"Shanah" "Shanah". The logic behind it lies in the fact that the Parshah of Orlah begins
with the words "When you come to the land and plant any kind of fruit=tree", from which
we see that the basis of the Din of Orlah lies in the planting of the seeds, at which point it is not yet a tree.
Once it reaches its fourth year, when it has become a tree, the fruit remains
forbidden until Sh'vat, since the Rosh ha'Shanah for trees is Sh'vat.
This explanation is based on that of the Tiferes Yisrael DH 'li'Netiyah'.
Be'Virchas Kol Tuv
Eliezer Chrysler.