Why is Tu BiShvat called Rosh Hashanah LaIlan (THE Tree) and not the new year of ilanot (trees)?
What Tree is THE Tree that the Mishna might be refering to?
Why did trees need a new year or annual date to count their birthday in the time of the Temple?
Why is the 15th of Shvat considered to be the new year of the trees? What is happening among the trees in Israel this time of year?
Write your translation in English under each of these lines
(א) אַרְבָּעָה רָאשֵׁי שָׁנִים הֵם.
בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַמְּלָכִים וְלָרְגָלִים.
בְּאֶחָד בֶּאֱלוּל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְמַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמְרִים, בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרֵי.
בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַשָּׁנִים וְלַשְּׁמִטִּין וְלַיּוֹבְלוֹת, לַנְּטִיעָה וְלַיְרָקוֹת.
בְּאֶחָד בִּשְׁבָט, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לָאִילָן, כְּדִבְרֵי בֵית שַׁמַּאי.
בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בּוֹ:
רִבִּי זְעוּרָה רִבִּי אִילָא רִבִּי לָֽעְזָר בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. [חַד אָמַר]. כְּבָר יָֽצְאוּ רוֹב גִּשְׁמֵי שָׁנָה כוּלָּהּ וּכְבָר רוּבָּהּ שֶׁלְתְּקוּפָה מִבַּחוּץ. וְחוֹרָנָה אָמַר. עַד כָּאן הֵן חַיִּין מִמֵּי הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁעָֽבְרָה. מִיכָּן וְהֵילַךְ הֵן חַיִּין מִמֵּי הַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה.
Rebbi Ze`ira, Rebbi Ila, Rebbi Eleazar in the name of Rebbi Hoshaia. [One said,] already most of the rains of the entire year have passed, and also most of the season is gone (by Tu Bishvat). But the other one says, up to then (Tu BiShvat) they live from the rains of the past year, from then on they live from the water of the next year.
Rabbi Shalom Noach Berzhovsky taught: “Every renewal in Nature activates the power for renewal within a person. The days of Spring are considered the best for bodily health; the spring air heals. The Torah says, ‘a person is like a tree of the field.’ When the natural world is renewed, when the whole creation wears a garment of newness, it also affects a person’s body.”
“For a person is a tree of the field,’ and his branches are in heaven, for the head, which is the root of a man, faces upwards, and this is why a person is called a ‘tree of the field’ planted in heaven, and through his intellect, he is planted in his place, which, if all of the winds were to come and blow, they would not move him from his place.” (16th century Maharal of Prague)
(יט) כִּֽי־תָצ֣וּר אֶל־עִיר֩ יָמִ֨ים רַבִּ֜ים לְֽהִלָּחֵ֧ם עָלֶ֣יהָ לְתׇפְשָׂ֗הּ לֹֽא־תַשְׁחִ֤ית אֶת־עֵצָהּ֙ לִנְדֹּ֤חַ עָלָיו֙ גַּרְזֶ֔ן כִּ֚י מִמֶּ֣נּוּ תֹאכֵ֔ל וְאֹת֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִכְרֹ֑ת כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ עֵ֣ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָבֹ֥א מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃
(19) When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you must not cut them down.
Are trees of the field human to withdraw before you into the besieged city?
SONG "Standing Like a Tree" (Burns/Kristy)
Standing like a tree with my roots dug down
My branches wide and open
Come down the rain
Come down the sun
Come down the fruit to the heart that is open to be
standing like a tree…
We are the flow, we are the ebb, we are the weavers, we are the web
Mishna Rosh Hashanah 1:1
(1) They are four days in the year that serve as the New Year, each for a different purpose: On the first of Nisan is the New Year for kings; it is from this date that the years of a king’s rule are counted. And the first of Nisan is also the New Year for the order of the Festivals, as it determines which is considered the first Festival of the year and which the last. On the first of Elul is the New Year for animal tithes; all the animals born prior to that date belong to the previous tithe year and are tithed as a single unit, whereas those born after that date belong to the next tithe year. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say: The New Year for animal tithes is on the first of Tishrei. On the first of Tishrei is the New Year for counting years, as will be explained in the Gemara; for calculating Sabbatical Years and Jubilee Years, i.e., from the first of Tishrei there is a biblical prohibition to work the land during these years; for planting, for determining the years of orla, the three-year period from when a tree has been planted during which time its fruit is forbidden; and for tithing vegetables, as vegetables picked prior to that date cannot be tithed together with vegetables picked after that date. On the first of Shevat is the New Year for the tree; the fruit of a tree that was formed prior to that date belong to the previous tithe year and cannot be tithed together with fruit that was formed after that date; this ruling is in accordance with the statement of Beit Shammai. But Beit Hillel say: The New Year for trees is on the fifteenth of Shevat.
