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By Rabbi Tzvi Frank, Halachic writer at the BHHC
Recently, eating olives at our Shabbat table became quite a subject of debate. One of my sons, back from Yeshiva, cited the Gemara that counts olives as a food that is “Kashe L’Shikha” – may cause memory loss. I distinctly recalled that there was some way out of this but for the life of me I couldn’t remember what it was! Was my mind going or was the olive indeed living up to its nefarious reputation?
Clearly more research into this matter was in order.
The Forgotten Olives
The Gemara in Horayot[1] cites the statement of Ribbi Yohanan, that regular consumption of olives can cause such acute memory loss that one may even forget studies which he studiously reviewed for seventy years.[2]
This begs the question, in light of the many “Kashe L’Shikha” customs mentioned in the Poskim (i.e. not wearing two garments at the same time[3], leaving an open sefer[4] and more) and otherwise ingrained in our rich tradition, why is the warning against eating olives ignored?
This is especially troubling if we take into account the opinion that engaging in activities that are Kashe L’Shikha may be in violation of the negative commandment in Parashat V’Ethanan[5]: “Hishamer lecha … pen tishkah et ha’devarim” – Be careful, lest you forget what your eyes have witnessed (referring to Ma’amad Har Sinai, and expanded to include any form of forgetting or causing to forget Divre Torah).[6]
There are four basic approaches in the Poskim to address this issue and interestingly enough, almost all of them bring the identical Gemara as proof to their position.
Salted Olives
Rav Yaakov Emden writes[7] that this Gemara is only referring to olives in their raw state. Marinated or salted olives do not cause memory loss at all. The difference is that raw olives were commonly eaten as part of a main meal whereas marinated or cured olives were only eaten as a snack. As proof, he cites a Gemara[8] in which Ribbi Yohanan appears to be eating a salted olive, despite the fact that he is the one who warns against eating olives in Masechet Horayot. It must be, says Rabbi Yaakov Emden, that salted olives are not included in this injunction.
The problem with this position is that the Me’iri in Horayot clearly says salted olives also cause memory loss. [Additionally, I have an Italian acquaintance who grew up on an olive plantation, and also grows his own olive tree in the garden of his Arizona summer home. He claims that raw olives are completely unpalatable due to their bitterness. They have to go through a curing process to remove the bitter taste.[9] The Gemara above stated that regular consumption of olives can cause severe memory loss. It is therefore hard to imagine that olives in their bitter unpalatable raw state had been eaten regularly and was part of a main meal.][10]
Nevertheless, it would appear that most do indeed rely on this position to get their olive fix, guilt free.
Infrequent Consumption
Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a in his Sefer Zikaron[11] maintains that regular consumption of olives means at least once in thirty days.[12] In his opinion, a person must be careful not to eat a meal containing olives more than once a month lest he be subject to the harmful side effect of forgetting his learning.
As proof he cites the same Gemara in which Ribbi Yohanan appears to be eating an olive. Rav Chaim Kanievsky writes that we must say that he only ate it infrequently thus sparing himself the detrimental side effect of the regularly eaten olive.[13]
[Rav Shlomo Zalman ztz”l is quoted[14] as sending the following message to Rav Chaim Kanievsky after he published his Sefer Zikaron: “You ruined my breakfast”. However, toward the end of his life he sent another message to Rav Chaim that it became exceedingly difficult for him to continue following this Humra and he will revert to the Minhag Yerushalayim mentioned later in this article.]
Pure Intentions
The Magen Avraham[15] explains that only an Am Ha’Aretz (ignoramus) is subject to the Kashe L’Shikha consequence of olive-munching. A Talmid Hacham who knows how to eat olives with the proper Kavana (meditation), will not only be spared memory loss, but will actually improve his memory. He doesn’t explain which Kavana is necessary to prevent the side effect nor do any of the commentaries elaborate.
The Ben Ish Hai in his commentary Ben Yehoyada on Horayot reveals that there is a special Shem Hashem that one needs to contemplate while eating olives and actually discloses the exact kabbalistic formulation. The Kaf HaHayim[16] also writes the proper Shem one should have in mind while eating olives and as proof he cites the same Gemara in which Ribbi Yohanan appears to be eating a salted olive. Despite Ribbi Yohanan’s own injunction against eating olives in Horayot, the Kaf HaHayim explains that he ate it with that particular Shem Hashem in mind. The Kaf HaHayim recommends focusing on this Shem in lieu of relying on Rav Yaakov Emden’s opinion above.
