Tu B’Shevat: The New Year of the Trees
by Arliene Botnick, January 31, 2026
As we all look out our windows at about 3 feet of snow, as we are aching from continuously having to shovel, and wearing as many layers of clothing as possible when we have to venture outside (let’s not even talk about the challenges of driving and parking), we are ready to celebrate the blossoming of the almond trees, small buds beginning to appear on trees; we begin to celebrate what is beginning to happen in Israel, spring! This holiday, as do so many, ties to Israel agriculturally, historically and spiritually!
The blessing for the holiday: “We praise You, our Eternal God, whose presence fills creation. You have created goodly creatures and lovely trees for us to enjoy.” On Sukkot, when we sat in our sukkah, waving the lulav and etrog, we joined our ancestors, who in their wanderings, knew that rain was essential for life, for new growth and we all prayed and the rainy season began in Israel. Prayers were answered.
In our Solel Tu B’ Shevat seder, we read “Whether we live in Israel or in Canada, Israel always lives within us.” Winter for us but approaching spring in Israel. And we celebrate at this seder the produce that is connected to Israel – figs, dates, almonds, pomegranates, olives, wheat and barley. We will drink 4 cups of wine (or juice) going from white gradually to red (apple to grape) signifying the cold, bleak white winter where trees and buds are asleep, and changing by the 4th cup of the red wine (grape juice) to a world that has awoken with new trees, new plants, new vegetation. Life has been renewed!
We understand even more the commandment given to Adam in Beresheet- Genesis 1:1-31- that we are to be caretakers of the earth. that this gift from God, our world, can only exit if we care for and protect it! Our children learn from stories like “The Lorax” and movies like WALL-E, how easily and quickly life and growth can be destroyed and how imperative it is for us not to allow this to happen.
Our mystics understood and saw many messages in the seder they created for this holiday. Each fruit or item eaten teaches a lesson. When we eat the fig, we are reminded of the passage from Midrash Rabba Numbers XX1:15: “Why was the Torah likened to a fig tree? Because, while the fruit of most other trees – the olive, the vine, and the date tree – is gathered at once, that of the fig tree is gathered little by little; and it is the same with Torah. One gathers a little learning today and much tomorrow, for it cannot be learned in one year nor in two years”. We learn from the pomegranate (based on Talmud, Tractate Chagigah 15b) this lesson: “Rabbi Meir found a pomegranate; he ate the fruit within it and threw the peel away! This is to teach us to differentiate between main things and things of secondary importance.”
And perhaps my favourite interpretation comes from a mystical understanding of where the roots of a tree really are. The mystics suggested that on Tu B’ Shevat, one should understand that the tree is inverted- the roots are in heaven, and the branches extend down from the heavens. The sap flowing through the trees is the spirit of God renewing life and growth. This image gives me hope at a time now when much seems hopeless. God brings back life. After the dead of winter, there will be summer. After tragedy will come joy. After death, there will be rebirth. It is not always so easy to believe this, but we must in order to survive. In the late 1800’s, Mark Twain wrote the Jew should be like a puff of smoke disappearing into the atmosphere. But we didn’t, we haven’t, and we won’t! Hope you enjoy a Tu B’ Shevat seder. One takes place on Sun Feb 1 10 AM at Beit Sefer Solel! Drop in and celebrate with us.
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