The Symbolic Meaning of the Pomegranate on the robe of the Cohain Gadol

[edu]

In Shmot{Exodus}28:34 G-d commands that on the bottom edge of the robe in Hebrew מעיל of the Cohain Gadol {the High Priest} a special decoration of wool in the shape of pomegranates as well as bells are to be placed there?
Any ideas on the symbolic meaning of the pomegranates?

One possible idea, but I hope you have a better one, is that some Jews have the custom on Rosh Hashana to eat pomegranate and pray "may are merits be great like the pomegranite". Why is the pomegranite singled out as a symbol of merit in the prayer more than other fruits. Probably because of the great amount of seeds it produces.
This is a reminder to us that although we live in the present, it is worthy to do many actions that will perpetuate those who are like us in the future, similar to the pomegranate, where each fruit carries the potential (with its seeds} to perpetuate hundreds of other pomegranate trees in the future.

[muman613]

In Shmot{Exodus}28:34 G-d commands that on the bottom edge of the robe in Hebrew מעיל of the Cohain Gadol {the High Priest} a special decoration of wool in the shape of pomegranates as well as bells are to be placed there?
Any ideas on the symbolic meaning of the pomegranates?

One possible idea, but I hope you have a better one, is that some Jews have the custom on Rosh Hashana to eat pomegranate and pray "may are merits be great like the pomegranite". Why is the pomegranite singled out as a symbol of merit in the prayer more than other fruits. Probably because of the great amount of seeds it produces.
This is a reminder to us that although we live in the present, it is worthy to do many actions that will perpetuate those who are like us in the future, similar to the pomegranate, where each fruit carries the potential (with its seeds} to perpetuate hundreds of other pomegranate trees in the future.

Im sure you are aware of the popular idea that the pomegranate has 613 seeds, just like there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah...

http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/619,19383/Why-do-we-eat-pomegranates-on-Rosh-Hashanah.html

The Talmud1 tells us that "even the wicked amongst Israel are filled with good deeds like pomegranates [are filled with seeds]." On Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, we eat a pomegranate to remind G-d of all the good deeds we've done in the past year2.

Footnotes

    * 1. Tractate Sanhedrin 37a
    * 2. Also see Malbim Shir Hashirim, 4:3, where he mentions pomegranates having 613 seeds, which is analogous to the 613 Mitzvot

[muman613]

Here are some more ideas concerning the pomegranate and the bells....



http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/parsha/peninim/archives/pninim57_58/tetzavah.htm

"A gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate on the hem of the robe all around." (28:34)

Peninim Yekarim suggests that the golden bells were symbolic of wealth, while the pomegranates represented mitzvos and good deeds. Indeed, Chazal in the Talmud Berachos 57 state that every Jew is as full of mitzvos as a pomegranate has seeds. The bells were alternated with the pomegranates all around the hem of the Kohen Gadol's tunic. We derive from this pasuk that only when wealth is integrated with mitzvos and good deeds does it serve a purpose and benefit the world.

In Shir Ha'Shirim 6:7, Shlomo Ha'Melech says, "As many as a pomegranate's seeds are the merits of your unworthiest." The Midrash explains that even the illiterate Jew performs mitzvos and is as replete with merits as a pomegranate has seeds. Let us think about this. If they are filled with mitzvos, why are they considered empty and unworthy? Also, what is the analogy of the pomegranate? Horav Y.D. Povarsky, Shlita, distinguishes between an apple and a pomegranate in order to demonstrate the concepts of synthesis and unity. An apple is a single entity in which the entire fruit is unified together. The pomegranate, on the other hand, is a conglomerate of seeds, each seed exclusive of the other, "wrapped" individually, but amalgamated into one outer shell/fruit. This is analogous to one who performs a mitzvah, but does not fuse that mitzvah into his being to the point that he and the mitzvah become melded together as one. The essence of mitzvah observance is to change us so that we become consecrated. This occurs when we perform mitzvos with the proper kavanah, intention, and the right attitude. True, the reikim, unworthy ones, have mitzvos. They are, however, still viewed as vacuous and unworthy, since these mitzvos were not performed l'shem Shomayim. The performer does not intend to merge himself with the mitzvah to become a single unit.

As the outer skin of the pomegranate serves only as a container for the separate seeds, so, too, does an individual who simply performs mitzvos without "connecting " with them remain unworthy. These mitzvos, like the skin of the pomegranates leave no lasting impression on the individual.

[edu]

Someone did a statistical check and found that not every pomegranate contains 613 seeds.
In one particular study the average happened to come out 613 but individual pomegranates could be hundreds of seeds away from the average see http://www.aquaphoenix.com/misc/pomegranate/

Muman613 stated

In Shir Ha'Shirim 6:7, Shlomo Ha'Melech says, "As many as a pomegranate's seeds are the merits of your unworthiest."

It is true there is one popular midrashic sermon of the sages, that makes such a connection between the merits of the unworthiest and the pomegranate's seeds.
But the simple meaning of the text which is also basically a repeat of Shir Hashirim 4:3 is that the place between your eyes and ears in hebrew רקתך is like a slice of a pomegranate's seeds. This is the same place on the head that Yael placed the tent peg on, to kill Sisera the enemy of Israel in the book of Shoftim{Judges} 4:21,22 and 5:26. Daat Mikra commentary says there is a 2nd view that translates the word as cheek, but I'll add the story of the killing of Sisera more simply supports the first view.
How did certain sages arrive at the midrashic sermon you mentioned. Understanding that the entire book of Shir Hashirim is symbolic for a deeper message, they said to themselves what is the deeper message. They said to themselves that the spelling of this word is very close to the spelling of the Hebrew word that connotes "your empty ones". And they had a tradition that the passage was meant to praise Israel in some way.
Perhaps G-d willing, at a later time I will offer an alternative symbolic meaning to the passage.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Someone did a statistical check and found that not every pomegranate contains 613 seeds.
In one particular study the average happened to come out 613 but individual pomegranates could be hundreds of seeds away from the average see http://www.aquaphoenix.com/misc/pomegranate/

Indeed it's not a scientific statement although it' quite irrelevant that they checked any pomegranates growing outside of israel.  If the sages were speaking about pomegranates they were only referring to those they experienced - the ones that grow in israel.  So if they do such a study it should only include israeli grown pomegranates.   In any case maybe it wasn't 613 exactly but maybe there's around 600 or so in the Israeli pomegranates so they made an analogy.  They weren't going around doing scientific studies.