Tu BiSh’vat, the New Year for Trees, is the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, and usually coincides with February on the secular calendar. The holiday is sometimes referred to as “Jewish Arbor Day”, and is a minor holiday in Judaism. In Hebrew, the name Tu BiSh’vat is an abbreviation for “The fifteenth day of Shevat.” (Every Hebrew letter has a numerical value, and the Hebrew letters tet and vav, which spell “Tu”, add up to fifteen.)
The origins of Tu BiSh’vat are not found in the Torah. The holiday is mentioned in the Mishnah, and most scholars believe it was originally an agricultural festival that celebrated the coming of Spring. There are no specific mitzvot (commandments) associated with Tu BiSh’vat, so observances have evolved over time and vary by community. In ancient times, tithes of the first fruit crop were taken to the Temple in Jerusalem. New trees were also planted, especially by parents who had been blessed with children during the preceding year. These trees, planted on the fifteenth of Shevat, were eventually cut down and used as part of the chuppah (marriage canopy) of the children for whom they were planted.
Eventually, Tu BiSh’vat was transformed from an agricultural festival into the holiday we celebrate today. The Jewish Home summarizes this evolution:
As in the case with many Jewish observances, a critical historical event served as a catalyst. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE and the exile that followed, many Jews felt a need to bind themselves symbolically to their former homeland. Tu BiSh’vat served in part to fill that spiritual need. As it was no longer possible to bring tithes to the Temple, Jews used this time each year to eat a variety of fruits and nuts that could be obtained from Palestine. The practice, a sort of physical association with the land, continued for many centuries. The sixteenth and seventeenth century kabbalists (mystics) of Palestine elaborated on the exilic customs, creating a ritual for Tu BiSh’vat somewhat similar to the Passover seder. On Erev Tu BiSh’vat, they would gather in their homes for a fifteen-course meal, each course being one of the foods associated with the land. Between courses they would read from an anthology called P’ri Eitz Hadar (Citrus Fruit), a compilation of passages on trees drawn from the Bible, the Talmud, and the mystical Zohar. (Page 46-47).
Today, in Israel, Tu BiSh’vat is a national holiday and a tree planting festival. In the Diaspora, it is customary to eat fruits and nuts grown in Israel, and some communities host a seder. Congregations often organize tree planting programs for families and use the holiday as a springboard to teach about trees in the Jewish tradition and environmentalism. Synagogues and Jewish organizations may fundraise for the Jewish National Fund (JNF), which is an organization that has become synonymous with tree planting in Israel. JNF was established in 1901 as the land-purchasing agency of the World Zionist Organization. Since then, Jews all over the world have supported JNF’s work to secure land and plant over two million trees. It is customary in Judaism to purchase a tree in honor of, or in memory of, a loved one, friend or special occasion.
It is fitting that Judaism has a festival honoring trees, as trees are sacred in our tradition. Much is found in the Torah about protecting trees in times of war and specific rules for when fruits may be picked from trees. The Torah itself is known as the Tree of Life, a source of strength and sustenance to the Jewish people.
