Reap What You Sow...
When I went to Hebrew School in the times of Leave It To Beaver and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, we would bring our nickels and dimes to fill our blue and white Jewish National Fund booklets, which when it was two dollars filled, would buy us a certificate “certifying” a tree was planted in Israel in our name. Tis the season of Tu B’Shvat, the 15th day of the month of Shvat. Tomorrow…January 31st.
In the 1964 Israeli comedy Sallah Shabati, a wealthy American donor visits his donated forest of trees. The Israeli JNF representative proudly shows the donor his named plaque at the entrance of the forest. Upon leaving another car drives up with another American donor. The JNF representative quickly replaces the plaque with the newly arrived donor’s name. Suffice to say, I never saw “my tree” with my name during my years in Israel.
Storyteller Peninnah Schram shares a related Talmudic Tale:
One day, Honi the Circle Maker was walking on the road and saw a man planting a carob tree. Honi asked the man, “How long will it take for this tree to bear fruit?”
The man replied, “Seventy years.”
Honi then asked the man, “And do you think you will live another seventy years and eat the fruit of this tree?”
The man answered, “Perhaps not. However, when I was born into this world, I found many carob trees planted by my father and grandfather. Just as they planted trees for me, I am planting trees for my children and grandchildren so they will be able to eat the fruit of these trees.”
Tu B’Shvat is known as the New Year for the trees and appears in the Mishnah relating to the fruit tithes that ancient Israelites needed to bring to the Temple in Jerusalem. This date marked the beginning and end of the crop year; any fruit that blossomed after Tu B’Shvat was considered produce from a new year.
The Kabbalistic celebration of Tu B’Shvat was first recorded in “Pri Etz Hadar” a 50-page pamphlet arranged by a student of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, the Ari (1534–1572), the greatest Kabbalist of Safed. This “seder” involves eating particular fruits in a specific order and reading mystical passages appropriate to each of them.
Today, Tu B’Shvat has evolved in many places as a reminder to our links to nature and how we can save a planet that we have spun out of control. Environmental issues, ecological projects and experiences within natural settings can enhance the day and its various meanings. Before moving to Israel, I remember bringing my son Aryeh to the snowcapped mountains above Palm Springs…after purchasing dried fruit and nut delicacies at Hadley’s. We proceeded to enjoy the surrounding, reciting brachot (blessings) for each of the given fruits and nuts as well as creating a bonding memory.
If you think ahead one year, plant a seed.
If you think ahead 10 years, plant a tree
If you think ahead 100 years, educate the people.
---- Kua-Tsu 3rd Century B.C.