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Celebrating Tu
B’Shevat
The Jewish
connection to nature is a vital part of Jewish Life. Tu B’Shevat,
observed on the 15th day of Shevat, celebrated our bond to the
natural world. The New Year for trees reminds us our dependence
upon nature and it breathtaking beauty. Before the destruction
of the temple, Tu B’Shevat had a practical purpose. The New Year
provided farmers a method for calculating the age of the trees
and enabled them to keep the Torah law which forbade harvesting
fruit until a tree’s fifth year. By allowing trees four years of
uninterrupted growth, we can learn to appreciate our natural
resources and understand they are not inexhaustible. We cannot
take advantage of them if we wish to reap their benefits.
The 16th century kabbalists enjoyed a Tu B’Shevat seder modeled
on the Passover seder. As spring approaches, the sun warms the
frozen earth and the landscape changes from white to red, we mix
red wine with white for our second cup. The sedar also
highlights traditional Israeli fruits, figs, pomegranates,
olives, dates, carob, and almonds. Tree planting is traditional
on Tu B’Shevat. Donations to the Jewish National Fund have an
even greater impact in reforesting the burned out areas in the
North from the recent war. We are also made equally aware of
preserving our environment.
Jewish
National Fund
As you know
Hadassah has been a partner working hand-in-hand with the Jewish
National Fund, through land reclamation planting trees, road and
dam building, establishment of parks and water conservation. The
continued purchase of trees, gardens and forests to honor or
memorialize loved ones and friends, will ensure the blossoming
of the land. If you are interested in sending a tree or a forest
of trees for any occasion, please contact the Jewish National
Fund.
The Talmud reports that in the time of the Second Temple, it was
customary to plant a tree on Tu B’Shevat for every child born
that year—a cedar for a boy because of its height and a cypress
for a girl because of its fragrance. When the children grew up
and married, the huppah (wedding canopy) was constructed from
the branches of their trees.
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