Observances & Rituals:
Tu b'Shevat -- Learning from the trees
By Rabbi Yossi Kenigsberg
Jan. 18, 2008
Tu b'Shevat is one of the more obscure holidays in the Jewish calendar. Its name simply refers to its chronological date-the 15th day of the month of Shevat. While recognized and celebrated both in Israel and the Diaspora, it is shrouded in mystery and misunderstanding.
Many of us remember receiving, in school, miniature packets containing raisins, dried fruit, and rock hard, teeth-defying carob to commemorate the day. We probably were encouraged to donate to the Jewish National fund to participate in the project of planting of trees in Israel. We may also have been taught songs dedicated to the "New Year for Trees". What is the actual meaning of Tu b'Shevat and what practical applications does it have for our lives?
Technically speaking, this "Rosh Hashanah" exists in order to calculate the age of trees for the purposes of tithing. Although, not explicitly mentioned in the Torah, the Mishnah in Tractate Rosh Hashanah discusses the halakhic ramifications of Tu b'Shevat. Fruits from trees grown in Israel are subject to different protocols of tithing and one is not permitted to pay the tithe of one year with the produce of a different year. Each tree is considered to have aged one year as of Tu b'Shevat, no matter when it was planted during that year. The fruits, which blossomed prior to Tu b'Shevat, cannot be included as tithe with the fruits that blossomed after Tu b'Shevat.
Current halakhic practice forbids fasting on this day, omits the tachanun prayer as is done on all festive days and encourages us to eat from the produce of the Land of Israel and recite the relevant blessings. Clearly, Tu b'Shevat is not merely a quaint day dedicated to embracing environmental issues and patriotic ideas. There is evidently religious significance to the day. What are the more profound concepts of Tu b'Shevat and what relevance does it have to our lives?
First of all, Tu b'Shevat affords us, in the Diaspora, the opportunity to indulge in our adoration for the Holy Land. Having a day on the calendar exclusively connected to Israel and its uniqueness provides us with the chance to declare its primacy in our lives.
Although, in this part of the globe, we are still entrenched in the dismal and dreary abyss of winter, spring has arrived in Israel, offering hope to our dreams and aspirations.
In addition, in Deuteronomy 20:19, the Jewish people are exhorted not to destroy fruit trees when they capture and conquer a city in battle "because a man is a tree of the field". What is this cryptic phrase teaching us? How is a person comparable to a "tree of the field"?
In order to flourish, a tree needs to live in a type of soil that is rich in nutrients, free from toxins and conducive to growth. Similarly, a person needs to reside in a community that offers opportunities for spiritual advancement and religious development and should take advantage of those options.
Just as a tree will wither in a soil that does not foster growth, a person's soul will shrivel and languish without some type of spiritual immersion. An individual must also keep a distance from noxious and immoral exposures that could be a nefarious influence on spirituality.
Just as a tree will be dangerously damaged living in a poisonous environment, a person could be spiritually asphyxiated in an impure milieu.
In order to maintain long-term survival, a tree needs to establish far-reaching roots beneath the ground. Without this attachment, the tree is vulnerable to toppling during times of winds and storms.
Similarly, a person needs to create religious roots that will provide a firm foundation throughout life. These connections sustain a person during episodes of trial and tribulation. This fealty to one's history and legacy serve as fortifications and buttresses in stressful and menacing times.
Tu b'Shevat reminds us that, like trees, we are influenced and affected by our surrounding environment and therefore always need to proactively search for a friendly spiritual climate that will enhance our adherence and commitment to Torah. Once we acquire this habitat we should become involved in opportunities that champion and nurture our souls so that we can generate roots of length and depth that will guarantee our Jewish survival.