In the 16th century, the Kabbalists compiled a Tu B’Shvat “Seder,” similar to the Seder for Passover. It involves enjoying the fruits & seeds of the tree, while discussing philosophical & Kabbalistic concepts, like the idea that by eating with the highest intention we can repair the ‘fall’. The ‘sin’ against the Tree of Knowledge was that Adam & Eve ate its fruit before it was ripe. So, what is it about waiting that transforms knowledge from hurtful to healthy? Do we have faith that the spring will come & everything will grow & ripen in its season? There is wisdom in waiting. And Through conscious eating, we have a daily opportunity to correct a part of our soul, so deep & intrinsic that it reaches back into the Garden of Eden.
The custom on Tu B’Shvat is to eat fruits from what is called ‘the seven species’ for which the Earth is praised: “…a land of wheat and barley and (grape) vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and (date) honey” (Deut. 8:8).
On Tu B’Shvat, it is also customary to eat a “new fruit” something we have not yet tasted in the new year.
This festival lets us ask: Am I getting the spiritual food I need, to truly live with grace; or has my tree been left untended; or is it being blown down by the forces of information overload & rampant materialism?
We can also remember how trees are able to communicate with each other. And we can ask: Am I part of a strong community, providing a warm & nurturing environment? Or am I cast into the pale bleak anonymity of urban life & cyberspace?
Am I looking to future generations knowing that I am providing them with the proper foundations for their lives?
