Jewish Holidays | Tu b'Shvat
Jewish Arbor Day and Earth Day Rolled into One
Published January 21, 2021
It's too bad more people don't know much about this lovely biblical celebration of nature.
Jewish Arbor Day and Earth Day Rolled into One
Published January 21, 2021
It's too bad more people don't know much about this lovely biblical celebration of nature.
I love Tu b’Shvat. Sadly, today, at least in the US, Tu b'Shvat has been relegated to nursery and Hebrew school celebrations. But this uniquely Jewish celebration of nature is celebrated with a seder that is rich with symbolism and self-reflection. It that offers deep meaning for grown ups of all ages.
In today’s frightening world of deteriorating environmental conditions and global warming, Tu b’Shvat is an opportunity to reflect on Judaism’s deep traditional commitment to protecting the natural environment – the world that God created for us.
As the rainy seasons ends in Israel, the almond trees begin to blossom around the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shvat. Ancient farmers used this date to designate the beginning of the new crop year. During the time of the Temple in Jerusalem, Jewish farmers in Israel brought a share of their crops as a tithe.
After the Second Temple was destroyed and Jews were exiled from the Land, Tu b’Shvat took on special meaning as an expression of our connection to the Land and our longing to return. But it was the Kabbalists living in northern Israel centuries later who established Tu b’Shvat as the holiday we know today. They expanded their understanding of the day, not just as a celebration of the renewal of agricultural life, but as a time to rejoice in all of God’s creation.
It was these spiritual men who created the first Tu b’Shvat seder, taking its structure from the Passover Seder. In the nearly 2,000 years since, the Tu b’Shvat seder has evolved into an expression of our joy over nature, our strong ties to the Land of Israel, and our commitment to protecting the environment.
In today’s frightening world of deteriorating environmental conditions and global warming, Tu b’Shvat is an opportunity to reflect on Judaism’s deep traditional commitment to protecting the natural environment – the world that God created for us.
As the rainy seasons ends in Israel, the almond trees begin to blossom around the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shvat. Ancient farmers used this date to designate the beginning of the new crop year. During the time of the Temple in Jerusalem, Jewish farmers in Israel brought a share of their crops as a tithe.
After the Second Temple was destroyed and Jews were exiled from the Land, Tu b’Shvat took on special meaning as an expression of our connection to the Land and our longing to return. But it was the Kabbalists living in northern Israel centuries later who established Tu b’Shvat as the holiday we know today. They expanded their understanding of the day, not just as a celebration of the renewal of agricultural life, but as a time to rejoice in all of God’s creation.
It was these spiritual men who created the first Tu b’Shvat seder, taking its structure from the Passover Seder. In the nearly 2,000 years since, the Tu b’Shvat seder has evolved into an expression of our joy over nature, our strong ties to the Land of Israel, and our commitment to protecting the environment.
The Tu b'Shvat Seder
The Tu b'Shvat seder, like the Passover seder, follows a specific order. It is divided into four parts, representing the four worlds of the Kabbalists and the four seasons. We drink four cups of wine and, like in the Passover seder, symbolic foods – three types of fruits – represent meaningful concepts and lessons.
The Tu b'Shvat seder, like the Passover seder, follows a specific order. It is divided into four parts, representing the four worlds of the Kabbalists and the four seasons. We drink four cups of wine and, like in the Passover seder, symbolic foods – three types of fruits – represent meaningful concepts and lessons.
|
The first cup of wine is white. We eat fruits with an inedible outer skin or shell and a soft, edible inside, such as pineapple, coconut, banana, and nuts. Hard-skinned fruit symbolizes the winter season. In nature, seeds and roots quietly develop underground, hidden under the harsh wet or frozen ground. Animals grow heavy with their young, protected within, who will be born in the spring. The shell which conceals also protects.
The divine spark within each of us is hidden and protected deep inside. |
|
For the second cup, we splash some red wine into our white, representing the first blush of spring when nature begins to awaken. We eat fruit with edible skin that contain inedible pits such as olives, dates, and plums. We realize that, despite our interaction with people and the world around us, we often withhold our true, best selves, even from our closest family and friends.
We are still concealed, deep inside, protecting our divine sparks even from within. |
|
The third cup of wine is red with a splash of white. The land grows warmer and the colors of the fruits deepen as they ripen. The darker wine reminds us that we, too, become warmer and more open. We eat fruit that are soft throughout and can be eaten whole, such as berries, figs, and tomatoes.
We are reminded to open ourselves up, to find and love our own divine spark and to look for the sparks in others. |
|
We finish the seder and the year with the deep red wine that represents the full bloom and maturity of nature before the cold winter. As we symbolically pass through each season, we change with each one.
As we drink the fourth cup of pure red wine without any additional fruit, we strive to become strong, like healthy trees, with solid roots in the ground and our arms open to the love that is all around us. |
The Menu
To embrace the spirit of the holiday, it's traditional to enjoy a vegetarian meal - a menu incorporating Israeli cuisine is especially appropriate.
To embrace the spirit of the holiday, it's traditional to enjoy a vegetarian meal - a menu incorporating Israeli cuisine is especially appropriate.
|
This menu is from 2020. The holiday fell in January, long before the coming pandemic was on our radar. It might have been the last time I entertained friends before we moved back to Cincinnati in March.
Fresh Mozzarella Tomato Skewers w/ Pesto Mini Avocado Toasts w/Pomegranate Arils Mushroom Nut Loaf w/Wild Mushroom Gravy Green Herb Salad Dried Fruit & Nut Platter Pina Colada Mini Smoothies |
|
This menu is 2023, here in our downtown apartment.
Frozen Banana & Carob Nibbles w/ Coconut & Nuts Dates, Apricots, Olives Stuffed with Cheese Strawberries and Cream Green Salad w/ Creamy Avocado Dressing Tunisian Fish Cakes w/ Spicy Lemon Paprika Aioli Cauliflower w/ Figs Rice |
Tu b'Shvat seder kit
|
In between for Tu b'Shvat 2021, we shared a seder via Zoom with our children. I prepared seder kits that included the text and some goodies.
Curried Coconut Cocktail Nuts Spiced Olives Dried Fruit Biscotti 
To make the b'samim (spice packet), I wrapped some dried cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, allspice, coriander, and fennel in cheesecloth. |
If you would like a copy of my Tu b'Shvat seder, click here, fill out the contact form and leave a note. I am happy to send you a PDF for you to use with your friends and family.
If you don't use mine, there are plenty of resources out there, online and in libraries.
If you don't use mine, there are plenty of resources out there, online and in libraries.