TU B’SHEVAT SEDER
Tu b’Shevat is the Jewish New Year of the Trees. It is a holiday found in Jewish and Talmudic (or rabbinic) tradition, but certainly has roots in the Torah (the five books of Moses). In D’varim (Deuteronomy) and elsewhere, we read of the commandment of the tithe in the Land of Israel.
“And it shall be to you when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and you possess it and dwell in it, that you shall take some of the first fruits of the produce of the ground which the Lord your God is giving you and put it in a basket and to to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His Name abide”
(D’varim / Deuteronomy 26:1-2).
According to the rabbis, it was from the 15th of Shevat (or Tu b’Shevat) that the fiscal year for the accounting of the tithe of the fruit crop ended and began again – hence, the New Year of the Trees.
Also according to tradition, this is the time of the year in Israel when the sap begins to run again in the fruit trees, signaling the renewal of life, the coming hope of spring and the prospect of a new harvest season.
The Meaning for Followers of Yeshua
Although the feast does not have a scriptural mandate, it does have deep spiritual significance for us as followers of Yeshua.
For example, in D’varim / Deuteronomy 20:19-20 we find God’s commandment regarding the sanctity of life even during times of war. When Israel was engaged in a lengthy siege of an enemy city, God commanded them to protect those trees that bear fruit and not to harm them in any way. Beyond the obvious implications of this command – that all life is created by God and is therefore precious – why would God give such an odd commandment? Was Israel to understand that fruit-bearing trees must be protected even in time of war, but other trees that do no bear fruit are less worthy and may be destroyed? The answer to this question and the deeper spiritual significance of this commandment comes in the second part of verse 19, “For man is a tree of the field.” Many centuries later, Yeshua Himself made clear what these verses teach us about spiritual growth when He said:
“I am the vine and you are the branches. If you abide in me you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me they are cast out as a branch and is withered, and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned.” (John 15:5-6).
We are precious to Yahweh. We have been created in His image to bear fruit in this world. If we are disciples of Yeshua, His living Spirit dwells within us. Like the running sap of the fruit trees, His Spirit within us may not always be visible to the naked eye, but He is there. His Spirit at work within us is the hope and promise of new life, and the down payment of the harvest yet to come. Abide in the life-giving root, Yeshua our Messiah. He is the tree of life for all who will cling to Him!
The First Cup
We begin our seder for Tu B’Shevat, as we begin all holiday celebrations, with the drinking of the fruit of the vine. Throughout our seder we will partake in four cups. Each cup will remind us of a season in the Land of Israel and in our personal lives. Let us lift our first Cup and partake together, reminding us of the winter months. This is when nature is asleep to the naked eye, and when the roots of our trees are growing in strength below the ground.
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p’ri hagafen.
Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyemanu, v’higianu laz’man hazeh.
Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has granted us life and brought us together in this season of our joy.
The Bread
Let us lift our Bread and partake together. Our bread is made from grain, reflected in the seven species mentioned in the book of D’varim / Deuteronomy 8:8.
….. “a land of wheat and barley and (grape) vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and (date) honey.”
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha-olam ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz
Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Eli Cohen was born in Egypt, but came to Israel in 1957. He became a secret agent and was sent to work in Syria There he earned a position of trust among the Syrian officials. One day, he suggested to the Syrian army officers that their outposts on the Golan Heights were not secure. “Why not plant eucalyptus trees,” he said. “They will hide your positions, shade the hot soldiers, and catch the breezes.” The Syrians agreed. In 1965, Eli Cohen was arrested and executed in Damascus as a spy. Two years later during the Six Day War, when Israeli forces took the Golan Heights, they were able to spot the Syrian outposts easily. They looked for the eucalyptus trees on the otherwise barren hills.
Discussion Questions:
- If you could pick a tree to be, what one would you pick and why?
- What do you enjoy about the winter?
- Describe how your roots have grown in these winter months.
The Seder Plates
We have several plates of fruit and nuts on our table. During our seder we will taste from each plate, so we may notice and appreciate their differences.
