Kilayim 3:6-7

Kilayim 3:6

Let’s say that someone’s field was planted with onions and he wanted to plant rows of gourds in it. Rabbi Yishmael says the course of action is to uproot two rows of onions and plant one row of gourds in the middle where they were, leave two rows of onions, then uproot another two rows of onions and plants one row of gourds. Rabbi Akiva says he can uproot two rows of onions and plant two rows of gourds, leave two rows of onions where they were, then uproot another two rows of onions and plant two more rows of gourds. The Sages say he may only keep the rows of onions between the rows of gourds if there are twelve cubits between the rows (about 18 feet).

Kilayim 3:7

If one plants a gourd in a vegetable field, he treats it like other vegetables, but if he plants it in a grain field, he must leave a beis rova on either side of it (about 225 square feet). If a field is planted with grain and one wants to plant a row of gourds, he must leave six handbreadths (about 18 inches) for tilling the soil. If the row grew into the empty space, he must trim it back. Rabbi Yosi said he must leave four cubits of space (about six feet). The Sages asked him why this should be stricter than the case of a grapevine. He replied that we already see that a gourd is more stringent than a vine because a single vine only requires that six handbreadths be left, while a single gourd requires an entire beis rova. Rabbi Meir said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael that whenever three gourds are in a beis seah (about 5,625 square feet), one may not introduce any other plant. Rabbi Yosi ben HaChoteif Efrasi said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael that whenever three gourds are in a beis kor (about 170,000 square feet), one may not introduce any other type of plant.