Tu B'Shevat

[heidihi]

Tu B'Shevat is not a well known or huge holiday for Jewish people I am half Jewish and while most of the Jewish holidays were not celebrated when I was growing up ..except of course the biggies with my grandparents...this one was honored in my family as long as I can remember ..my grandfather was an avid propagator and grower ..he had an impressive nursery set up going on in his small basement and tiny yard in Montreal Canada ..it is how he paid for my father to go to university ..they were very poor and plants/trees were the path to education and a great career for my father and his sister a brilliant pianist ...(probably more than anyone here cares to read about but it makes a point to me and one I carry on with the grand kids) when you plant a tree my Dad told me you plant for the future ..you are paying tithe to the children of your children ..it is kind of like a Jewish Arbor Day ..I am sure you can do a search if you are interested in the facts of this holiday but for me I can just tell you what we do
we make sure we eat some dates and then use the pits to plant trees ..I have had almost 100% success with the fresh medjool from California dates seem to sprout really easy and grow into lovely plants you can put out during the summer or all year depending on where you live...but also grown Persian dates as well ..I will also plant a new fig tree this weekend to honor the day and because I know from having several prolific figs they grow really well here

..please enjoy and plant a tree today ..any excuse will do ..indoors or out of doors...you should eat the fruit of the tree you plant (that is why I do the dates now because I can spit the pit out and plant it right away)..any tree is fine but a fruit tree is the most traditional ..olives, citrus, dates, figs ..anything you can think of that grows in Israel is the most religiously significant I guess...but for me it is obvious ..while we have "plenty" this makes sure for the future they have "plenty" as well

this story it may not be exact ..it may not even be in the Talmud! but it was told to me just this way so I will share it with my fellow gardeners ..if there are observant Jews on this board please feel free to correct me on the exactness of this ..as I am sharing what I learned

There is a story in the Talmud of an old man observed planting a date tree.

When asked if he really expected to live long enough to consume the fruits of his labor

he replied:

"I was born into a world flourishing with ready pleasures. My ancestors planted for me, and I now I plant for the children..."

paying a tithe to the future is the blessing of

Tu B’Shevat

[mnjrutherford]

Thanks for sharing this! I'm a Christian, but my family and I study scripture. We learn a lot about Judaism this way. I really appreciate getting this personal view of one of the holidays that we are learning about.

I'm guessing, from your narrative, that planting dates specifically is the most traditional tree? I wonder how it would grow here? Interestingly, I bought a bag of dates a couple days ago. Unfortunately, they are pitted. I guess we won't plant a tree today, since we really don't have any seed at the moment. However, since we have planted several hundred trees over the past few years and intend to plant more this year as well, we will keep this tradition in mind and talk about it and learn from it.

[atash]

I was curious and I checked. There is a searchable Soncino translation of the Talmud online, and I could not find it in there.

So I did a google search, and found numerous pages referring to it, but none of them stating the origin of the holiday except for one Lubevitcher site claiming that it is Kabbalistic in origin (with no citation or other reference), and this one, which several other webpages referred to:

www.jewfaq.org/holiday8.htm

The author states

I do not claim to be a rabbi or an expert on Judaism; I'm just a traditional, observant Jew who has put in a lot of research.

She was raised Reform and converted to Orthodoxy.

Her take is

Tu B'Shevat is not mentioned in the Torah. I have found only one reference to it in the Mishnah, and the only thing said there is that it is the new year for trees, and there is a dispute as to the proper date for the holiday (Beit Shammai said the proper day was the first of Shevat; Beit Hillel said the proper day was the 15th of Shevat. As usual, we follow Beit Hillel. For more on Hillel and Shammai, see Sages and Scholars).

I have heard other references to the holiday as a relatively modern Israeli invention, probably invented by the Zionists. Since it is a violation of halachal law to celebrate non-Jewish holidays, I would guess that someone did some research, found the reference to tithing of fruit trees, and linked back to it.