Our first plate has fruits with a peel or shell that cannot be eaten unless the outer layer is removed.
What kind of fruit do we see on our plate? Before tasting the fruit, we recite the bracha:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam borei p’ri ba’et.
Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.
(All share fruit)
In 1898, Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, visited the small community of Motza, west of Jerusalem. Motza, surrounded by barren hills, was an oasis of olive, date, and apricot trees and grapevines. The setting sun cast an array of colors on the empty land, inspirit Herzl to ascend a nearby hill and plant a young cypress tree. After Herzl’s death, young Jews would gather around Herzl’s tree on his yahrzeitto and plant other trees. In 1917, the British and Turks fought over the land of Israel. When students arrived to plant around Herzl’s tree that year, they found that the Turks had cut it down. The young Zionists collected the seed-filled cones around the remains of his tree. Later, these young idealists planted the seeds throughout the land, from the Galil to the Judean Hills. A generation later the trees from these seeds became part of the State of Israel, which was re-established after 2,000 years; the miracle of Israel is a deep source of hope for Jews worldwide.
Herzl taught: If you will it, it is no dream. Herzl stands as a giant in Jewish history, for he envisioned a Jewish state and planted hope in the Jewish people. In every generation, heroes change the world. Avraham and Sarah revolutionized religion by recognizing ethical monotheism, the belief in one God Who demands goodness. Moshe stood up to a tyrant who had broken the spirit of our people, and then he delivered laws and values that have transformed civilizations. We can compare these giants to fruits with large seeds; their large ideas and deeds changed the world.
Discussion Questions:
- A native born Israeli is called a “sabra”, after a cactus fruit that is hard on the outside and sweet on the inside. If you were a fruit with a peel or shell, what would you be and why?
- Have you ever felt like you had a peel or shell around yourself in some area? Share this.
- How has YHVH broken your shell or peeled your protective outer layer to get to the inside of you?
The Second Cup
Let us lift our second cup together, reminding us of the season of spring time. In Israel, as spring approaches, the sun’s rays begin to thaw the frozen earth. Gradually, the Land changes its colors from grays and whites, to a burst of colorful pink Cyclamen and purple Clover. The Almond trees are first to blossom, of which Aaron’s rod sprouted and put forth buds, producing blossoms and ripe almonds. (Numbers 17:8)
Before drinking the cup we recite the bracha:
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p’ri hagafen.
Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Let us now choose fruits from our second plate. These fruits have pits or seeds that cannot be eaten.
What kings of fruits are on this plate?
Before tasting the fruit, we recite the bracha:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam borei p’ri ha’et.
Blessed are You, YHVH or Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the trees.
(All share fruit)
Dates, which are nourishing and easy to dry and store, provide food for long journeys in the desert. It is probably because of this, that Avshalom Feinburg had some dates in his pocket when he disappeared on his way to Egypt in 1917. Feinberg, a spy who worked for NILI, a group which opposed Turkish rule over Palestine, was on an important mission. It was assumed that he was captured and killed. After the Israelis regained control of Gaza in 1967, an old Arab led some soldiers to Feinburg’s grave. There stood a beautiful, tall date palm. It sprouted, perhaps, from the dates in Avshalom’s pocket.
We know that a steady wind blowing from one direction can bend a tree, and that uneven light will cause it to grow crooked. A deep and healthy root system will enable a tree to withstand very strong winds without being damaged. However, a tree usually grows straight, because that is what is best for the tree. It is likely to live longer if it is upright because its leaves have more room to stretch towards the sun. A tzadik, a righteous person, is often compared to the cedar tree. The cedar grows straight, and so does a righteous person. The cedar’s shad extends a great distance, just as a righteous person’s goodness helps many others.
Discussion Questions
- Have you ever experienced a one-sided, out of balance season in your life? Describe it.
- How can a lack of light, God’s Word, keep you from standing straight?
- Have you ever experienced the death of something that produced new life? Share.
