Welcoming the Holiday of Trees

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Tonight, is the night of Tu Bishvat

Tonight, trees and fruit sing songs of praise

And every blade of grass has its unique song

 

Candle Lighting

"Blessed are you G-d, our Lord, king of the universe who has sanctified us with his commandments and ordered us to light the Shabbat candle.

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Tu Bishvat the Holiday of Zionism

When the Jewish people returned to settle in Israel, there was widespread planting in Israel. These planting activities were a symbol of permanent settlement and ownership of the land.  At the time of early settlement eucalyptus trees were planted in order to combat the malaria and to dry the swamps. Cypress and palm trees – for marking paths, for decoration and for guarding the fruit trees from the winds. Pine trees for shade and for decorating the mountains. Nowadays, natural forest trees are planted such as pine, pistacia and other trees.

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Tu Bishvat has arrived

The almond tree is blooming
And the golden sun is shining,
Birds atop each roof
Announce the arrival of the festival.

Tu Bishvat has arrived
(It's) the festival of trees.
 

The land is crying out

The time of planting has arrived

Each person shall take a tree

We'll stride out with spades.

Tu Bishvat has arrived

(It's) the festival of trees.

 

Blessing Over the Wine

How does the Tu Bishvat Seder Night differ the Passover Seder Night?

In that on the night of Passover we eat Matzah and – and tonight we eat only fruit.

That on the night of Passover we drink wine of any color and tonight we drink only white or red wine.

That on the night of Passover we speak about the exodus of Egypt and this night we praise the fruit of our land. (Following Naot Kedumim)

"Blessed are you G-d our Lord King of the universe who created the fruit of the

 

This Is How the Planters Walk

This is how the planters walk,

With joy in their hearts and a spade in hand,

From the city and from the village

From the valley and from the mountain.

On Tu Bishvat, on Tu Bishvat

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Why have you come, planters?

We shall hit the ground and the rocks

And we shall dig holes around

In mountains and on plains.

On Tu Bishvat, on Tu Bishvat

 

What shall be here, planters

Saplings shall be placed

in every pothole,

An endless forest shall spread its shade

On our barren country.

On Tu Bishvat, on Tu Bishvat

 

And now we shall eat from the fruit of the seven species. As it states: a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates;

a land of olive oil and honey, and the honey refers to that of dates.

                                                     

The New Year for Trees

And why did the trees merit a special New Year?

The trees saw that people were given a New Year and said, 'it states in the Torah: "For man is a tree of the field".  A man is likened to a tree and a tree to a man, and if so, just as man has a new year, so is it proper for trees to have a new year.

(Heyman the Yerushalmi)

 

The Peel of an Orange/Arik Einstein

I peeled an orange

I found inside it

As in a nest

A boy asleep.

 

The boy said

"You made a hole here

Fix the slice

I'm getting cold".

 

I said, "one moment,

Sorry, hello".

And I put the slices

in their place.

 

And till today

If he didn't catch cold

Inside the orange

A boy lies asleep.

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Source of  the Tu Bishvat  Holiday

Tu Bishvat is not mentioned in the Torah. In is mentioned in the Mishnah and the Talmud and shows up with the name "The New Year for Trees". From its name "The New Year", we learn that it marks a beginning and renewal. According to the sages, it is the first day for the fruit of the trees, and thereby is a benchmark    for counting the years of the fruit.

Tu Bishvat is the day that marks the end of a particular year and the beginning of the next year with respect to its fruit. Thereupon, fruit that began to grow prior to Tu Bishvat are considered fruit of the previous year, whereas fruit that began to grow after Tu Bishvat – are considered fruit of the following year.

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Blessing Over Cake

Thank the Lord and the calendar that has brought us to the completion of the semester! May we get good marks and may the second semester be better than the first one.  "Blessed are you G-d, our Lord, king of the Universe, who creates various kinds of nourishment"

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Happy Holiday!! Have a Pleasant Semester!

- West Raanana Camp! HaMahanot HaOlim