Renewal On Tu B'Shevat

Shevat, the Hebrew month that usually coincides with February, is the beginning of Spring in Israel.  The rains lessen, the sun comes out, and the sap beings to rise in the fruit trees.  Tiny leaf buds appear and almost overnight, the almond trees seem to burst into bloom. This is a time for rejoicing, for celebrating the New Year of the trees on the 15th day of Shevat, or Tu B’Shevat, corresponding to the Hebrew letters “Tet” (9) and “Vav” (6), which add up to 15.

The holiday of Tu B’Shevat is not mentioned in the Bible.  It marks the beginning of a new cycle for the tithe on fruit trees.  Before the great Temple was destroyed in Jerusalem in 70 CE, ten percent of all produce was set aside for the priests and the poor.  When the Temple was destroyed, this tithing ceased.  Yet, the principles are still relevant today and it is why we continue to observe Tu B’Shevat by planting trees, sharing the bounty of the land with those in need, and allowing fields to lie fallow during the sabbatical year (every seventh year), and taking care of the earth so it will sustain future generations.

The early chalutzim (pioneers) in Israel celebrated Tu B’Shevat by planting trees.  This practice continues today.  Jewish communities around the world also celebrate Tu B’Shevat as a kind of Jewish earth day, organizing events that express a Jewish commitment to protecting the earth.

In the early 1600s, The Kabbalists, the Jewish mystics of Tzfat created a new tradition.  They saw Tu B’Shevat as a holiday which connected the revival of nature after the long winter and the revival of the Jewish people.  They created a seder which included readings about trees, planting and nature, the ingathering of the Jewish exiles and the covenant of the people of Israel with God; and the eating of fruits and nuts. So, the birthday of the trees is also the birthday of the tree of life, a moment when God needs our human presence to witness the annual renewal of life. As we eat fruits and nuts, drink wine or grape juice and read from a special Tu B'Shevat Haggadah, we celebrate the new year of the trees, rejoicing in the abundant gifts of nature which give our senses delight and our bodies life.