Page 47 - HaMizrachi TuBiShvat 5784 North America

of the Mishnah, dedicated to agricultural who happened to
laws – these laws became less relevant arrive here on Tu
after the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, BiShvat how abso-
when Jews primarily lived outside of the lutely amazed they were
Land. Hence, later halachic codes including to be greeted with a platter of
the Tur (c. 1300) and Shulchan Aruch (c. so many varieties of fresh fruit of which
1550) did not pay much attention to those they could not even have dreamed of in
laws (even the Babylonian Talmud gener- Europe, where shortages and rationing
ally does not address these laws). were still widespread.

However, even after the Beit HaMikdash was I cannot conclude however without ref-
destroyed, many of these halachot continue erence to the impact of October 7. When
to apply to produce grown in Eretz Yisrael. Israel was first founded over 75 years ago,
There has been a renaissance in the study we celebrated our return to our Land by
and implementation of these laws since honoring Jewish agricultural labor as a
the return of Jews to our Land and the crucial element of the new Jewish era.
reestablishment of Jewish agriculture Over time, things changed and we became
across our homeland. In that context, Tu dependent on foreign workers and Arabs
BiShvat has gained new meaning. That to provide the agricultural labor that had
aside, Sephardic, Kabbalistic and more been the forte of the pioneering gener-
recently Chassidic circles have developed ation. Since the attack of October 7, this
elaborate ceremonies to accompany the dynamic has been called into question,
consumption of fruits – especially those as it is simply too dangerous to rely on
referred to in the Torah as the blessing Arab workers coming in from Gaza and
of our Land – all of which are designed to the West Bank. This has led to an existen-
emphasize the significance of our biblical tial crisis for Israeli agriculture. Currently,
homeland and its produce. volunteers are stepping in to harvest crops
that would otherwise rot and be lost. But
Here in Australia, we are in the midst of
the summer, when stone fruits and many this is only a temporary solution. As we
others are ripe for picking. That aside, celebrate Tu BiShvat, we may need to
modern preserving technology and ease mark the beginning of a new era in Israeli
of transport across the globe, let alone agriculture by returning to the celebration
across different climatic regions within of agriculture and the values that under-
Australia, means that seasonal differences pinned the establishment of our State.
in the availability of fruit are nowhere
near as pronounced as they once were.
We are incredibly fortunate to have access
to a variety of fresh fruit to celebrate Tu
BiShvat.
But long before many of the varieties with
which we are now familiar had even been
thought of, availability of fruit at this time
facilitated celebration of Tu BiShvat with Hechaver Yossi Aron OAM
a variety of fresh fruits. Years ago, I heard is the religious affairs editor of
the Australian Jewish News.
from a group of post-Holocaust refugees

Almond tree blossoms in Kibbutz Magen. (PHOTO: MICHAEL CASHER) | 47