Beth Israel Community Art Project
Tu B'Shevat
Also known as the birthday of the trees. In ancient times, this holiday was a way to mark the years of growth of trees as you were not to eat the fruit of young trees until they were at least 3 years old. Tu B'Shevat became an annual way to mark the years of age of the trees.
The name of this festival is actually its date: “Tu” is a pronunciation of the Hebrew letters for the number 15, and it falls in the Hebrew month of Shevat.
For environmentalists, Tu B'Shevat is an ancient and authentic Jewish “Earth Day” that educates Jews about the Jewish tradition’s advocacy of responsible stewardship of God’s creation as manifested in ecological activism.
History
The Torah states, “When you enter the land [of Israel] and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten” (Leviticus 19:23). Only the fruit of older trees could be eaten. This law raised the question of how farmers were to mark the “birthday” of a tree. The rabbis therefore established the 15th of the month of Shevat as a general “birthday” for all trees, regardless of when they were actually planted.
In the Talmud, the rabbis discussed why this date was chosen; saying that Tu Bishvat falls after mid-winter (usually in February), they concluded that the majority of the annual rainfall has usually already fallen by this time in the land of Israel, thus yielding a healthy, water-logged soil in which to plant new trees.
Fruit trees were awarded special status in the Torah because of their importance in sustaining life and as a symbol of God’s divine favor. Even during times of war, God warns the Israelites, “When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees… Are trees of the field human to withdraw before you into the besieged city? Only trees that you know do not yield food may be destroyed” (Deuteronomy 20:19-20).
Mural designed by: Beryl Israel
NOTE FROM THE ARTIST: Beryl has created a sense of movement and growth with the planting of trees. Eventually the tree bears the seven species of fruit mentioned in Deuteronomy. Additionally, the inclusion of Canadian maple leaves, dogwood, daffodils, tulips, cherry blossom and her favourite rose, represent a connection of both our Jewish tradition and our own Canadian seasons and plants.
Customs
Planting of trees, Tu B'Shevat seder with fruits and nuts from the land of Israel, 4 cups of wine representing each of the 4 seasons.
