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I N C L U D I N G B E S T M U S IC A L R E V I VA L
Thoughts On
Tu B’Shevat
O
ne of the highlights of the
Passover seder is the recita-
tion of the four questions,
which consider how the night of
Passover differs from all the other
nights of the year. Many ques-
tions are also appropriate for Tu
b’Shevat, which starts on Friday
evening, Feb. 10, because of the
many ways this holiday differs
from Passover and all other nights
of the year.
While four cups of red wine
(or grape juice) are drunk at the
Passover seder, the four cups
drunk at the Tu b’Shevat seder
vary in color from white to pink
to ruby to red, representing God’s
promise of renewal and rebirth.
While other Jewish holidays
honor or commemorate events and
people, Tu b’Shevat honors trees,
fruits and other aspects of nature.
While people generally eat what-
ever fruits are in season, on Tu
b’Shevat, people try to eat fruits
from Israel, especially the seven
species mentioned in the Torah.
While people generally take the
environment for granted, on Tu
b’Shevat, there is an emphasis on
Jewish teachings related to the
proper stewardship of the environ-
ment.
While people do not generally
think about trees in the winter,
there is much interest in trees on
Tu b’Shevat, although the spring is
still months away.
While people generally think of
Israel as the land of the Bible, as
the Jewish people’s ancestral home
and as the modern Jewish home-
land, on Tu b’Shevat, people think
of Israel in terms of its orchards,
vineyards and olive groves.
While people generally think of
fruit as something to be purchased
at a supermarket or produce store,
on Tu b’Shevat people think of
fruit as tokens of God’s kindness.
While people generally try to
approach God through prayer,
meditation and study, on Tu
b’Shevat people try to reach God
by eating fruit, reciting blessings
with the proper intentions and by
considering the wonders of God’s
creations.
While many people eat all kinds
of food during most Jewish holi-
days and on most other days, at
the Tu b’Shevat seder, only vegetar-
ian, actually vegan, foods are eaten
as part of the ritual.
While people generally look on
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Tu b’Shevat honors
trees, fruits and
other aspects
of nature.
the onset of a new year as a time to
assess how they have been doing
and to consider their hopes for the
new year, Tu b’Shevat is the New
Year for Trees, when the fate of
trees is decided.
While most Jewish holidays
have a fixed focus, Tu b’Shevat
has changed over the years from
a holiday that initially marked the
division of the year for tithing pur-
poses to one in which, successively,
the eating of fruits, then the plant-
ing of trees in Israel and, most
recently, responses to modern
environmental crises have became
major parts of the holiday.
Let us hope that the recent
increased emphasis on Tu
b’Shevat, a holiday rich in symbol-
ism and important messages, will
help revitalize Judaism and help
shift our precious, but imperiled,
planet onto a sustainable path. •
Richard H. Schwartz is an author and presi-
dent emeritus of Jewish Veg (JewishVeg.org).
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February 9 • 2017
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