Reuven Brought His Mother the Fruit of the Mandrake, Which Looked like Apples and Were Aromatic

The mandrake, Mandragora officinarum, is a perennial plant found in the Middle East, southern Europe, and northern Africa, that has ovate leaves, white or purple flowers, and edible globose yellow fruits, historically thought to have aphrodisiac properties. The mandrake also has a large bifurcated root, which has been credited with human attributes and has been the subject of many myths and superstitions. The root was formerly used as a cathartic, narcotic, soporific, and a conception promoting supplement. Common names for the fruit of the mandrake include: “love apples,” “May apples,” and “devil’s apple” [1]. One of the earliest references to the conception promoting properties of the mandrake is found in Bereshit (30:14), where Reuven, Leah’s eldest son, brings her duda’im from the field. Rachel, Leah’s younger sister, requests that Leah give her some of the duda’im that her son brought her because she wanted children. Leah, however, only acquiesces on the condition that Ya’akov will cohabit with her during that night. Ya’akov agrees and Leah, thereafter, bears her fifth son (Bereshit 30:17) and later a sixth (Bereshit 30:20). It should be noted that according to may opinions, duda’im are considered aphrodisiacs; for this reason it is believed that the word is derived either from the Hebrew word dodim, meaning love, or from the Arabic word du, meaning two, in addition to daim, meaning lovers. [2] The botanical identity of duda’im is quite difficult to ascertain. The accepted opinion, however, is that it is a plant that grows, blossoms, or ripens “in the days of the wheat harvest” (Bereshit 30:14). Most biblical commentaries translate duda’im as mandrakes. Rashi writes that the duda’im are a type of plant that the Arabs call yasmin, which is translated in English as the mandrake. Ibn Ezra asserts that duda’im have a good aroma, as it is written in Shir HaShirim (7:14), “duda’im give forth fragrance.” They resemble the human form for they have the likeness of a head and hands. Ibn Ezra concludes, however, that he does not know why they promote conception. Ramban disputes Rashi’s interpretation of duda’im, and instead accepts the opinion of Onkelos, who translates them as yavruchin. They are called yavruch in Arabic and mandrakes in English. Ramban explains that Rachel wanted the duda’im not to promote conception, but rather to enjoy and take pleasure from their aroma, for it was through prayer that Rachel’s barrenness was alleviated, and not via medicinal means. Reuven brought his mother the fruit of the mandrake, which looked like apples and were aromatic. He did not, however, bring the root, which has the likeness of a head and hands, and which is said to facilitate conception. It is interesting to note that Ramban concludes that he is unable to find proof to the latter assertion in any medical books available in his time.