(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:
(1) The four new years are: On the first of Nisan, the new year for the kings and for the festivals; On the first of Elul, the new year for the tithing of animals; Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Shimon say, on the first of Tishrei. On the first of Tishrei, the new year for years, for the Sabbatical years and for the Jubilee years and for the planting and for the vegetables. On the first of Shevat, the new year for the tree according to the words of the House of Shammai; The House of Hillel says, on the fifteenth thereof.
This reference to a singular tree alludes to The Tree – the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden.
And God said: 'Let the earth put forth grass, herb-yielding seeds, and fruit trees bearing fruit of its kind.' 'Fruit tree' means the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which put forth blossoms and fruit. 'Bearing fruit' is the tzaddik, the basis of the world. 'Of its kind' means all the human beings who have in them the spirit of holiness, which is the blossom of that tree. This is the covenant of holiness, the covenant of peace – and the faithful enter into that kind and do not depart from it. The Tzaddik generates, and the tree conceives and brings forth fruit of its kind.
(Zohar – Bereishit 33a)
~The first type of fruits: No shell within or without~
Traditionally in modern times, we eat the fruits in this order, in order to 'rise toward holiness.':
The first is Assiyah, or Action, the physical world around us.
--not actually physical fruits
The second is B'riyah, or Creation, the world of knowing, and the mind.
The third is Yetzirah, or Formation, the world of feelings and emotions.
The fourth is Atzilut, or Emanation, the world of spirituality.
However, originally, the fruits were eaten in reverse order, to 'draw down holiness' into our realm. This seder will rely on the original order, and intent. We start with Atzilut.
ומהרח״ו זלה״ה ביאר שיש ל׳ מיני פירות האילן ובעולם הבריאה עשרה מהן לעומ׳ י׳ ספירות שלה ומפני שהם רחוקי׳ מן הטומאה וקרוב לאצילות אין להם קלי׳ לא בפנים ולא בחוץ ונאכלין כמו שהן. ואלו הן ענביס תאנים תפוחים אתרוגים לימוני״ם אגסים חבושום תותים שורב״אש חרובין
R. Hayyim Vital explained that there are thirty kinds of fruit trees. Ten [have their divine roots] in the World of Creation, corresponding to the ten sefirot of that world. Since their roots are far removed from tuma’ah and close to the purely divine World of Emanation, they have no shell, either within or without. They may be eaten as they are.
They include the following: grapes, figs, apples, citrons, lemons, pears, quince, strawberries, sorbs, and carob.
(The Pri Ets Hadar: Fruit of the Majestic Tree, the original seder for Tu biShvat) (School of Rabbi Yitsḥak Luria, circa 17th century)
The Talmud says that someone who eats and doesn't say a blessing is considered a thief. Why? Because every aspect of God's creation is inherently holy. So when one eats a piece of fruit, he is depriving the world of a piece of holiness. A blessing re-infuses the world with holiness. Eating without a blessing, however, lowers the level of holiness in the world without replacing the loss – and is regarded as theft. (Maharal of Prague)
--How am I depriving the world of holiness? What blessings can I add to my everyday life to re-infuse creation?
--In what ways am I pure, within and without? How do my outsides match my insides? What are some gifts that I am bringing to the world?
--Here say blessing over a type of produce that can be eaten in its entirety, and enjoy your selection!
~The second type of fruits: Fruits that have pits and seeds within them~
ועשרה מיני פירו׳ הם העולם היצירה והן סוד י״ס דיצירה שהם בנוכים בין עולם הבריאה ובין עולם העשיה שאינן קרובות לטומאה כמו עולם העשיה ולא רחוקים כמו עולם הבריא׳.
ולכן גרעיני הזרע בתוך הפרי אינו נאכל לפי שאינן רכים כגרעינים שבתוך הפירות דבריאה. ואלי הן זתים תמרי׳ גודגוניו׳ שופאייפ״אש פרישקו״ש זירגואי׳לאש משמישי״ש׳ גינדא״ש אקאאני״ש נישפ״ ולאש
There are ten types of fruit [whose roots are] in the World of Formation. Esoterically, they correspond to the ten sefirot of Formation, which are intermediate, between the World of Creation and the World of Making. They are neither as close to the forces of evil as [the sefirot] of the World of Making nor as distant as the [sefirot] of the World of Creation.
Consequently, the seed kernels within the fruit are not eaten, since they are not soft like the seeds within the fruit that correspond to the World of Creation.
They include: olives, dates, cherries, jujubes, persimmons, plums, apricots, hackberries, lotus fruit, uzerar.
(The Pri Ets Hadar: Fruit of the Majestic Tree, the original seder for Tu biShvat (School of Rabbi Yitsḥak Luria, circa 17th century)
Israel is like a date palm. The date palm (tamar) abounds in blessings, for every part of it can be used, every part is needed. Its dates are for eating, its branches are for blessing on Sukkot; its fronds are for thatching; its bers are for ropes; its webbing for sieves; its thick trunk for building. So it is with Israel: each community, each person, plays its part in serving God.
(Midrash Rabbah, Numbers 3.1)
--This category of fruits is in formation, fruitful on the outside but still hiding their true potential for growth within their core. In what ways am I holding back from HaShem? In what ways am I holding back my full potential from my community?
--Here say a blessing over a type of produce that has a pit or seed within, and enjoy your selection!
The Third type of fruits: Fruits that have a shell or husk around them
ועוד י׳מיני פירו׳ יש בעול׳ העשי׳ לעומת י״ס ולכן נאכל מה שבפני׳ ונזרק מה שבחוץ שקליפת הפרי היא מחיצה בינו ובין עולם התמורות כדי שלא יקבל טומאה וז״ס היצר הרע והקליפה דבוקה בנפש ואלו הן רמונים אגוזים שקדים ערמונים לוזים הנקרא אלבי אנ״אש אלונים הנקרא אלכיו״טאש בלעז פריסין פניוני״ש פסתו״קיש מאו זי״ז.
There are ten other kinds of fruit [whose roots are] in the World of Creation, corresponding to the ten sefirot [of that world]. Consequently, we eat what is within and discard what is without. For the fruit’s shell is a barrier between it and the World of Delights, so that it will not take on the impurity [of the evil forces]. This is the esoteric meaning of the evil urge and ‘the kelippah‘ cleave to the nefesh. The following correspond to sefirot of the World of Creation: pomegranates, walnuts, almonds, pistachio, chestnuts, hazelnuts, acorns, coconut, pine nuts, peanuts.
(The Pri Ets Hadar: Fruit of the Majestic Tree, the original seder for Tu biShvat (School of Rabbi Yitsḥak Luria, circa 17th century)
--Why do you think the World of Creation is associated with this type of fruits? In what ways does the world of Making and Creation 'hide' its full potential behind a veil? What would it mean to see beyond the exterior? In what ways is the exterior also holy?
--Here say a blessing over a type of produce that is covered with an inedible exterior, and enjoy your selection!
The Fourth type of fruits: The World of Assiyah, or Action
--Now that we have drawn down the Holy, how will it show in your actions today? How are we changed when we bless, when we notice?