Tu B'Shvat
Tu B’shvat
“The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). Judaism has always been ecologically concerned, because we’ve understood from the beginning that we are only caretakers of God’s creation, and that there is no one to fix what we have broken. Did you know we have a holiday that focuses on the environment?
Tu B’shvat is a minor holiday with a name derived from the date upon which it falls – the 15th of Shvat. It is described in the Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah 2a) as the New Year for the Trees. This is the season in which trees in Israel and California begin a new season leading up to the harvest. On Tu B’shvat we become aware of our dependence on the earth and celebrate the abundance we enjoy.
Modern customs surrounding Tu B’shvat include planting trees and enjoying a unique seder meal with a haggadah designed especially for the holiday. The seder often includes eating ten specific fruits, including grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates, and drinking four cups of wine in a detailed order, while reciting the appropriate blessings. Special haggadot have been written just for this purpose.