Although the carob fruit is not one of the seven species characterizing the fertility of Eretz Yisrael, it is usually served along with the seven species as part of the Tu B’Shevat seder meal. The fruit of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), when mature, has an elongated sickled shape within which are found seeds, termed locust beans. The Hebrew term for carob fruit is charuv (רובח), which possibly was derived either from the word cherev (sword), as it resembles a curving scimitar (Goor and Nurock, 1968) or from the word chorev (parched), as the mature fruit is devoid of moisture (Shaouli and Fisher, 1997). Although not mentioned in the Ta’nach, carob is noted is the Mishnah, as it is subject to the laws governing maisros (Maisros 1, 3), demai (Demai 2:1), peah (Peah 1, 5), and shemittah (Sheviis 4, 10; 7,5)

Carob trees, located mainly in the mountains of the Galilee and the Carmel (Shaouli and Fisher, 1997), are dioecious, in that there is a separate male tree and a female tree. The male tree produces staminate flowers with pollen and the female tree produces pistilate flowers with ovules. Eggs within the ovules of the pistil are fertilized by the pollen, with the pistil then developing into the fruit, in which are found the seeds (locust beans). Carob fruit is found on the female tree (Feliks, 1985). Initially, the growing fruit is green, but as it ripens, black spots appear, until eventually the entire fruit blackens, which is a sign of its maturity (Maisros 1, 3). Harvesting carob fruits occurs during the months of Tammuz and Ab, with the carobs being gathered into heaps and dried in the sun (Goor and Nurock, 1968).

As compared with other fruit-bearing trees, the carob tree produces fruit at a much later age, usually after 10 years. However, there is an aggadah implying that the carob tree produces a good fruit yield only after 70 years.
One day Choni the Circle Drawer was journeying upon a road and met a man planting
a carob tree. Choni, upon inquiring how long it would take this carob tree to produce
fruit, was told that the carob tree produces fruit after 70 years. Choni asked the man
whether he expected to live another 70 years, so as to benefit from this planting. The
man replied that just as his ancestors planted carob trees for him, now he is planting
carob trees for his descendents (Ta’anis 23a).
Feliks (1985, 2007) suggested the following to reconcile the 10 versus 70 year tree age for fruit bearing. Apparently, very old male trees may produce pistilate flowers and thereby also produce fruit. Thus, in the aggadah cited above, the planter was referring to fruit production by aged male trees.

The carob tree can live for centuries (Goor and Nurock, 1968) and, apparently, some varieties have very large girths. Rabbi Chanina noted that he came upon a carob tree with a large circumference. He removed his belt, his son’s belt, and the belly band of his donkey, tied them together and was unable to encompass the trunk of this particular carob tree (Yerushalmi Peah 7, 3). Aside from wild carob trees, excellent varieties were cultivated to which were grafted branches from inferior types (Bava Basra 4:8). Because of its great height and its widely spreading branches, carob trees were usually planted far apart from each other and from a town (Rashi, Bava Basra 2:7). Carob trees were often grown on mountain slopes and rocky terrain (Feliks, 1981), as their root system is very extensive, being able to penetrate deep into the ground (Bereishis Rabba 18:17). Because the widely spreading roots could damage nearby wells, carob trees were planted 50 cubits from cisterns, whereas for other fruit-bearing fruits, a distance of 25 cubits was sufficient (Bava Basra 2:11).

The carob fruit is edible, rich in carbohydrates, proteins, minerals (Ozcan et al., 2007), polyphenol antioxidants (Kumazawa et al., 2002; Owen et al., 2003; Papagiannopoulos et al., 2004), and insoluble dietary fiber (Zunft et al., 2001). It was considered a poor man’s fruit. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa lived in poverty, subsisting on eating one kav of carobs from one erev Shabbos to the next (Ta’anis 24b). Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son, Rabbi Eleazar, fled Roman persecution and hid in a cave for 13 years. HaShem caused a miracle, and a carob tree and a spring of water were created to sustain them while in hiding. Rabbi Shimon Finkelman (1999) made mention of a Midos Rashbi, who cited a Medrash Talpios, that the carob tree was transformed into a date tree every erev shabbos.

In the era of the Mishnah ripened carob fruits were a source of honey (Yerushalmi Peah 7:3) and were used to impart taste to wine. As mentioned in Sheviis (7:7), new carobs were added to old wine and old carobs to new wine, as the carob fruit imparted flavor to the wine. Tender carob shoots and pods were used as animal fodder (Shabbos 24:2). As a food source for humans, carobs were not a favorite of the Rambam, who stated “carobs are always bad” (Hilchos Deos 4:11). Perhaps, the Rambam’s aversion to carobs was related to its potential harmful effects on teeth (see Tanhum Yerushalmi 37:17 (cited by Goor and Nurock, 1968) and the Lekach Tov (cited by Shaouli and Fisher, 1997)).

Today, carob fruits have a variety of uses. Carob fruits can be made into syrup, honey, bean meal powder, and alcohol. Carob alcohol is used in the pharmaceutical industry and in wine; carob honey is used in cakes and pastries and as a sweetener for compotes and jams; and carob powder is used in baby foods and baked goods (Shaouli and Fisher, 1997). Carob seeds contain the resin, galactomannan, used in the manufacture of paper, cloth, ink, paints, plastic films, cosmetics, toothpaste, shaving soap, matches, ceramics, and glue. Arabs living in Israel make carpenter’s glue from carob seeds (Goor and Nurock, 1968).

The medical applications of carob are many, including lowering cholesterol (Zunft et al., 2001) and treating diabetes. Carobs have hypoglycemic activity, thereby reducing the level of blood sugar (Yaniv et al., 1997). Carobs, because rich in insoluble dietary fiber, have antidiarrheal properties (Berger, 1951a,b), aid digestion, and stimulate the appetite; carob honey is good for oral ulcers (Shaouli and Fisher, 1997)

Shaouli and Fisher (1997) suggested that the Jews have a special attraction for carobs: “This special affinity may have its roots in the deep appreciation of our people for a simple, modest, and hard working lifestyle, which the carob symbolizes more than any other fruit.”

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