Page 12-THE NEWS January, 1986
Thoughts From The
Liibavitcher Rebbe
Tu B’Shvat — New Year For Trees
is like the tree in the field*^
By Rabbi Yossi Groner
The Talmud teaches that Tu
B’Shvat, (which means the
15th day of the Hebrew month
of Shevat) is the New Year for
trees. This holiday was always
significant to us since the
Torah says that man is like a
tree in the field.
Actually there are many
similarities between people
and trees, which give us an in
sight into the care and
developing of the human
being.
Trees are made up of three
parts: roots; body, which in
cludes trunk, branches and
leaves; fruits, including its
seeds. Now although all three
are part of one tree, there is a
clear distinction in each of the
parts.
The roots are hidden
underground, yet they provide
most of the nutrients
necessary for the tree’s sur
vival. Also, the root is the
foundation of the tree, and the
healthier the roots are the
healthier the tree will be.
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The body of the tree is the
most visible part of all three,
and it grows with more bran
ches and leaves.
The ultimate of the tree is
accomplished through its
fruits, especially through the
seeds of the fruit for only
through the seeds can we
guarantee the continuity of
the species.
The same is true with peo
ple. In our lives we have three
essential components: roots —
faith in God is our link with
the source of life, it exceeds
even the intellectual, since
faith reaches into the essence
of our soul; body — that is the
study of Torah, observance of
Mitzvot, and doing good
deeds, which takes up most of
our time; fruits — the ultimate
of the person is to produce
fruits, that is, in addition to
fulfilling all of his obligations,
one must influence friends and
his environment that they too
should be good healthy trees,
with strong roots and many
activities, and most of all to be
fruit bearing trees.
JI’T
Olive'S
On Tu B’Shvat it is customary
to eat a lot of fruit. Some even
have the custom of serving 15
kinds of fruit, corresponding to
the date of the month, and to the
15 “Songs of Elevation” (Psalms
120-134). The most desirable
fruits are specially those fruits for
which the Land of Israel is prais
ed, namely: olives, dates, grapes,
figs, pomegranates. A new season
al fruit should also be eaten on
this day for the first time in the
year and the blessing shehe-
chiyonu (“Who has kept us alive
and brought us to this season”)
pronounced over it, in addition to
the usual blessing for fruit.
Bokser (carob) is a fruit tradi
tionally associated with this day.
IS I
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at
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