3 minute read
Tu Bishvat Is Coming!
Tu Bishvat Is Coming!
Rabbi Karen Isenberg | Congregation Shir Chadash
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Tradition tells us that just as the fate of human beings is decided on Rosh Hashanah, the fate of trees is determined on Rosh Hashanah L’ilanot, the New Year for Trees. This year, the holiday of Tu Bishvat begins on the evening of Sunday, February 5th and continues on throughout the day of Monday, February 6th. Tu Bishvat, which means the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shvat, is considered a minor holiday, and yet it has gained much popularity in recent generations.
Interestingly, there is no reference to Tu Bishvat in the Bible. It is first mentioned in the Mishnah (in Rosh Hashanah 1:1). In ancient times, Tu Bishvat was merely a date on the calendar that helped Jewish farmers establish exactly when they should bring their fourth-year produce of fruit from recently planted trees to the Temple as first-fruit offerings. The Kabbalists, a group of Jewish mystics living in Tz’fat, Israel in the 16th century, created a Seder for Tu Bishvat. It was modeled after the Passover Seder, including the drinking of 4 cups of wine. They would gather on the eve of the holiday, singing, eating fruits and nuts, and studying verses from the Bible and Rabbinic writings long into the night.
Tu Bishvat gained added significance with the early Zionists that came to Israel. It became an opportunity to celebrate the planting of trees to reclaim the land. In 1901, the Jewish National Fund was created to raise money to buy back and cultivate the land of Israel. The JNF has since planted millions of trees throughout Israel. Tu Bishvat has also evolved into a time to emphasize ecological concerns. We read in Genesis that God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden “l’ovda ul’shomra,” “to work it and to guard it.” This connotes humanity’s duty to guard our land and our resources. The tree has become a symbol of this obligation.
Trees have been considered of great significance since ancient times. In Deuteronomy 20:19 we are told that when one you war against a city and capture it, you must not destroy its trees. In a Midrash (Avot de Rabbi Natan 31) it is told that Rabbi Yohanan Ben Zakai used to say: “If you have a sapling in your hand and they tell you the Messiah is coming, first plant the sapling and then go to greet him.” Such is the value and importance of trees. And in one of my favorite stories of the Talmud (Ta’anit 23a), a man questions Honi as to why he is planting a carob tree when he is too old to ever see it bear fruit. Honi answers that just as his ancestors planted for him, he too is planting for his descendants.
May we learn from our tradition the importance of caring for our trees and all of our natural resources. Not only for ourselves, but for future generations. This is the message of Tu Bishvat. Happy Holiday!
