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Jewish mystics visualize God as a tree, with roots in creation and branches spreading far and wide. As a way to incorporate this vision into their lives, the Kabbalists created a seder for Tu B’Shevat as a “tikkun” — a ritual of repair for the world, and we know our world is certainly in need of repair.
“A person is a tree of the field…” (Deuteronomy 20:19). How is a person a tree? Essentially, in Jewish tradition, a person is like a tree because we bear fruit- our teachings and our good deeds.
The rabbis remind us of this every year when we celebrate the Tu B’Shevat, the new year for trees. Interestingly, the Torah never mentions this holiday, and it is first noted in the Babylonian Talmud in connection with Rosh Hashanah and two other new years (Rosh Hashanah is the new year for the counting of years, Elul is the new year for the tithing of cattle and Nisan is the new year for kings and festivals).
At the seder, we reflect on seven species of produce and their relationship with the land of Israel first mentioned in the Torah in Deuteronomy (8:8), which describes Israel as ‘a land of wheat, and barley, and vines; of fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey.’ In Hebrew, they are known collectively as Shivat HaMinim (‘seven species’). Please mark your calendars for Friday, January 26 at 6:30 pm when we will hold a special Shabbat service and Tu B’Shevat Seder, providing us with a unique and delicious learning opportunity.
For questions, please be in touch with Rabbi Newburge at gnewburge@mlrt.org. Register by emailing Laurie Silverman at lsilverman@mlrt.org or visiting mlrt.org/tubs24
