Tu Bishvat-YEAR OF TREES January 20, 2011
Tu Bishvat (or Rosh Hashana Lailanot) is a holiday also known as New Year's trees. The name of the festival means 15 of the month of Shevat, which is the central day of the Hebrew month of Shevat.
year 2011 (5771), the holiday is January 20 (before January 19). The origin of Tu-
Bishvat
This year, early summer, we will, unfortunately, do our tax returns. And we will collect all the documentation of what we have earned and spent during the previous year, from January 1 to December 31. What lies before and after these dates will not count. Count only the fiscal year that begins and ends at specific times.
as it may seem strange, the celebration of Tu-Bishvat, 15 for the month of Shevat, is closely linked to the concept of fiscal year. Even in ancient Jewish society is paying taxes, and this is certainly not surprising. The calendar was divided in cycles of seven years, and every year we take a "tithe" on the agricultural product. The "first tithe" Every year it was for the Levites. The product that remained after the levy applies a second tithe, the first, second, fourth and fifth year, the tenth was left to the producer, but with the obligation to eat it (directly or its equivalent in economic value) in Jerusalem in the third and sixth years, however, was paid to the poor. Note by the way as the sizes of such taxes is much smaller than we require a modern state.
was therefore important to determine which years belonged to a certain product, if such was the second year, was left to the producer with the obligation to take him to Jerusalem, where was the year he was to be given to the poor. But how could one determine whether a product was of a certain year? And again, the Torah forbids eating the fruit produced in the first three years of the life of a tree ('edges), but how to calculate the age of a tree and a fruit? It is necessary to establish the starting dates of the year, that are closely related to the agricultural cycle. As a new year for the fruit produced from the tree is considered the starting point of bud formation, after the winter break. Any fruit that is born (or has begun to mature, according to some opinions) before the date established as the new year, belongs to the previous year, if it is born later this year.
In the climate of the land of Israel on New Year's (tax) of trees is closely related to the time when most of the details of rainfall (which is almost entirely in the autumn and winter) have passed away. The Mishnah (the first of the Treaty of Rosh Hashanah) indicates what are the different Heads of year the Jewish calendar and report about the trees, the deviation between the school of Shammai and that of Hillel, the first securing the New Year to one of Shevat, the second at 15. The rule, as we know, follows the opinion of Hillel, then start the 15th. But if it's a given linked to the flow of rain, it is difficult to understand the reasons for the disagreement between the two schools. A recent study, based on current data of rainfall - which is presumed not differ greatly from those of two thousand years ago - says that in Eretz Israel are very different climatic zones, throughout the coastal plain more rain ending on the date set by Shammai, while in the hills of Judea and Jerusalem in particular, the date is moved forward 15 days. In practice this means that we fix the fiscal calendar of trees in relation to weather in Jerusalem.
When it comes to taxes and even more when you pay was not very happy and in principle can not understand why, after all, Tu-Bishvat has become a small party. Therefore, there are several explanations. Meanwhile, taxes are not paid to You-Bishvat, but occurred at harvest, when we celebrate a new year, whatever, you are in joy and do not think that is the beginning and end of a fiscal year rather than one hopes that the crop year that begins or gain is better than the previous year.
Apart from this, the history of the celebration of Tu-Bishvat shows some development and indicates that it took a long time before they would create ways to remember and celebrate this special day. As a minor holiday has always been a day when work is permitted, but are prohibited some manifestations of sadness, as the funeral prayers or reading the tachannun. But it took a long time to get to the active forms of celebration, and this was the decisive contribution of the Kabbalists of Safed in the sixteenth century. Use the simplest and oldest, probably dating from the early Middle Ages, and now widespread throughout the world, is to eat on this day of fruit types, particularly products of the tree to which the Torah celebrated the Land of Israel: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, dates, as well as these other fruits mentioned in the Bible, such as almonds, pistachios, walnuts, tappuchim (which in the Bible are not apples, as is commonly thought, and how today modern means in Hebrew, but citrus fruits), and every other kind of fruit tree.
A ritual itself, dating back at least to the early eighteenth century is documented for the first time in the work cabalistic Chemdat Yamim, and consists in a kind of Seder (or Tikkun), which alternates the consumption of different fruits in a special order, and wine (red or white), reading and commenting of biblical, rabbinic literature mysticism. This ritual, long forgotten in Italy, has been reintroduced recently by Rabbi Shalom Bahbout who also supervised the printing of the text with Italian translation and comments are already out two editions, the first in 5746 (1986): Seder Tu Bishvat New Year trees, the second (Lamed editions) in 5760 (2000), our public has welcomed this entry and now the Seder is done in many families.
Other ways to remember this day ceremonies are planting trees in Eretz Israel started in the early decades of the last century, as evidence of the land and the importance of the resumption of agricultural life, and reforestation in particular. Perhaps it is not been influenced to an influx of American culture (Arbor Day), but in any case have been mostly positive values \u200b\u200bin society specifically Jewish affairs, linked to the relationship with Eretz Israel, its reconstruction, and the importance of traditional trees, especially those from fruit. To educate these values \u200b\u200bis used in many places, even outside of Eretz Israel to plant a symbolic tree-Tu Bishvat. The symbolic meanings
Remembering You-Bishvat are recalled and highlighted some very important ideas in the Jewish consciousness.
The relationship with the hidden realities: the reality of Jewish mysticism speaks to us invisible, often compared to a tree, as compared different forms of fruit (edible peel or not, hard core or soft etc..) to the symbols of different worlds. The "peel" (qelippà) is also a symbol of evil. This is why Kabbalists suggest a symbolic path between the different colors of fruits and wine, suggesting a journey between worlds, between Justice and Mercy, with the intention of helping to repair (tikkun) of the visible world where we live . Are messages and lessons to be understood that require special knowledge and sensitivity, but which can not be overlooked in the wealth of symbols that this day offers the Jewish community.
As-You remember Bishvat
Those who want to look for the text of the Seder, available in bookstores, and follow it by getting all the necessary ingredients (wine and fruit), or join with friends who are already organized to do it.
In any case nor should we forget the tradition of eating fruits of different species, at least in one meal. It is important to eat and bless. When you eat fruit, before we recite the blessing bore ha'etz perished, (Creator of the fruit of the tree) which currently has a special meaning. The blessing is recited even if you eat fruit during the meal, and has already said hamotzì. After eating, when the meal consisted of bread, with birkat hamazon you exit a must. Those who ate only Fruit provides a special blessing at the end: 'to ha'etz we'al perished ha'etz etc.. for grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, dates, bore nefashòt for all others (the texts are printed in tefillot birkhonim and municipalities).
Published by KKL and written by Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni
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