O God, who makes, forms, creates, and emanates the spiritual worlds! You made trees and plants grow from the ground in their shape and pattern above, so that this Creation may be “joined together as one”, to become a holy temple.
And this full moon of Tu Bishvat is the beginning of Your work to renew and ripen the fruit trees. So too this begins the days of growing and ripening the fruit of the supernal tree, “the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden.”
May it be Your will that our eating and blessing of these fruits now, and our meditating over their roots above, will arouse their spiritual sap and make the flow of love and blessing and pure abundance flow upon the trees, to make them grow and bloom, for good and for blessing, for good life and for peace. May the whole of Creation return now to its original strength, and may the rainbow appear rejoicing and glorified in its colors. And may all the sparks of G-d, scattered by our hands, or by the hands of our ancestors, or by the trespassing the first human committed against the fruit of the Tree, return to be included in the majestic might of the Tree of Life!
(Adapted from the original Tu Bishvat Seder "Pri Etz Hadar)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHHkmOh942A&ab_channel=NeilBromhall
Watch - Pear fruit to flower time-lapse
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה:
Blessed are You Eternal One, Our G!d, Ruler of Space and Time,
Who is creating fruit of the tree
Who is creating fruit of the vine.
What do you think of when you hear Tree of Life?
What is the Tree of Life associated with in Judaism?
(ח) וַיִּטַּ֞ע יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים גַּן־בְעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר׃ (ט) וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כָּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃ (י) וְנָהָר֙ יֹצֵ֣א מֵעֵ֔דֶן לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת אֶת־הַגָּ֑ן וּמִשָּׁם֙ יִפָּרֵ֔ד וְהָיָ֖ה לְאַרְבָּעָ֥ה רָאשִֽׁים׃
(8) Adonai Elohim planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the man whom He had formed. (9) And from the ground Adonai Elohim caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad. (10) A river issues from Eden to water the garden, and it then divides and becomes four branches.
This is an image from an ancient Israelite archaeological site, where there are inscriptions about Asherah, a goddess who is associated with trees. Here (and in other places), the tree is literally giving life by feeding the animals (ibex).
(יג) אַשְׁרֵ֣י אָ֭דָם מָצָ֣א חָכְמָ֑ה וְ֝אָדָ֗ם יָפִ֥יק תְּבוּנָֽה׃ (יד) כִּ֤י ט֣וֹב סַ֭חְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־כָּ֑סֶף וּ֝מֵחָר֗וּץ תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃ (טו) יְקָ֣רָה הִ֭יא מפניים [מִפְּנִינִ֑ים] וְכָל־חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ׃ (טז) אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים בִּֽימִינָ֑הּ בִּ֝שְׂמֹאולָ֗הּ עֹ֣שֶׁר וְכָבֽוֹד׃ (יז) דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם
וְֽכָל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֽוֹם׃
(יח) עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא
לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃ (פ)
(13) Happy is the man who finds wisdom (chochmah), The man who attains understanding (tvunah). (14) Her value in trade is better than silver, Her yield, greater than gold. (15) She is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her. (16) In her right hand is length of days, In her left, riches and honor. (17) Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths, peaceful. (18) She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, And whoever holds on to her is happy.
(ד) מַרְפֵּ֣א לָ֭שׁוֹן עֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים וְסֶ֥לֶף בָּ֝֗הּ שֶׁ֣בֶר בְּרֽוּחַ׃
(4) A healing tongue is a tree of life, But a devious one makes for a broken spirit.
How do the authors of the Tanach/Bible seem to view the Tree of Life?
