Arbor Day: Secular, Spiritual And Environmental – OpEd
All American states have an official Arbor Day, which is observed usually in a month with the best climatological conditions for encourage the planting and care of trees. Since the Land of Israel has a very mild winter, only five American southern states observe Arbor Day at about the same time of the year as do the Jewish people (February 6 in 2023), who have been observing an Arbor Day for over 2,000 years: Florida and Louisiana (in January); and Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi (in February)
The Jewish Arbor Day is called Tu Beshvat. Tu B’shevat is the beginning of the new year for trees. On this day many Jews both men and women, have the custom to eat fruits in honor of the new year for trees. Some Jews have a custom of eating esrog jam on Tu B’shevat. Some say if a pregnant woman eats the esrog jam she will have an easy labor.
Where did the custom come from to make a special prayer on Tu B’shevat and why is there a custom to recite the special prayer on Tu B’shevat on fruits. The answer could be based on the Talmud Yerushalmi which says one should eat new fruits at least once a year in order to make a shehechiyanu, and it is done on Tu B’shevat because it is the new year for trees.
The Midrash says that the tree of life had five hundred thousand kinds of fruit, each differing in taste. The appearance of one fruit is not like the appearance of the other, and the fragrance of one fruit is not like the fragrance of the other. Clouds of glory hover above the tree of life, and from the four directions winds blow on it, so that its fragrance is wafted from world’s end to world’s end.” (Yalkut Bereishit 2) This teaches Jews about the importance of biological diversity.
The Talmud’s discussion of Tu b’Shevat lacks any discussion of it being a holiday or a cause for any celebration. The Talmud’s concerns are to understand the difference of opinion between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai regarding the appropriate date for the new year for trees.
Tu b’Shevat does not become a holiday celebration of any sort, other than planting saplings, until about 500 years ago, when the Kabbalists in Safed developed the Tu b’Shevat seder modeled on the Passover seder. The Tu b’Shevat seder, like the Pesah seder, has four glasses of wine, each connected to a season as well as one of the “four worlds” of the Kabbalistic universe. Like Pesah, at a Tu b’Shevat seder we eat special foods, especially those from the Land of Israel, such as the seven species mentioned in the Torah.
The holiday became a celebration of our connection to the land of Israel and her fruits. The JNF increased this connection by collecting money for planting trees to reforest the land of Israel (over 240,000,000 trees planted so far).
Environmentally aware Jews choose this day as a day to increase our awareness and care for the environment. This is rooted in the Torah. While some would say that the commandment in Genesis chapter 1, that we are to subdue the world, implies we can do as we please, this commandment is limited by another – bal taschit, not to destroy. A verse in Deuteronomy tells us even during war, we are not to destroy fruit bearing trees. Many rabbis extended this prohibition to any form of gratuitous destruction.
Sefer HaChinuch, a 13th century guide for education about all the Torah’s mitsvot, explains the spiritual goals of taking care of the environment as follows. “The purpose of this mitzvah (bal tashchit) is to teach us to love that which is good and worthwhile and to cling to it, so that good becomes a part of us and we avoid all that is evil and destructive. This is the way of the righteous and those who improve society, who love peace and rejoice in the good in people and bring them close to Torah.”
Islam and Judaism are in total agreement when it comes to appreciating God’s trees. Prophet Muhammad said:”If the Hour (of judgement) is about to be established, and one of you was holding a palm shoot; let him take advantage of even the last second before the Hour is established to plant it.” (Reported by Ahmad and Al-Bukhan on the authority of Anas in Al Adab Al-Mufrad, see also Sahih Al- Jami’ Al-Saghir, No.1424)
And Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught, “If you should be holding a sapling in your hand when they tell you the Messiah is coming; first plant the sapling, then go out and greet him.” (Avot d’Rebbe Natan 31b) So Jews should invite a Muslim to join them in celebrating Tu B’Shevat.
A Tu Bishvat Seder; a ritual celebrated by eating 15 kinds of nuts and fruits and drinking four different kinds of wine (some rabbis considered the grapevine a short tree because it can live for many decades) can be conducted on Tu Bishvat eve or day (February 6 2023 this year), recounting the importance of trees and fruits from the land of Israel and the personal spiritual significance of Tu Bishvat.
