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Tu BiShvat in Challenging Times



        Confidence about the Future Rooted in Appreciation of the Past



                                               Rabbi Reuven Taragin



              t first glance, Tu BiShvat, the Rosh   Unlike annuals, which produce fruit for   then fell asleep for seventy years. When
              Hashanah  for  fruit  trees (Rosh   only one season and then die over the   he awoke, Choni met the man’s grandson,
              Hashanah 1:1–2), is of mere tech-  winter, trees regenerate each spring and   who was enjoying the fruits of his grand-
        Anical significance – the calendar   once again generate fruit. The celebration   father’s labor (Ta’anit 23a).
        marker for a new cycle of fruits. Surpris-  of the Rosh Hashanah for trees in the   What is the relationship between Choni’s
        ingly, though, we treat Tu BiShvat as a   middle of the winter emphasizes this spe-  study of the verse of redemption and the
        minor holiday on which we skip tachanun   cial trait. Though trees seem dead on Tu   man  who  planted  trees  for  his  grand-
        and avoid fasting. What are we celebrating   BiShvat, in truth, they are about to begin   children? Choni wonders about sleeping
        on Tu BiShvat?                      a new growth cycle. Iyov adds that a tree   for seventy years and the connection to
        It is also noteworthy that we celebrate   also has “hope” – even if most of it is cut   redemption. Tree planting is the answer.
        only the Rosh Hashanah of trees and not   down, it can grow back.       Redemption comes when we work for
        that of other plants. Why are trees more   The Jewish people are similarly resilient.   our people’s future in this Land. We finish
        important than other vegetation? The   Unlike other nations, which rise and   planting before greeting Mashiach because
        answer lies in the Torah’s parallel between   then fade forever, the Jewish people have   the faith expressed by planting trees is
        man and tree.                       returned to prominence after two millen-  what brings him.
                                            nia of exile and persecution. Throughout   In exile, Jews traditionally lacked the moti-
        Our relation to trees               Jewish  history,  we  experienced  many   vation to invest in trees and other infra-
        The Torah justifies the prohibition against   periods of suffering, but they were always   structure. But in Israel, we must remember
        using a fruit tree as a battering ram by   followed by success and growth. After   that we are now home – in a place that is
        explaining that “man is like a tree of the   the Holocaust, we were in a desperate   our own where our descendants will iy”H
        field” (Devarim 20:19). In what way is man   state. But Hashem comforted us with the   continue living. We express this apprecia-
        like a tree?                        miraculous founding of the State of Israel,   tion by planting trees for them.
                                            which has fostered our people’s physical
        The Maharal uses the next chapter in   and spiritual rejuvenation.      Many around the world are once again
        Devarim to explain the comparison. When                                 challenging our rights to the Land. On Tu
        faced with an unsolved murder, the elders   On Simchat Torah, we experienced such a   BiShvat, we appreciate our return to Israel
        are required to sacrifice a calf that has   low. On Tu BiShvat, let’s remember that,   and reaffirm our faith in our eternal rela-
        never plowed in a ravine that has never   like trees, we too will flower again and   tionship with it by enjoying the fruits of
        been plowed. Chazal explain that we sac-  reach even greater heights.   our ancestors’ labor and investing in the
        rifice the calf’s potential productivity in                             Land for our descendants.
        order to atone for the lost potential “fruit”   Planting trees – believing in redemption
        of the murder victim, who can no longer   Avot D’Rebbe Natan states that one who
        raise a family nor fulfill mitzvot (Sotah 46a).   hears of Mashiach’s arrival while planting
        Humans, like trees, have creative poten-  should finish planting and only then greet
        tial. We are commanded to value a fruit   Mashiach (Nuscha Bet, 31). Why is finishing    Scan here to join Rabbi Taragin’s
        tree’s productive potential to ensure that   planting more important than greeting   daily Divrei Torah WhatsApp group
        we value our own. This is why an unsolved   Mashiach?
        murder requires atonement. We respond to   Choni Hame’agel studied the famous verse
        the disregard for the value of human life   that describes our redemption: “When
        with a ritual that reminds us of every living   Hashem returns us to Zion, we were like
        being’s potential and the need to respect its   dreamers.” He wondered whether it was
        realization (Maharal, Tiferet Yisrael 3). Tu   possible for a person to sleep for seventy
        BiShvat also reminds us of the “fruit” we   years, the length of the first exile. One day,
        can produce. As long as G-d grants us the   Choni met a man planting a carob tree.
        gift of life, we must maximize it.    Knowing that it takes seventy years for    Rabbi Reuven Taragin
                                            such a tree to produce fruit, Choni asked   is Educational Director of Mizrachi
        The resilience of the Jewish people  the man why he was planting a tree whose   and Dean of the Yeshivat Hakotel
        The Jewish people are similar to trees in   fruits he would never enjoy. The man   Overseas Program.
        another way.  Yishayahu HaNavi equates   answered that just as he enjoyed the fruits
        Jewish history to “the days of a tree”   of trees planted by earlier generations, he,   A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
                                                                                      mizrachi.org/speakers
        (65:22). How are they similar?      too, was planting for future ones. Choni

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