What is Tu Bi’Shvat?

Jewish tradition has variety of holidays derived from the ancient agricultural calendar and historical events of ancient Israel. We modern Jews use our holidays to take a vacation, perhaps even a kosher tour to Jewish heritage sites. Sometimes we take them for granted and do not meditate on their importance to Judaism.

One of the chagim, considered by many as a minor holiday, is in fact absolutely extraordinary. It neither celebrates divine intervention nor any historical events. It doesn't even celebrate the work of human hands. It is a celebration of nature, a celebration of the coexistence of people and trees.

Tu Bi’Shvat  - Planting Tree

Tu Bi’Shvat, the “Fifteenth of Shevat”, is also known as the “New Year of Trees”.

The great prophets and interpreters of the Torah worked to turn Israelites away from the pagan tree cult which was quite widespread in the Middle East. One might expect that our scholars would had refused any signs of respect for the trees as a sort of idolatry.

But it is not.

In the Bereshit, there is a story of Avraham Avinu planting a tamarisk near Beer Sheva, or that he sometimes would spend time in a “sacred grove”. Also other Hebrew heroes were judged, enthroned, taught or buried under significant trees.

Biblical writers did not remove these memories from the text and did not need to censor it or be apologetic. There is evidence that the trees are not the property of the pagan sanctuaries and cults, but that they have a place among the Am Yisrael.

For more than 2,000 years, the New Year of Trees was a celebration of the coming of Spring and the waking up of nature in the Promised Land. This holiday commemorates the crops that people feed on – and which are also the work of their hands, the fruit of the trees, and the gifts of the earth, the first-fruits of which were brought to the temple. It is also the celebration of all the trees and bushes that grow in the wild, those who have no other task than to celebrate the Divine name and to be home and food for birds and a source of shade for all.

In the holiday of Tu Bi’Shvat, Judaism goes beyond the framework of culture, civilization, religion and the human community. It recalls the importance and beauty of non-human creation. Trees are a memory of the Garden of Eden, where, according to the Ramban, they were cultivated by the Creator himself as His own property.

HaShem did not let Adam care for them, but He Himself planted, cared for them, and gave them the privilege to grow and to bear fruit forever:

"Their roots will not die in the earth, their trunk will not die in dirt. They do not need anyone to nurture and prune them. If they needed care, who would trim them after people would be taken away? It means that HaShem himself planted them, they are the trimming, pruning and work of His Own Hands, and so it will be forever."

In modern times, interest in trees and nature is particularly relevant, because our selfish and indifferent treatment of creation could lead to the destruction of the world. Bereshit recalls the failure of man in the Garden of Eden. We are currently facing very similar dangers. Just as the first people have lost their paradise, we can lose our livelihood due to our greed and pride.
The New Year of Trees, which this year falls on January 31th (the Erev on January 30th), reminds us all of our responsibility for our planet.