Page 12 - HaMizrachi #26 Tu Bishvat USA 2021

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Andrew Shaw

A Timeless and Timely Message

for Tu BiShvat

s a kid in North West London Israel’s rainy season is over by the 15th despite the seemingly harsh conditions
Jewish Day School back in the of Shevat and therefore this date is con- around us.
Aearly ’80s, I remember shivering sidered the New Year for Trees. Rashi
when we planted a tree on Tu BiShvat. I explains that by this time, the ground We are now in the middle of the hardest
found it surprising that a day celebrating has become saturated with the rains of lockdown. At least in the first lockdown,
trees and their growth was held during the new year, causing the sap to start when schools were closed etc., we were
the winter. Surely it would have been rising in the trees, which means the fruit able to enjoy the beautiful weather. Not
better to wait till the spring, when there can begin to bud. anymore. However, we can see and hear
are seemingly much better conditions The Talmud Yerushalmi adds that until about the first ‘buds’ of our recovery
for a tree to blossom. Tu BiShvat, all trees survive on the water as the vaccine begins to be rolled out
Of course, as we know, the date of from the previous year. After that date, across the country and the world. We
15th Shevat has nothing to do with the the trees derive their life source from the can also begin to think more positively
weather in London. It’s about Eretz Yis- water of the new year. about the future, despite the seemingly
rael. However, my question still stands, harsh conditions around us.
as Israel is in the northern hemisphere The Meiri gives another answer which Therefore, Tu BiShvat this year comes
and Shevat is still in the winter. Why is explains my ‘freezing Tu BiShvat.’ He at a time when we most need to hear
Tu BiShvat not in Nissan or Iyar – the explains that the 12 months of the year the positive message of emergence from
springtime? are divided into four seasons. The winter
months are Tevet, Shevat and Adar. The winter and a renewal of the world.
This particular answer relates very pow- 15th of Shevat is therefore the midpoint
erfully to our current state of lockdown. of winter. On this day, we are beginning
to turn the corner, now closer to the end
As we know, so much of Israel’s agri- of winter than the beginning. We can Rabbi Andrew Shaw is Chief Executive of
culture is based on rainfall. Most of begin to plant and build for the future, Mizrachi UK.

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