A Rabbi’s Letter / Rabbi Chaim Wasserman Emeritus, Young of Passaic-Clifton, NJ President, Council of Young Rabbis in Israel [email protected]

Jerusalem, Israel Tu biShvat 5766 / 2006

Tu biShvat “Torah”

“Torah” on Devarim 8:8

[1] In Sifsei Cohen a work composed by one of the ARI’s student poses the obvious question: What sort of praise is this for Eretz Yisrael by listing seven of its fruits, when all lands all over the world give forth some sort of fruits?

He explains: (in true ARI kabbalistic fashion) Divine inspiration and energy is absorbed by the fruits of EY. This inspiration is then transmitted (albeit in lesser intensity) to the fruits of all other lands. This same explanation is offered by the Vilna Gaon in his novellae to Berachot 41a.

A parallel idea is expressed in TB Ta’anit 10a (top of the page) that EY absorbs rainwater first and the rest of the world follows. See also Rashi to Ta’anit and the Rashba in Ein Yaakov.

[2] Chatam Sofer notes that the final letter of “zavat chalav u’devash” spell the word “”. This hints at the idea that just as what we eat on Shabbat there is special sanctity associated with it (i.e. observing the mitzvah of oneg Shabbat, as explained in RaMBaM Hilchot Shabbat 30:7- 10) so, too, the fruit of EY possess a particular sanctity.

[3] TB Berachot 41a states that each of the varieties that are enumerated in this passuk were listed with a sense of priority concerning berachot. The fruit mentioned first in the passuk has preference in the order of reciting the berachah. Since Eretz Yisrael is dintinguished through these varities of fruit the ones closest to the word “eretz” is the more distinguished and, therefore, takes precedence in the order of berachot.

Rav Kook (Siddur Olat ReAyah on Birkat Al haMichyah) interpreted this passage as follows: The love of Eretz Yisrael is the very life blood of the Jewish people. This comes to teach us that the closer one is to the land (“eretz”) of Israel the more distinguished one is in his Jewishness.

[4] The Lubavicher Rebbe: The Inner Meaning of the Shivat haMinim

See Likkutei Sichot Volume 6, pages 308-309,

“Torah” on Devarim 20:19-20

There are two aspects to this passuk: the active part (asseih) and the restrictive part (lav, lo ta’aseh). The halachic midrash, Sifrei, is the source for this employing the terms by which we designate the 613 mitzvot of the Torah - asseih and lo ta’aseh.

The asseih “for from it you eat” - not only vegetarians but health conscious individuals at your “Seder” should be delighted with this. What with obesity being a national epidemic in the USA and medical researchers are over and again telling us that the healthy way to go is fruit, vegetables and whole grains, those who hear this medical/ nutritional advice will be bolstered by their preference of the food of the earth. And those who are still on the “meat and potatoes” preference may be encouraged and sensitized to hear the religious message we can glean from this passuk.

Then, there is the restrictive, second part of the passuk, the lo ta’aseh: do not wantonly destroy any fruit tree. From here we derive the prohibition of bal tashchit, where we are restricted from destroying anything that can be of use to humankind. RaMBaM list all sorts of things that are considered bal tashchit: breaking dishes, ripping clothing, destroying a building, wantonly disposing of good food (Hilchot Melachim 6:10)

Of course, when the destruction of these items serve a human need then such an act is not considered to be a violation of bal tashchit. For example, the rending of a garment that a mourner does at the graveside of a loved one is an act designed to help the mourner release the emotional anguish which he/she is sustaining.

“Torah” on the Importance of Planting Trees

TB Ta’anit 23a (bottom) tells of the aged Choni haMeagel seen planting a carob tree which is known to take decades to grow to maturity and yield its fruit. A passerby asked him: ”How long will it take for this tree to bear free?”

He responded: “Seventy years.”

“And do you expect to eat from this tree?” continued the passerby

He responded: “My forefathers planted a carob tree for me to have its fruit, similarly I am planting for my descendants in years to come for them to have the fruit of this carob tree.”

The planting of trees specifically on Tu biShvat is a national wide school project in Israel. This has no halachic basis in Tu biShvat observance but certainly brings home the message of Tu biShvat as the for Trees. has planted many millions of trees in the century since the organization was founded in Israel.

They tell the story of Russian astronauts on an early mission in space being puzzled by a green patch of earth amidst the desert brown that surrounded the entire Middle East. What they did not know is that for seven decades there was a concerted effort to make the arid bloom with trees throughout.

Chassidic Pilpul on Tu BiShvat

One Tu biShvat the “Chidushei haRiM” was deeply involved in a pilpul whose topic was Tu biShvat as the Rosh haShanah of Trees and also the seven fruits for which Eretz Yisrael is so noteworthy.

His Rebbe, the Kotzker, heard what what being said and entirely dismissed what was being said commenting: “Were we to have merited being in Eretz Yisrael your pilpul would be entirely superfluous. For as long as we remain in galut, the whole point of Tu biShvat is for us to understand what atchalta dig'ulah is all about.” (Source: Yoel Rappel, Kissufim leEretz haKodesh, p. 86)

Rav Kook On One Tu biShvat

When the settlement of Magdiel celebrated its establishment, Rav Kook participated in the festivities. The ceremony include the planting of trees, and Rav Kook was given the honor of placing the first sapling in the ground. The organizers handed the rabbi a hoe with which to dig the hole, but he threw it aside and began digging with his bare hands.

Rabbi Ze’ev Gold, who was also in attendance, noticed that Rav Kook suddenly became all impassioned. His entire body seemed to quiver and shake, and his face looked like a burning flame, as he placed the sapling in the ground with awe and trepidation.

Rabbi Gold was quite baffled by Rav Kook's behavior, and he asked him: 'What is all the excitement about? Thank God, people plant hundreds of trees every day in Eretz Yisrael!'

The Rav replied: 'When I held that tender sapling in my hand, I remembered the Midrash's interpretation of the verse, "You shall follow the Lord your God... and cling to Him" [Devarim 13:5].

"Is it possible for flesh and blood to ascend to the heavens and cling to the Shechinah, about Whom it is written, 'For the Lord your God is a consuming fire' [Devarim. 4:24]? ... Rather, [the explanation is as follows:] At the beginning of creation, the Holy One Blessed be He engaged in planting, as it says, 'The Lord God planted a garden in Eden' [Bereishit. 2:8]. Similarly, when you enter in the Land, engage in planting first, as it is written, 'When you shall come into the Land, and you shall plant all types of fruit trees' [Vayikra 19:23]." [Vayikra Rabbah 25:3] 'When I was about to put the sapling in the ground,' Rav Kook explained, 'I remembered these words and felt as if I was clinging to the "Shechinah". Thus, I was overcome by fear and trembling.'

[from "An Angel Among Men", by R. Simcha Raz, translated by R. Moshe Lichtman, pp. 273-274]

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