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THREAD: Happy Birthday to the Trees, A Meditation on Tu BiShevat
Tu BiShevat, which starts sundown this evening, is the subject of the next instalment in my series of meditations on various holidays of Israel.
However, when I finished the article to my satisfaction, I found that it was over 5000 words long, which stretches even my enthusiasm for long-form Twitter threads past its breaking point. 
So rather than post all my thoughts on Twitter as I normally do, I will post the (really long!) article when it is published this Friday on this thread.
I didn't want the day to pass without being marked, though, so I thought I would give a brief overview of the day, and commend some relevant passages of scripture for reflection, articles for your reference, and songs to contemplation.
Without further ado...
Without further ado...
The calendar of Israel, as established by the Rabbis of the Talmud, has four distinct ânew yearâ celebrations:
-The civil new year falls on Tishri 1.
-The Biblical new year is observed on Nisan 1.
-The new year from which Temple tithes are calculated is on Elul 1.
and...
-The civil new year falls on Tishri 1.
-The Biblical new year is observed on Nisan 1.
-The new year from which Temple tithes are calculated is on Elul 1.
and...
The new year for trees is on Shevat 15, or Tu BiShevat.
Though Tu BiShevat is not a festival mandated by the Torah, it finds its origins in this law in Leviticus 19:23-25:âWhen you come into the land [of Israel] and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you;
![Though Tu BiShevat is not a festival mandated by the Torah, it finds its origins in this law in Leviticus 19:23-25:âWhen you come into the land [of Israel] and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you;](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsvrU9xXUAEO9FK.png "Though Tu BiShevat is not a festival mandated by the Torah, it finds its origins in this law in Leviticus 19:23-25:âWhen you come into the land [of Israel] and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you;")
it must not be eaten. And in the fourth year, all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. But in the fifth year, you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the LORD your God.â
Beyond questions of legal compliance, leaving a tree unpruned and unharvested for the first three years is good horticultural practice.
The fourth yearâs fruit was given to the Temple, a praise offering for the landâs abundance. From the fifth year onward, the fruits of the tree were for the farmer.
This tithing law raised the question of how to calculate the ages of the trees. Rather than tracking the individual dates of planting, the Jewish sages ruled that Tu BiShevat would serve as a âbirthdayâ for all trees, and tithes could be determined using that date.
The day and season were suitable to mark this beginning; winter rains had fallen and soaked the ground by this time, and conditions were ripe for new growth. Almond trees had begun to blossom white and pink, and signs of hopeful spring had started to emerge.
However, with the destruction of the Second Temple in the first century A.D. and exile of many Jews out of Israelâs land, Temple tithe calculations became a pointless exercise, and Tu BiShevat faded from the calendar.
Tu BiShevat experienced a revival in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, however, when Kabbalistic communities transformed the utilitarian date into a celebration of the mystical connection of creation and Creator.
In more contemporary times, as the Jewish diaspora has returned to the land of Israel in larger numbers, the observance of Tu BiShevat has shifted back to a practical expression of ecological stewardship.
Tree-planting programs and celebrations featuring locally grown fruits are common activities on this âJewish Arbor Day.â
Of all Tu BiShevatâs iterationsâtax date, mystical celebration, or ecological holidayâperhaps the last form aligns most with the motif of fruit trees in creation that bookend and permeate the Biblical narrative and honours the eternal vocation of man as a gardener-king.
To be continued! :)
-Some Scripture Passages Tracing the Tree Theme-
Genesis 2-3: Two Trees and the Promised Seed
Numbers 16-17: Almonds and Resurrection Assurance
Mark 11:9-26: Figs and Judgement Pronouncements
1 Peter 2:23, Galatians 3:13-14: Cursed is Anyone Who Hangs from a Tree
Genesis 2-3: Two Trees and the Promised Seed
Numbers 16-17: Almonds and Resurrection Assurance
Mark 11:9-26: Figs and Judgement Pronouncements
1 Peter 2:23, Galatians 3:13-14: Cursed is Anyone Who Hangs from a Tree
Romans 11: Olives and Life from the Dead
Revelation 22: The Leaves of the Tree were for the Healing of the Nations
Revelation 22: The Leaves of the Tree were for the Healing of the Nations
-Further Reading-
Tu BâShevat: Jewish Arbor Day for Trees [ https://jewsforjesus.org/jewish-resources/jewish-holidays/tu-bshevat]
Bishvat 101 [ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tu-bishvat-ideas-beliefs/]
Immigration to Israel: âThe Redeemers of the Landâ[ https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/quot-the-redeemers-of-the-land-quot]
Themelios, The Messiah Who Was Cursed on the Tree_[ https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the-messiah-who-was-cursed-on-the-tree/]
Tu BâShevat: Jewish Arbor Day for Trees [ https://jewsforjesus.org/jewish-resources/jewish-holidays/tu-bshevat]
Bishvat 101 [ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tu-bishvat-ideas-beliefs/]
Immigration to Israel: âThe Redeemers of the Landâ[ https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/quot-the-redeemers-of-the-land-quot]
Themelios, The Messiah Who Was Cursed on the Tree_[ https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the-messiah-who-was-cursed-on-the-tree/]
-Songs-
Redwood by @quicklikesand
Redwood by @quicklikesand
Tree of Life by @DaltonLThomas and @4thejoysetb4me
