Happy Birthday Dear Trees
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Tu Bishvat celebrates the birthday of the trees. Jewish tradition and Biblical texts instruct humans to protect fruit trees so that they are not harmed during times of war and fruit is not picked until the trees are mature. The laws encourage humans to exhibit respect for the trees and encourage individuals to maintain a relationship with the environment. The following texts explore our own relationship to the trees and the relevance of the holiday.
Isaiah 41:19-20
יט) אֶתֵּן בַּמִּדְבָּר אֶרֶז שִׁטָּה וַהֲדַס וְעֵץ שָׁמֶן אָשִׂים בָּעֲרָבָה בְּרוֹשׁ תִּדְהָר וּתְאַשּׁוּר יַחְדָּו: כ) לְמַעַן יִרְאוּ וְיֵדְעוּ וְיָשִׂימוּ וְיַשְׂכִּילוּ יַחְדָּו כִּי יַד־ה' עָשְׂתָה זֹּאת וּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרָאָהּ:
Isaiah.41.19-20
19) I will give in the desert cedars, acacia trees, myrtles, and pines; I will place in the wilderness boxtrees, firs, and cypresses together. 20) In order that they see and know, and pay attention and understand together that the hand of Adonai did this and the Holy One of Israel created it. [Translation by Judaica Press, edited for gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. According to the text, what do the trees reveal about God?
2. In your opinion, who is the "they" mentioned in the text?

Genesis 3:17-19
יז) וּלְאָדָם אָמַר כִּי שָׁמַעְתָּ לְקוֹל אִשְׁתֶּךָ וַתֹּאכַל מִן־הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִיךָ לֵאמֹר לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכֲלֶנָּה כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ: יח) וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ וְאָכַלְתָּ אֶת־עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה: יט) בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם עַד שׁוּבְךָ אֶל־הָאֲדָמָה כִּי מִמֶּנָּה לֻקָּחְתָּ כִּי־עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל־עָפָר תָּשׁוּב:
Genesis.3.17-19
To Adam, God said, "Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed be the ground because of you; by toil shall you eat of it all the days of your life, thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you. But your food shall be the grasses of the field; by the sweat of your brow shall you get bread to eat, until you return to the ground - for from it you were taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return. [JPS translation. Edited for gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What does this source teach about the damage we can do to others and the earth by eating/consuming that which is forbidden?
2. What does this source teach about the relationship between humans and the land? Do you agree with the teaching?

Tomer Devorah (Rav Moshe Cordovero) Ch. 3
Translation Original
Just as the Higher Wisdom does not disdain any creature, and causes everything, as it is written in Tehillim, “You made them all with wisdom” (Psalms 104:24), so should people’s mercy be upon all God’s works… Along these lines, a person should not treat anything disrespectfully, for all were made with wisdom. He should not uproot a plant except where necessary, and he should not cause the death of a living creature except where necessary. [Translated by Harold Fisch] . . . שכמו שהחכמה העליונה אינה מבזה שום נמצא והכל נעשה משם, דכתיב (תהילים ק"ד, כ"ד) "כלם בחכמה עשית", כן יהיה רחמי האדם על כל מעשיו יתברך. . . ועל דרך זה לא יבזה שום נמצה מן הנמצאים, שכולם בחכמה, ולא יעקור הצומי אלא לצורך, ולא ימית הבעל חי אלא לצורך . . .
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to treat everything with respect?
2. What does this source teach us about the relationship between humans and trees?
3. What does it mean to exhibit mercy to plants, trees, and animals today?

Rashi, Genesis 2:5
כי לא המטיר - ומה טעם לא המטיר, לפי שאדם אין לעבוד את האדמה ואין מכיר בטובתם של גשמים, וכשבא אדם וידע שהם צורך לעולם התפלל עליהם וירדו, וצמחו האילנות והדשאים:
Genesis.2.5
Because it didn’t rain- what is the reason it did not rain? Because “there is no man to work the soil” and there is no one to realize the benefit of the rains. Therefore when Adam came and recognized that rain was needed for the world he prayed for it, and it rained, and trees and plants began to grow. [translation by Gideon Aronovich]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. According to this source, why are humans necessary in order for the trees to grow?
2. What does this source teach about the relationship between humans, the rain and the plants?

Babylonian Talmud, Ta'anit 23a
תענית כ״ג א:ט״ו-ט״ז
יומא חד הוה אזל באורחא, חזייה לההוא גברא דהוה נטע חרובא, אמר ליה: האי, עד כמה שנין טעין? – אמר ליה: עד שבעין שנין. –אמר ליה: פשיטא לך דחיית שבעין שנין? – אמר ליה: האי [גברא] עלמא בחרובא אשכחתיה, כי היכי דשתלי לי אבהתי – שתלי נמי לבראי. יתיב, קא כריך ריפתא, אתא ליה שינתא, נים. אהדרא ליה משוניתא, איכסי מעינא, ונים שבעין שנין. כי קם חזייה לההוא גברא דהוא קא מלקט מינייהו. אמר ליה: את הוא דשתלתיה? – אמר ליה: בר בריה אנא. אמר ליה: שמע מינה דניימי שבעין שנין
Taanit 23a:15-16
One day he [Honi the Circle Drawer] was journeying on the road and he saw a man planting a carob tree; he asked him, How long does it take [for this tree] to bear fruit? The man replied: Seventy years. He then further asked him: Are you certain that you will live another seventy years? The man replied: I found [ready grown] carob trees in the world; as my forefathers planted these for me so I too plant these for my children. Honi sat down to have a meal and sleep overcame him. As he slept a rocky formation enclosed upon him which hid him from sight and he continued to sleep for seventy years. When he awoke he saw a man gathering the fruit of the carob tree and he asked him, Are you the man who planted the tree? The man replied: I am his grandson. Thereupon he exclaimed: It is clear that I slept for seventy years. [Translated by Harold Fisch]
Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What motivated the man to plant a carob tree?
2. The definition of sustainable development is "meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs". How does this story relate to contemporary notions of environmental responsibility and sustainable development?