Pomegranate in Judaism: The 613 Seeds of Abundance & Fertility

Few symbols in Jewish existence are more abundant and multilayered than the pomegranate. This fruit, so ancient that it predates modern visualizations of fruit, which exploded with hundreds of seeds, has for centuries been a symbol of blessing, righteousness and God's abundance. In Judaism, it is not simply a fruit, but a living metaphor for spiritual plenitude and the wonder of creation.

One of the "Seven Species" of Israel

The pomegranate is featured on the Shivat HaMinim - the Seven Species of the Torah symbolizing the Land of Israel's fertility: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. All the species manifest a specific aspect of divine blessing, but the pomegranate is especially celebrated for its sumptuous beauty and rich spiritual connotation.

A symbol of blessing in the Land of Milk and Honey

In times past, the pomegranate was a symbol of wealth and fertility. Along the borders of ancient Israel's gardens and fields, it shone, a guarantee that the very ground was blessed. To this day, eating pomegranate seeds on Rosh Hashanah remains a cherished custom, hoping to have as many good acts in the coming year as there are seeds.

The Origins and History of the Pomegranate

The pomegranate is one of the world's oldest cultivated fruits, and one of its longest-lived. Its history is closely bound up with that of Israel and of the Jews.

Where the pomegranate grows - from ancient Judea to today

Native to sections of ancient Persia and the Land of Israel, pomegranates have been fruitful in Jewish culture for over 3,000 years. Archaeological findings in Israel reveal pomegranate carvings, decorations and remains from biblical times. To this day, the fruit still ripens in abundance through Israel's fields and gardens, connecting the modern state to its past.

Pomegranates in Jewish life and the Mediterranean world

Across the Mediterranean, pomegranate was seen as a fruit of life and regeneration. Although it was cherished by many cultures, from Greek to Persian, in Judaism it gained extra religious significance. Its round shape symbolized wholeness, its crown-like top meant grandness and its seeds symbolized commandments and good deeds which decorate a righteous existence.

Pomegranate Symbolism in Judaism

The symbolism of the pomegranate is powerful in Jewish thought. In the Torah to the rabbinic tradition, it is interpreted as a symbol for fruitfulness, purity and relationship with God.

The 613 seeds and the 613 mitzvot

Jewish legend teaches us that a pomegranate contains 613 seeds, one for each of the 613 mitzvot, or commandments, in the Torah. The number is symbolic rather than literal, and yet it describes to perfection the character of the fruit: as the pomegranate is filled with infinite numbers of seeds, so too is the Jewish life filled with infinite ways of doing goodness.

In the Bible and later, the pomegranate was a symbol of the richness of life. Its opened-up seeds symbolized fertility, growth and blessing, both spiritual and material. It was used as a theme in weddings and celebrations, symbolizing love, prosperity and hope for generations to come.

The pomegranate as a symbol of righteousness

The Talmud compares the righteous person with the pomegranate - "even the empty among you are full of good deeds like the pomegranate." The symbol teaches Jews that goodness and potential are embedded in every soul, just waiting to be revealed, just like seeds are concealed behind the thick skin of the pomegranate.

The Pomegranate in the Bible and Jewish Texts

The pomegranate occurs in the Bible, both as an earth fruit but also as a symbol of the sacred intricately integrated into worship and tradition.

Mentions in the Torah and the Prophets

The Torah also states that the Promised Land was "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates" (Deuteronomy 8:8). In the Song of Songs, the fruit is praised for beauty and sweetness, a poetic symbol of love, purity and religious bond.

The pomegranate on the robe of the High Priest

High Priest's robe in the Book of Exodus had embroidered pomegranates of purple, blue and scarlet yarns. Tiny golden bells dangled between them, creating together a sanctified harmony as he entered the Temple. The pomegranate here represented sanctity, piety and the abundance of good works introduced into the service of God.

Pomegranate decorations in Solomon’s Temple

King Solomon's Temple was resplendently decorated with carved pomegranates on pillars and gateways (I Kings 7:18-20). They were not touches that contributed embellishments merely; they testified to the fertility of life achieved by living in terms of Godly wisdom.