[NFBJ] Tu b’shvat

[Ryan Silveira]

Shalom all,

Tonight, as you know, begins tu b’shvat (the 15th of the month of shvat), known as Jewish arbor day. The mishnah states that there are four new year days: 1 nissan (the new year for kings and festivals), 1 av, (the new year for the cattle tithe), 1 tishrei (the new year for years, i.e., the day on which we celebrate the new year), and 1 shvat(the new year for trees). (Rosh ha-shanah 1:1) According to bait Hilel, the new year for trees is on 15 shvat. Since custom dictates that we follow bait Hilel and not bait Shamai, we observe this mini festival on the 15 shvat which, using Hebrew numerals spells out the non-word “tu”, hence, we say “tu b’shvat”. As you know, we celebrate the holiday with a mini seder tonight. If anyone needs a copy of the seder text, here’s the one that I use:
http://www.aish.com/h/15sh/ho/48965616.html?mobile=yes

Below, I have copied out some of the reflection questions for us to think about and discuss, should the urge come upon us. Chag sameach, everyone!

Questions:
A) When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, they were permitted to eat only fruits and vegetables. Only after Noah's Flood did God permit meat. In what ways is it considered spiritually higher to eat meat? And in what ways is it considered spiritually higher to be a vegetarian?

B) There were two trees in the center of the Garden: the Tree of Life (representing Torah and eternal life) and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (representing death and distortion). Another way of expressing this distinction is that the Tree of Life is objective wisdom, while the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is personal experience. Why would Adam and Eve have chosen to eat from the latter, especially since God had explicitly instructed them not to?

C) Rabbi Bar Yechezkel once came to Bnei Brak and saw goats grazing under a fig tree. Honey was dripping from the figs and milk from the goats – and they became intermingled. He said: Behold, a land flowing with milk and honey! (Talmud – Ketubot 111b)

Ask participants to share a story or experience he/she had while in the Land of Israel. This doesmn’t apply to everyone here, but ties in nicely with our earlier discussion.  


















Ryan L. Silveira
חיים אהרן בן אברהם