Still, Rav Yosef Chaim Zonenfeld ztz”l[17] argues that kabbalistic intentions should not override the plain and simple meaning of the Gemara and therefore this loophole should not be relied upon on a regular basis.
Neutralizing Oil
In turn, Rav Yosef Chaim Zonenfeld maintains that dipping the olive into olive oil will effectively counteract the potentially harmful side effects. He cites the end of that same Gemara in Horayot which states: “This supports the teaching of Ribbi Yohanan who said, ‘Just as olives cause one to lose seventy years of learning, so does olive oil restore seventy years of learning’.” His understanding of the Gemara is that olive oil is an effective remedy to the memory loss properties of olives.
Rav Chaim Kanievsky does not agree with this.[18] He feels that we cannot properly gauge the rate of forgetfulness caused by the olive in ratio to the rate of memory restoration caused by the olive oil. How much olive oil will be necessary to properly remedy the problem? Additionally, perhaps olives affect individuals at different rates and similarly the olive oil’s counteracting properties may also affect individuals at a different rate. Therefore, Rav Kanievsky does not feel that one can rely on this solution but should rather keep a log of his olive repasts at hand.
However, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach writes[19] that adding olive oil has always been Minhag Yerushalayim and indeed one can rely on this. In response to how much olive oil is necessary, he maintains that as we are dealing with supernatural phenomena[20] we don’t have to be stringent. A drop of olive oil is sufficient to address this concern.
Conclusion
In summary, Rav Yaakov Emden’s position is that cured or marinated olives pose no problem at all. Additionally, if you are only an infrequent eater of olives (less than once a month), Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlit”a maintains that there is no problem [and according to Rav Betzalel Stern ztz”l not eating olives in consecutive meals is also not a problem]. If you are so inclined, you can memorize the Shem Kodesh referenced by the Magen Avraham and revealed by the Ben Ish Hai and Kaf HaHayim before you eat olives. Finally, with the addition of a drop of olive oil the Minhag Yerushalayim is to be lenient, as it neutralizes the effects of the olives.
Sources:
[1] 13b
[2] See Maharsha who points out that in fact the olive fruit itself is not listed in the Torah as one of the seven species – but rather the olive’s oil. This is due to the olive fruit’s damaging attribute of causing forgetfulness.
[3] Horayot ibid., cited in Magen Avraham 2:3
[4] Shach, Y.D. 277
[5] Devarim 4:9
[6] See Divre Malkiel (Vol.4:1). However, the Sefer Hasidim (1008) explicitly writes that this prohibition does not apply to these type of activities whatsoever.
[7] Both in his comments to Masechet Horayot and in Mor U’Ktzi’ah 170
[8] Berachot 38b
[9] One exception is the Throubes olive from the Greek Island of Thassos, which can be eaten fresh after being cured by the sun and wind.
[10] Still, since Rav Yaakov Emden’s main distinction between raw and cured olives is whether or not they are eaten in such a state as an official part of the meal or only a side dish, it would seem that all olives nowadays are eaten as a garnish rather than sitting down to a bowl of olives, and so this Heter should apply.
[11] Printed at the end of his Siah HaSade vol. 1
[12] Based on Berachot 40a
[13] In a similar vein, Rav Betzalel Stern ztz”l (Kovetz Kerem Shelomo 15:1 pg. 36-38) maintains that as long as one doesn’t eat olives in consecutive meals it is not considered regular consumption.
[14] Sefer Hiko Mamtakim pg. 188
[15] 170:19
[16] O.H. 157
[17] Salmas Chaim 90-91
[18] Rabbi Chaim learns the Gemara differently. It just means to illustrate the contrast between olives and olive oil. And that although olive oil originates from olives, their spiritual properties are polar opposites.
[19] Halichos Shlomo, Tefillah Ch. 2
[20] Recent studies suggest that polyphenols (oleocanthal) found in olive oil have a profound effect on the human brain (Scientific American Vol. 308 Issue 6). Rabbenu Bahye in his commentary to Parashat VaYishlah attributes this to fact that the olive tree has no “heart”. It is unclear if he means that it therefore has a natural ability to obscure memory or if is still in the realm of the supernatural.