The Third Cup
Let us lift our cups together for a third time, reminding us of the summer season. As summer arrives, the Land of Israel becomes a bright array of reds and crimsons. Tulips and red Poppies burst forth and bloom. The ground becomes soft. The farmer turns over the earth and drops in the seeds. Water, sunshine, and time combine to create new life. Let us bless YHVH and drink together:
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p’ri hagafen.
Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Let us now choose fruits from our third plate of fruit. They are edible both inside and out. What do you see on this plate?
Before tasting the fruit, we recite the bracha:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam borei p’ri ha’et.
Blessed are You, YHVH or Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the trees.
(All share fruit)
We know that YHVH wishes us all to produce good fruit. Nothing wasted! Even the Law of the Torah require the farmers to leave the corners of their wheat, grape, and olive fields uncut. Harvesters could not pick up any stalks they had forgotten or dropped. These “leftovers” were reserved for the poor and the stranger to gather and eat. Remember the story of Ruth gleaning from the Kings field?
To be like a fruit that is edible both inside and outside, is like having a field that not only satisfies your own needs, but helps others. As we surrender our whole lives to YHVH, He creates abundance.
Even the corners of our lives that were once inedible are now made new!
Discussion Questions
- Have you ever been like Ruth, without provision? Gleaning from the kindness of others? What lessons were learned from this experience in your life?
- Have you ever been able to provide for someone in need, from the abundance of YHVH’s blessings in your life? What was it? Wisdom, faith, love, tangible gifts like money, a car, etc. Share what you learned from this experience.
- How has YHVH tilled the soil of your heart?
The Forth Cup
Let us lift our cups together for the last time, reminding us of the autumn season. Summer ends and the crops are tall and ready for the harvest. When the cycle of life is once again producing seeds for the next year.
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p’ri hagafen.
Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Instead of fruit, the forth plate contains seeds. What kind of seeds do you see? Before tasting the seeds, we recite the bracha:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam borei p’ri ha’et.
Blessed are You, YHVH or Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the trees.
(All share seeds)
(Two readers re-create this conversation. One reader pretends to dig.)
Honi: Good day, old man!
Old man (digging): And good day to you!
Honi: Why are you working so hard, digging in the ground?
Old man: I’m planting a carob tree.
Honi: A carob tree?! They take many years to grow and give fruit.
Old man: Yes, it is true…70 years, in fact.
Honi: Wow! Seventy years! Do you really think that you will live long enough to enjoy its fruit?
Old man: Probably not. But long before I was born, my parents planted a tree so that I could enjoy the fruit. As they planted for me, so too, I am planting for my children.
Just as the old man planted for his children with no expectation of reward or recognition, we can also seed hope in others with small, selfless actions. We can perform acts of kindness for neighbors, use encouraging words with our siblings, take care of the environment, and give tzedakah (charity). Each deed is like a tiny seed, destined to nurture good feelings and serve as an example for others to follow. Notice that there is no relationship between the size of the seed and the size of the tree into which it grows. We learn from this that we can’t anticipate how much our small actions can mean to another person.
Hope doesn’t come easily, even to the Tribes of Israel in the Torah. Sometimes, tackling the hardest tasks is most rewarding, as when you work to crack the hard shell of the almond to reveal the tasty nut. In Israel, spring begins now, marked by the flowering of the almond tree (shekaydiyah). The Hebrew word for almond (sha’ked) comes from the same root as (shakdan), which means a diligent, hardworking person. It took a team of diligent people for us to enjoy these almonds – planting, tending, picking, shelling, packing, and shipping. Our ability to be partners with others to achieve dreams is another source of hope. YHVH created every plant with a strategy for scattering its seeds. We spread the timeless values of our people by joining together as one family around the world in celebrating Tu B’Shevat, eating fruit and thinking of Israel. From our table we affirm that the story of the Hebrew people, and of the State of Israel, is a tale of hope in the process of being realized. We are proud to be bearers of hope for our generation and for humanity.
Discussion Questions
- If you compared your life to a seed, where would you want to be scattered?
- What are you planting in the next generation that will bear continued fruit?
- Where have you been planted?
- If you were a nut, what would be the best way to crack you?
