
(IsraelNN.com) The beautifully-blossomed almond tree which features prominently in Israeli celebrations of Tu b'Shevat has a dark side. Nectar of almond flowers contains 4-10 milligrams per liter of amygdalin, which yields the potent poison cyanide.
It turns out, according to Professor Izhaki, that while amygdalin is poisonous for mammals, it is not poisonous for insects, such as the honey bee. In fact, it may act as a stimulant which attracts them.
The almond in the Tanach (Bible)
The relationship between the Jewish people and the tasty almond is traced back to the Torah. Almonds were among the produce of the Land of Israel presented by Jacob to the Egyptian Pharoah via his sons in Genesis 43, when they went down to Egypt to buy food during the famine in Canaan.
When leadership roles were being clarified, the staff of Aaron sprouted almond buds to show that he was chosen by G-d in Numbers 17. Jeremiah also was shown an almond branch by G-d in his first prohpetic vision (Jeremiah 1).
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