There are few customs or observances related to this holiday. One custom is to eat a new fruit on this day, or to eat from the Seven Species (shivat haminim) described in the Bible as being abundant in the land of Israel. The Shivat Haminim are: wheat, barley, grapes (vines), figs, pomegranates, olives and dates (honey) (Deut. 8:8). You can make a nice vegetarian pilaf from the shivat haminim: a bed of cooked bulgar wheat or wheat berries and barley, topped with figs, dates, raisins (grapes), and pomegranate seeds, served with a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar (grapes) and pomegranate juice.

Some people plant trees on this day. In my childhood, Jewish children commonly went around collecting money to plant trees in Israel at this time of year.

That's what I remember, but technically the money was being raised specifically for the Jewish National Fund.

www.nytimes.com/2000/07/03/world/arboreal-scandal-in-israel-not-all-of-the-trees-planted-there-stay-planted.html

www.jweekly.com/article/full/4318/jnf-seeds-of-doubt-report-says-only-fifth-of-donations-go-to-israel-but-no-/

Here is the link to the Kabbala:

In the 16th century, kabbalists, developed a seder ritual conceptually similar to the Pesach (Passover) seder, discussing the spiritual significance of fruits and of the shivat haminim. This custom spread primarily in Sephardic communities, but in recent years it has been getting more attention among Ashkenazim. Aish.com provides a traditional text for this seder. The Jewish college student organization Hillel also provides materials for a Tu B'Shevat seder.

[blueadzuki]

As it happens, I am Jewish (at least by birth and descent, I not really a practicing Jew anymore). Our syagouge actually had us celebrate a full Tu B'Shevat seder when we were kids as part of the relgious school curriculum. It was a long time ago, and my memory isn't all that accurate, but I sort of remember it being a fairly complex affair, with numerous fruit courses divided by how the fruit was eat (fruits you peel and eat the inside of, fruits you eat and leave the pit over from etc.) The final fruit was figs which was supposed to have the significance of being an analog to the Torah, since all parts of it are good to eat. I remember it as being the first time I had fruit of sharon (that non astringent, seedless form of persimmon that was developed in Israel) and carob in its raw form (I remember wondering why they were serving us pods from the tree outside (if you have never seen one, a whole carob pod looks a lot like the pod of a honey locust tree, and is a fairly close relative of it.)
There is another Tu B'Shevat custom I have heard of but never actually seen, possibly due to it being more common among Hasidic Orthodox (I was raised Conservative, verging on Reform (our synagouge had congregations of both)). Apparently after Sukkot (which occurs in the mid to late autumn) is over. It is the custom of many orthodox families to take the etrog (a kind of citron fruit used in the festval) and preserve it in honey or sugar syrup as a kind of succade. This succade is traditionally eaten on Tu B'Shevat, along with a prayer that God will see fit to grant the family a beautiful etrog the following Sukkot.

[steev]

Although I was allowed to grow up orthodox heathen, I just always assumed it was just common sense to plant fruiting (nutting?) trees, regardless of certainty of getting the pay-off, since there were productive trees waiting when one was born. One of the most unfortunate results of modern life, with the greater mobility it has brought, seems to me that so many people have failed to see the point of planting such trees, since they expect to have moved on and perhaps up. It encourages me greatly that there seems to be a turning of this tide the last decade or so.

[ottawagardener]

I love the idea and being of no particular religious upbringing will hereforth try to remember to get my friends to all plant a fruit tree on the fall equinox: a hope for future harvests. Though I have no doubt that I will be planting lots of these (my children insist on planting practically ever seed that comes out of the fruit that they eat), we'll see if I specifically remember it next Sept 21/22.