What does she provide people?
What things are characterized as a Tree of Life?
What things in your own life act as a nourishing tree of life?
One whose wisdom is greater than their deeds, to what are they compared? To a tree with many branches and few roots; comes a storm and uproots it, and turns it on its head...But one whose deeds are greater than their wisdom, to what are they compared? To a tree with many roots and few branches, whom all the storms in the world cannot budge from its place. – Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Sages 3:17
What makes us human and different from other creatures is our ability to know what is right and wrong and that we have the power to choose. We ate from the tree of knowledge of good and bad which is very powerful magic. It can be like a magic spell that convinces us that what we are thinking in that moment is the truth. That’s why we need to grab on to the tree of life – the Torah – she is a tree of life for all who whole fast to her – Torah can help us snap out of the evil spell.
The Tree of Life brings more life and less death and destruction upon ourselves and others. If you eat too much from the tree of knowledge and not enough from the tree of life you lose your ability to see clearly and choose life over death.
(א) וַיְשִׁבֵנִי֮ אֶל־פֶּ֣תַח הַבַּיִת֒ וְהִנֵּה־מַ֣יִם יֹצְאִ֗ים מִתַּ֨חַת מִפְתַּ֤ן הַבַּ֙יִת֙ קָדִ֔ימָה כִּֽי־פְנֵ֥י הַבַּ֖יִת קָדִ֑ים וְהַמַּ֣יִם יֹרְדִ֗ים מִתַּ֜חַת מִכֶּ֤תֶף הַבַּ֙יִת֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית מִנֶּ֖גֶב לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ (ב) וַיּוֹצִאֵנִי֮ דֶּֽרֶךְ־שַׁ֣עַר צָפוֹנָה֒ וַיְסִבֵּ֙נִי֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ ח֔וּץ אֶל־שַׁ֣עַר הַח֔וּץ דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַפּוֹנֶ֣ה קָדִ֑ים וְהִנֵּה־מַ֣יִם מְפַכִּ֔ים מִן־הַכָּתֵ֖ף הַיְמָנִֽית׃ (ג) בְּצֵאת־הָאִ֥ישׁ קָדִ֖ים וְקָ֣ו בְּיָד֑וֹ וַיָּ֤מָד אֶ֙לֶף֙ בָּֽאַמָּ֔ה וַיַּעֲבִרֵ֥נִי בַמַּ֖יִם מֵ֥י אָפְסָֽיִם׃ (ד) וַיָּ֣מָד אֶ֔לֶף וַיַּעֲבִרֵ֥נִי בַמַּ֖יִם מַ֣יִם בִּרְכָּ֑יִם וַיָּ֣מָד אֶ֔לֶף וַיַּעֲבִרֵ֖נִי מֵ֥י מָתְנָֽיִם׃ (ה) וַיָּ֣מָד אֶ֔לֶף נַ֕חַל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־אוּכַ֖ל לַעֲבֹ֑ר כִּֽי־גָא֤וּ הַמַּ֙יִם֙ מֵ֣י שָׂ֔חוּ נַ֖חַל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יֵעָבֵֽר׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלַ֖י הֲרָאִ֣יתָ בֶן־אָדָ֑ם וַיּוֹלִכֵ֥נִי וַיְשִׁבֵ֖נִי שְׂפַ֥ת הַנָּֽחַל׃ (ז) בְּשׁוּבֵ֕נִי וְהִנֵּה֙ אֶל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַנַּ֔חַל עֵ֖ץ רַ֣ב מְאֹ֑ד מִזֶּ֖ה וּמִזֶּֽה׃ (ח) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י הַמַּ֤יִם הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ יוֹצְאִ֗ים אֶל־הַגְּלִילָה֙ הַקַּדְמוֹנָ֔ה וְיָרְד֖וּ עַל־הָֽעֲרָבָ֑ה וּבָ֣אוּ הַיָּ֔מָּה אֶל־הַיָּ֥מָּה הַמּֽוּצָאִ֖ים ונרפאו [וְנִרְפּ֥וּ] הַמָּֽיִם׃ (ט) וְהָיָ֣ה כָל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֣ה ׀ אֲֽשֶׁר־יִשְׁרֹ֡ץ אֶ֣ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁר֩ יָב֨וֹא שָׁ֤ם נַחֲלַ֙יִם֙ יִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה הַדָּגָ֖ה רַבָּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד כִּי֩ בָ֨אוּ שָׁ֜מָּה הַמַּ֣יִם הָאֵ֗לֶּה וְיֵרָֽפְאוּ֙ וָחָ֔י כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יָ֥בוֹא שָׁ֖מָּה הַנָּֽחַל׃ (י) וְהָיָה֩ יעמדו [עָמְד֨וּ] עָלָ֜יו דַּוָּגִ֗ים מֵעֵ֥ין גֶּ֙דִי֙ וְעַד־עֵ֣ין עֶגְלַ֔יִם מִשְׁט֥וֹחַ לַֽחֲרָמִ֖ים יִהְי֑וּ לְמִינָה֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה דְגָתָ֔ם כִּדְגַ֛ת הַיָּ֥ם הַגָּד֖וֹל רַבָּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃ (יא) בצאתו [בִּצֹּאתָ֧יו] וּגְבָאָ֛יו וְלֹ֥א יֵרָפְא֖וּ לְמֶ֥לַח נִתָּֽנוּ׃ (יב) וְעַל־הַנַּ֣חַל יַעֲלֶ֣ה עַל־שְׂפָת֣וֹ מִזֶּ֣ה ׀ וּמִזֶּ֣ה ׀ כָּל־עֵֽץ־מַ֠אֲכָל לֹא־יִבּ֨וֹל עָלֵ֜הוּ וְלֹֽא־יִתֹּ֣ם פִּרְי֗וֹ לָֽחֳדָשָׁיו֙ יְבַכֵּ֔ר כִּ֣י מֵימָ֔יו מִן־הַמִּקְדָּ֖שׁ הֵ֣מָּה יֽוֹצְאִ֑ים והיו [וְהָיָ֤ה] פִרְיוֹ֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל וְעָלֵ֖הוּ לִתְרוּפָֽה׃ (ס)
(Yehezkel’s messianic vision here includes a kind of resurrection of the dead but is focused more on nature’s resurrection rather than humans.)
Then he brought me back to the Temple’s opening, And there was water emerging from beneath the eastern platform
For the Temple faces East.
The water was flowing down the south side of the temple mount
South of the altar.
He then took me out through the north gate
And brought me around to the gate facing outwards
To the east-bound road
And the water was streaming out from the south side.
The person began to walk eastwards with a measure in hand
He measured one thousand amah and took me through the water
-ankle deep water.
He measured another thousand and took me through the water
-knee deep water.
He measured another thousand and took me through waist deep water.
He measured another thousand,
And it was a stream I could not ford
The water rose to swimming depth
But the stream could not be crossed.
And he said to me -
Mortal, have you paid attention?
And he took me and sat me by the river side.
And where we sat,
Many trees grew on the river bank, on both sides.
And he said to me -
These waters flow to the east territory
They flow down through the desert
They will flow to the sea
The dead sea
And it’s waters will heal.
All kinds of swarming living beings
Will live wherever these streams of water come
And abundant fish will swim in the sea
For these waters have come,
and wherever these waters come
They bring healing.
Fishermen will stand by the sea-side
From Ein Gedi to Ein Agalim
Casting their nets
There will be as many species of fish as there are in the Great Ocean
An abundance of species.
Yet the surrounding marshes will not transform -
They will remain as a source of salt.
On both sides of the flowing stream
Will grow all kinds of fruit trees
Whose leaves will never wilt
And who will never lack fruit
Who will bring forth new fruit every month
For the water that sustains them comes from the Temple.
Their fruit will bring sustenance
and the leaves will bring healing.
עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא
לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃
דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם
וְֽכָל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֽוֹם׃
Eitz chayim hi lamachazikim bah,
v'tom'cheha m'ushar.
D'racheha darchei noam v'chol n'tivoteha shalom. Hashivenu Adonai eilecha v'nashuva,
chadesh yameinu k'kedem.
She is a tree of life to those who grasp her,
And whoever holds on to her is happy.
Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths, peaceful. (Proverbs 3)