Tu B’ Shvat Seder

 

About 500 years ago, in the city of Tsefat in Northern Israel, a group of scholars gathered to celebrate Tu Bishvat Their leader, Rabbi Isaac Luria, led them in a brand new ceremony which he had composed--a Tu Bishvat seder. They ate the fruits of Israel and drank 4 cups of wine. They studied the parts of the Bible and the Talmud which mentioned trees. The seder was written down in a book called Pri Etz Hadar, the Fruit of the Goodly Tree.                       

First Cup

Like on Pesach, the Tu B’shvat seder includes four cups of wine , four questions, specific foods and story telling. We hope this Seder will be an awakening and fulfilling experience.

 

Fill the cup with white wine only. We use white wine to symbolize the barrenness of winter.

Recite a blessing on the wine –

ברוך אתה ה' אלוקנו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפן

 

Over the course of the Seder we will eat three types of fruits to correspond with three types of characters.

Some people are like fruits that are edible inside and inedible on the outside; they are difficult to get to know, but you are rewarded when you peel away the top layer.

Other people are like fruits that are edible on the outside but have an inedible pit; you meet them quickly but you will never know them completely.

Then there are those fruits that are edible inside and out, like the people with whom you form quick and lasting friendship.

We do not discard fruits because of an inedible peel or pit; likewise all types of people are part of Am Yisrael and have a unique contribution to make to the community.

 

We will also see how these varying types of fruit each of them correspond to a different world and reflect levels of relationship to our Creator. (Through the chart)

 

The first fruits we eat are those with an inedible peel:

ברוך אתה ה' אלוקנו מלך העולם בורא פרי העץ

 

Make בשמים out of oranges.

 

 

The almond, which needs little water, is the first fruit tree in Israel to wake from its winter dormancy, and bursts into bloom when the others are still bare and “asleep”. The Hebrew name for almond is thus shaked meaning watchful, wakeful, diligent.

 

 

Now for our first question,

Other holidays honor events and people. Why does this holiday honor trees?

The original purpose of the holiday wasn’t in fact to honor trees but rather Tu B’shvat was the date that determined the implementation of commandments concerning the fruits. The Tu B’shavat seder was selected on this same day giving it deeper meaning.

 

What is the connection between the tithing of our forefathers and JNF tree planting today?

 

Second Cup

 

Fill the cup with white wine tinged with red, symbolizing the approach of spring.

 

Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai would say, “If you have a planting in your hand and someone says to you, ‘Here is the Messiah’ – go and plant the planting, and afterwards go and greet him. (Avot de-Rabbi Natan)                   

                                                 

 

What do you think it means to say that Torah is like a tree of life?

 

At the end of the flood, Noah knew the waters had receded when a dove returned to the ark with an olive leaf in its mouth.

Whence did the dove bring the olive leaf? Rabbi Akiva says: From the branches of Israel. Rabbi Levi says: from the Mount of Olives, as Eretz Yisrael was not inundated by the flood.

(Breishit Rabbah)        

 

 

The second type of fruit we eat is fruit that is edible on the outside but has an inedible pit.

 

Question #2,

Why today do we specifically eat fruit that is grown in Israel?

Torah command of Tu Bshvat marks tithing responsibilities, which are part of the category of commandments that only apply in Israel – מצוות התלויות בארץ

 

Third cup: 

Fill the cup with red wine and a few drops of white wine symbolizing the progression of spring.

 

The Talmud relates that an old man was seen planting a carob tree as Honi Hamagel was walking by.

Honi asked the man how long it would take the tree to bear fruit. The man answered, “Seventy years”.

Honi then said to him, “Are you certain you will live another seventy years? You might never get to eat the fruit!”

The man replied, “As my forefathers planted for me, so do I plant for my children.”

 

Why is the Torah compared to a fig tree?

 

Whenever you go to the fig tree, you are likely to find ripe fruit to eat. Similarly whenever you go to the Torah you will find nourishment for the spirit (Babylonian Talmud)

 

The third type of fruit we eat is fruit that is edible both inside and out.

 

Question # 3,

We have a tendency to take the environment for granted. Why today do we focus on conservation?

The Torah actually encourages environmental awareness.

 

R’ Yochanan ben Zakkai once said,

“If you have a sapling in your hand, ready to plant, and the Messiah comes, plant the tree first and then go greet him”.

In addition the Torah commands us to leave fruit trees standing when we attack a city in wartime.

Fourth cup:

Fill the cup with red wine symbolizing the arrival of summer.

 

Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria said: Anytime our wisdom exceeds our good deeds, to what are we likened?  - to a tree whose branches are numerous but whose roots are few; then the wind comes and uproots it and turns it upside down… But when our good deeds exceed our wisdom, to what are we likened? – to a tree whose branches are few but whose roots are numerous; even if all the winds of the world were to come and blow against it, they could not budge it from its place.  

 

Question #4,

What is significant about Tu B’shvat being today and how is it relevant and meaningful to us?

 

Today, on Tu B’ Shvat the sap of the tree is starting to move and energize the tree, which will ultimately produce its first budding on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

We can learn from this that if we start with a simple initiative, a desire that is not even seen or felt, it can make all the difference in achieving our goals and destiny having fulfillment in getting closer to our Creator. 

 

Closure:

 

Two people were once fighting over a piece of land. Each claimed ownership, and each bolstered the claim with apparent proof.

After arguing a long time, they agreed to resolve their conflict by putting the case before a Rabbi.

The Rabbi sat as an arbitrator and listened carefully, but despite years of legal training the Rabbi could not reach a decision. Both parties seemed to be right.

Finally the Rabbi said,

“Since I cannot decide to whom this land belongs, let’s ask the land.”

The Rabbi put an ear to the ground and after a moment stood up.

“My friends, the land says it belongs to neither of you but that you belong to it.”

 

What do you think?

 

Chart for Tu B’Shvat Seder

 

Kabbalah speaks of four worlds. Each lower world is farther from the Infinite One and a more contracted manifestation of divine reality; it receives its life and vitality from the world above it. Each higher world is within the world below it at it’s essence, and each lower world is a garment for the world above it. The connection between fruits and worlds is based on the fact the word used in Kabbalah for a negative force that conceals G-dliness is klippa,, shell - by extension, the term can also mean “pit.”

 

-- From A Tu B Shvat Seder by Yitzhak Buxbaum