[heidihi]

very interesting dialog thank you

I received a call from grandson during my break yesterday his joyful voice "Gwamma Heidi this is a most wonderful day of da twees ..we pwanted seeds and tomowo they will gwo into great big huge twees for all the kids to come eat over and over again"

I have no idea of the certainty of life... having lived thorough but barely survived myself ..a tremendous unspeakable tragedy in recent years ...but this gave me something I have not felt since this horrific event ..I have both JOY and HOPE again ...almost alien in the feeling ...I can tell you a moment when child becomes excited about putting seeds in the ground to actually provide for the future and "get it" is a remarkable moment ..he is in his second year of full fledged gardening himself at the grand age of four ..he has his own raised bed ..he chooses and plants everything then is expected to prepare and eat it ..and he has a little repertoire already ..his favorite thing to grow so far are scarlet runner beans ..they are perfect for a small child with all the rewards..the rapid growth ..beautiful flowers ..hummingbirds swarming to them ..then the fresh beans cooked later the brilliant colored dried beans ..

but a tree for the future is different

yesterday that phone call and my husband explaining to me his questions and acceptance of the "why" of this event ..were just priceless ..

a four year old thinking about tomorrow is blissful to me

My father and grandfather both love/loved to tell stories and so part of what I know about Jewish history and traditions may not be at all factual as both were pretty agnostic as I am ..but spirituality in nature for all who participate is a genuine way to fortify both your body and mind ..I am very proud of my heritage and hope that my grandkids follow the path of planting for the future regardless of where it came from

thanks for the participation I love reading this forum so much to read and so little time!!!!

grandson left me several pots of planted dates (he loves those as much as I do!) to take to work ..so I will share the bounty today and hope they grow!!!

pretty much every date seed I have planted grows so he should have a lovely palm

here they are both indoor and then I take them out in the summer ...but the figs grow well here in my zone I always have a beautiful glut to work with and feel so a part of history when I eat them ..the leaves as well ..if you have not cooked with fig leaves OMG you are missing out on a wonderful figgy vanilla flavor that goes so brilliantly well with fish

[ottawagardener]

I had no idea that you could cook with fig leaves. Thank you!

[mnjrutherford]

Jan 21, 2011 9:00:40 GMT -5 heidihi said:

here they are both indoor and then I take them out in the summer ...but the figs grow well here in my zone I always have a beautiful glut to work with and feel so a part of history when I eat them ..the leaves as well ..if you have not cooked with fig leaves OMG you are missing out on a wonderful figgy vanilla flavor that goes so brilliantly well with fish

Do tell? Do they have a bit of sweetness to them as well? I'm very interested in "leaf" foods for various cooking methods. Asian cuisines use a variety of leaves (lettuce, lotus, cabbages, etc) to line steam baskets to help make the baskets easier to clean, prevent a flavor exchange between the food and the basket material, to impart flavor to the food, etc. I'm also very fond of "stuffed" leaves both where the leaves are consumed and where they are not.

Can you tell us a bit more about using fig leaves or perhaps site some recommended reading?

[atash]

I have no idea of the certainty of life... having lived thorough but barely survived myself ..a tremendous unspeakable tragedy in recent years ...but this gave me something I have not felt since this horrific event ..I have both JOY and HOPE again

Yow!

Sorry to hear that. I almost died some years ago but that was no tragedy--just the natural cycles of life and death--but the surgeon put me back together and gave me a second chance on borrowed time. First few years were tough but life has been getting better and the new generation gives me something to live for. I'm glad you're finding the same things to live for and enjoy that worked for me. All the best.

[wildseed57]

Cooking with fig leaves is something I have not heard of and sounds very interesting, I love figs and dates, but they would have to be a potted tree that I would have to drag in and out , I already do that with a few of my older plants, some now close to 25 years old. Sadly when I am gone No one will take care of any planted or potted tree that I may have, I have made it a point to try and donate seeds to kids now, so that they will learn how to feed themselves by growing their own garden. What fruit trees I and my sister have planted will one day feed some one other than our related family hopefully they will not just let them go to waste.
George W.