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Holiday
Dates - Tu B'Shevat 2010 / 15th of Sh'vat, 5770 |
Munday,
January 30, 2009 |
On
the 15th day of the Hebrew month Shvat, we celebrate Tu B'Shevat
the "The New Years for Trees." It is the time of the
year when we remember our unique connection between Judaism
and nature. It is a reminder that spring and the fresh fruits
of the harvest are not too far off.
In
Jewish tradition, people have a special relationship with nature
and that we should guard the sanctity of the trees and the environment
as part of our natural world. The Bible teaches us that the
children of Israel were commanded to plant trees and other foliage
as they conquered the holy land of Israel "for the tree
of the fields is man's life". (Deuteronomy 20:19)
As
part of Jewish tradition, on this day, we eat from among seven
special species of vegetation. These species are all native
to the land of Israel:
| Barley |
Dates |
Figs |
Grapes |
Pomegranates |
Olives |
Wheat |
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After
the exile of the Jews from Israel, Tu B'Shvat became a day on
which to commemorate our connection to Israel. During much of
Jewish history, the only observance of this day was the practice
of eating fruit associated with the land of Israel.
A tradition based on Deuteronomy 8:8 holds that there are five
fruits and two grains associated with it as a "land of
wheat and barley, of vines, figs and pomegranates, a land of
olive trees and [date] honey." Almonds were also given
a prominent place in Tu B'Shvat meals since the almond trees
were believed to be the first of all trees in Israel to blossom.
Carob or St John's bread - was the most popular fruit to use,
since it could survive the long trip from Israel to Jewish communities
in Europe and North Africa.
The
medieval mystical Kabbalists carried Tu B'Shvat a step further.
For them, trees were a symbol of humans, as it says: "For
a human is like a tree of the field" (Deut. 20:19). In
line with their general concern with Tikun Olam -spiritually
repairing the world - the Kabbalists regarded eating a variety
of fruits on Tu B'Shvat as a way of improving our spiritual
selves. They believed that the ritual consumption of the fruits
and the nuts, if done with the proper intention, would cause
the sparks of holy light hidden in the fruit to be liberated
from their shells and rise up the heavenly ladder to return
to their divine source, thereby contributing to the renewal
of life for the coming year. The Bible is referred to as a "tree
of life to them that hold fast to it."
The Kabbalists pictured their philosophical construct of the
Sephirot - the ten mystical emanations of the divinity - in
the form of a heavenly tree or ladder. For
the Kabbalists, trees were symbolic also of the tree - the Tree
of Life, which carries divine goodness and blessing into the
world. To encourage this flow and effect Tikun Olam, the Kabbalists
of Ts'fat (16th century) created a Tu Bishvat seder loosely
modeled after the Pesach seder.
The popular custom today is to eat from all the seven types
of fruit with which the land of Israel is praised and blessed
(wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives & dates
- Deuteronomy 8:8-9).
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Date
and Nut Pudding |
Tu
B'Shvat Fruitcake |
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INGREDIENTS:
1
2/3 cup dates, pitted and diced
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 tbsp sugar
For dairy version: whipped cream 1.Preheat the oven
to 325 F/170 C. Grease a 9 in./23 cm square baking dish.
2.In a bowl, combine the dates, walnuts, flour, baking
powder and salt.
3.Beat the eggs with the sugar in a small bowl. Add
to the date mixture and mix well.
4.Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for
40 minutes.
5.Serve warm with whipped cream.For 6-8 people
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INGREDIENTS:
This
fruitcake is lighter than the classic version. You need:
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup dried fruit
1 cup mixed nuts: almonds, macadamias, walnuts, pecans,
etc.
1.Mix all ingredients together.
2.Put in a greased loaf pan.
3.Bake at 350 degrees preheated oven until brown.
4.Stick a toothpick in the center to check if the cake
is done. If it comes out clean, you can let it cool, then
enjoy!
Serves 8 |
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