Seven Species Harvest

“Seven Species Harvest” © D. Yael Bernhard

“Seven Species Harvest” is the image for June 2025 in The Jewish Eye 5785/2025 Calendar of Art. This is the month when the Jewish holiday Shavu’ot takes place, which celebrates the barley harvest as well as the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. Like many ancient holidays, this one serves more than one purpose.

Historically, Judaism arises during the long transition from hunter-gatherer tribes to agricultural civilizations. The earth-centered mindset that prevailed since the dawn of human existence was carried into the new era, taking new forms. The harvest of food from the earth was an integral part of emerging belief systems. Life revolved around the seasonal tilling of the land. Survival depended on the weather and favorable conditions. Offerings were brought to the Temple in Jerusalem by way of massive pilgrimages, one of which traditionally took place on Shavu’ot. It’s an old, old holiday.

Seven species of fruits and grains became known as the Seven Species of the Bible: wheat, barley, olives, figs, dates, pomegranates, and grapes. These foods were held sacred in Jewish and Christian ideologies, and still hold a special place in the hearts of millions of people today.

But my depiction of these species is not ancient. I placed my imaginary portrait of seven harvest workers in the mid-20th century, when Jewish pioneers known as chalutzim fled from brutal persecution and devastating war to work the land in Israel and help establish the fledgling Jewish state. These young people worked tirelessly to create agricultural fields and build infrastructure, striving to make a safe homeland for the Jewish people. They were as diverse as the crops they cultivated: Ashkenazim from Russia and Eastern Europe; Sephardim from Southern Europe and North Africa; and Mizrachim from Arab and Persian lands to the east. Each person in the painting above represents one of these places. This ingathering of immigrants formed a new and ethnically diverse nation: the modern State of Israel, which was first a nation 3000 years ago, and dissolved when the Roman Empire destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem in 70CE, marking the beginning of a 2000-year Diaspora. The return to their ancient homeland was a joyous occasion for Diaspora Jews, but one which was also fraught with complexity and hardship.

Together, the Seven Species form a beautiful group of fruits and grains – gifts from the earth, each with a unique flavor, texture, color, shape, and nutritional benefits. Pomegranates and olives are especially rich in antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds. Barley has been used since ancient times to make beer, a valuable fermented beverage in its original form; while grapes were made into wine. Like a collection of archetypes, these fruits of the harvest and the farmers who bear them added to the melting pot of the new nation. It was a unique time in history, and though also a time of suffering and strife, I sometimes wish I’d been there.

So I paired the Seven Species with seven chalutzim from different lands, and created a geometric design of their faces, forming two diagonal lines. This enabled their baskets and bundles to be somewhat evenly distributed across the canvas. Once I cracked this basic structure, the painting flowed easily from there – although I must admit this is the second version, the first one having been done in the wrong painting technique. Even after half a century of painting, I still engage in trial and error. Sometimes I just don’t know which path is right until I’m on it.

As in life, so in art.

Rosh Hashanah is just two weeks away! Now in its tenth year, The Jewish Eye Calendar of Art makes a great gift for the New Year. Find it in my webstore ($20.95 including shipping), on Amazon ($18), and locally at the Tender Land giftshop ($18) in Phoenicia, NY. All the images may be viewed in my webstore.

The original painting of “Seven Species Harvest” is also for sale. Please inquire for details if you’re interested.

If you’re local, you’re invited to my art sale on September 28, 29, and 30th – please respond directly to this post for more information.

A good week to all –

D. Yael Bernhard

https://dyaelbernhard.com

Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!