The Core of Tu B'Shevat

By Josh Rudner

Toward the end of winter comes the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat (15th of Shevat), more commonly known as the Jewish Arbor Day. Judaism being a religion that celebrates agriculture and fruits, Tu B'Shevat is the appreciation of trees and is celebrated by eating fruits.

Dina Eliezer

Dina Eliezer, the Education Director at Congregation Shearith Israel, is a lover of Kabbalism and is very knowledgeable about Tu B'Shevat. According to Dina, it is written in the Torah that whenever a traveler finds their way to Israel, before doing anything else, they must plant a tree. This ancient connection to trees has given Jews worldwide the incentive to donate to the Jewish National Fund (JNF).

Found in almost every synagogue, Jewish school, and Jewish home, JNF Tzedakah (charity) boxes have been collecting money for over a century. The money is used to plant trees all across the State of Israel. The planting of these trees has been an enormous part in making Israel the only nation to enter the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees.

Kabbalism, the mystical sect of Judaism, is centered in the northern Israeli city of Safed. This ancient city is the birthplace of the Tu B'Shevat Seder, a meal similar in structure and name to the Pesach or Passover Seder. Dina, however, made clear that the Pesach Seder consists of eating matzah and bitter herbs and celebrates our exodus from slavery; whereas, sweet and dried fruits are eaten at the Tu B'Shevat Seder, which appreciates trees, not an event of historical significance.

Of course, like all other Jewish Holidays, Israeli Jews have integrated Tu B'Shevat into Israeli Society. While the holiday itself retains its spiritual and religious values, Israelis have added to it an energy that the country as a whole feels for the duration of the holiday. The special events Israelis experience during Tu B'Shevat include concerts, picnics, and for the religious and mystic population, Seders.

In contrast to American and European Winters, winter in Israel is a rainy time of cool temperatures and the rebirth of vegetation and agriculture. Just as the rainy days begin to subside, Tu B'Shevat comes, beckoning people to the forests for a day of picnicking. Attending a concert on Tu B'Shevat, you might hear many songs related to the Almond Tree. This specific tree is the first to bloom in Israel and thus the symbol of rebirth.

Almond blossoms

The Tu B'Shevat Seder was created by the Kabbalists in Safed in the 16th Century. Dina said that the concept of "Original Sin" is seen in many religions, as well as in Kabbalism. The "Original Sin" is the violation of God's warning in the story of Adam and Eve: by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, the world would suffer from war, famine, destruction, etc. By eating "non-forbidden" fruits at the Tu B'Shevat Seder, Kabbaists believe they are doing Tikkun Olam, Hebrew for repairing the world. Throughout the Seder, various fruits are eaten and their specific symbolism is explained.

According to myjewishlearning.com, the Tu B'Shevat Seder goes as follows: First, participants wash their hands and drink a cup of wine. Then, they eat fruits such as walnuts or coconuts.. With their hard, outer shells, these fruits symbolize the protection the earth has provided us. Next, wine is drunk and soft fruits with pits are eaten to symbolize the life-sustaining power that earth gives to us. Following a third cup of wine comes the eating of fruits that are completely edible. This is to illustrate God’s presence in the universe. After a vegetarian dinner and fourth cup of wine, the final fruit comes. Symbolizing the study of Torah and mystery of our universe, fruits like mangoes, bananas, avocados, or sabras are eaten-- fruits that have tough outsides but sweet insides.

The media can corrupt the minds of impressionable teens, blurring their vision of what truly matters and leading them to judge people by appearance and other superficialities. In contrast, Jewish mysticism values the core. The core, according to the Kabbalists, can be found in people as well as fruits. It is the core, or rather pit, that is celebrated at the legendary Tu B'Shvat Seders that began so long ago with the Jewish Mystics of Safed.

This year, Tu B'Shevat will begin on the evening of Friday, January 25th and end on the evening of Saturday, January 26th.

Fun Facts about the Jewish National Fund

1.    The JNF owned 13% of the total land in Israel by 2007

2.    Since it's foundation by the World Zionist Congress in 1901, the JNF has planted over 240 million trees in Israel

3.    Across Israel,180 dams and reservoirs have been created by the JNF

4.    Also created by the JNF are 250,000 developed acres of land and 1,000 parks

To make a donation to the Jewish National Fund click here: http://support.jnf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=donationprojects.