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Passover Seder Tu B'shvat Seder

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Passover Seder Tu B'shvat Seder ו בשבט''סדר ט TU B’SHVAT SEDER THE FESTIVAL OF TREES 2016 A young girl looks out the window and notices the tree in the front yard swaying in the wind. She asks her father, “How does the tree move its branches like that?” Now the father was preoccupied and almost said, “The tree is not moving the branches, the wind is.” But before the words were out, he caught himself and rose from his chair and went to the window to join his daughter. From inside, behind the window, they could neither feel nor hear the wind and the father thought, “How can I possibly be sure that the branches are moving from the wind rather than moving from the tree itself?” He then asked his daughter, “Do you really think the tree is moving the branches?” and she replied, “If the tree is dancing it would need music, so maybe the music is in the wind. Maybe the wind carries a music that only the trees can hear. 1 Welcome to the Kabbalistic Tu B’Shvat Seder. Tu B’Shvat is known as Rosh Hashanah la’ilan – The New Year of the tree. It falls on the fifteenth day of the month of Shvat. At this time in Israel the water rains are ending. The sap starts to rise in the trees and the first buds emerge. The Tu B’Shvat Seder originated among the 16th century Kabbalists in Tzfat. The Jewish mystics gathered in the evening around elegantly decorated tables covered with sweet smelling flowers, fruits, wine, and candles. Tonight, we assemble in the throes of winter to celebrate this time of awakening—and to realize what amazing potential slumbers in each of us. Seder means an order—and so we will follow an order similar to the Passover Seder but unique to the ritual of Tu B’Shvat. We will refer to the order (as it builds) through song before starting each new section. 2 Passover Seder Tu B’Shvat Seder Kadesh (Sanctifying the day) Kadesh (First cup of the vine-sanctifying the festival) UreChatz (Washing hands) Urechatz (Washing hands) Carpas (Eating vegetables) Motzei (Eating bread) Yachatz (Breaking the matzah) ha-Klipot (Breaking the shells- Olam ha-Asiyah) Magid (Asking questions/ Magid (Asking questions/ telling the story) telling the story) Rachtzah (Washing hands) Merichah (Fruit spread) Motzei Matzah (Eat matzah) Olam ha-Yetzirah (Second cup- World of formation) Maror (Bitter herbs) Chartzan (Spitting out pits) Koreach (Hillel sandwich) Cos Shlishi (Third cup of the vine) Shulchan Oraich (Festive meal) Olam ha-Briyah (World of creation) Tzafun (Finding the hidden) Tzafun (Finding the hidden) Baraych (Blessing of thanks) Baraych (Blessing of thanks) Hallel (Giving praise) Cos Rivii (Fourth cup of the vine) Nirzah (Conclusion) ha-Atzilut (World of emanation) 3 Atzilut Emanation Red wine Briyah Creation Fruit completely edible Blush wine Yetzirah Formation Fruit with pit White wine with red Asiyah Action Fruit with hard shell White wine We will drink four cups of wine or grape juice in conjunction with three different categories of fruit which corresponds to each of the four realms of creation (on the right side of the diagram above). 4 Everything in the physical world is a metaphor for a deeper spiritual reality. Eating and drinking is to the body, what knowledge is to the soul. When we eat, we internalize the food -- and through that we grow and develop physically. Similarly, when we learn we must chew it over, digest it, and integrate it into our very being. Only then do we truly grow in wisdom. Kadesh Your partner pours the first cup of wine or grape juice (all white). A blessing is made over the fruit of the vine. The wine or grape juice is white to symbolize purity; in contrast the fruit we will eat at this first stage of the seder represents our struggle with that we experience as impure. Baruch ata Ado-noy, Elo-heinu melech ha- olam, borei pri hagafen. Blessed are you God, King of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine. 5 Kadesh Urechatz First, we wash our hands and recite the blessing: Baruch ata Ado-noy, Elo-heinu melech ha- olam, asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav ve-tzivanu al netilat yadayim. Blessed are you God, King of the Universe, Who makes us holy with His commandments and commands us in elevating our hands. Kadesh Urechatz Motzie Wheat and barley are the first two of the seven species connected to the greatness of the Land of Israel, as it says: A land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olives and honey (Deuteronomy 8:8) The blessing to be recited on bread is: Baruch ata Ado-noy, Elo-heinu melech ha- olam, ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz. Blessed are you God, King of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth. 6 We all sing the song of Tu B’Shvat ♫ Hashkedeyah Porachat— V'shemesh paz zorachat. Tziporim merosh kol gag . M'vasrot et bo hechag. Tu Bishvat higia, Chag la'ilanot. Tu Bishvat higia, Chag la'ilanot. The almond tree is blooming The golden sun is glowing The birds sing out in joy and glee From every roof and every tree Tu B’Shvat is here—the festival of trees Tu B’Shvat is here—the festival of trees Tu Tu Tu Tu B’Tu B’Shvat Our intention is to reflect: Please take a minute to reflect on the following question: What fruit of trees best symbolizes me as a person? Write down the name of the fruit or nut and some words or whole thoughts that explain why you choose that fruit or nut to represent you. 7 Kadesh Urechatz Motzie ha-Klipot The world of Asiyah; the breaking of the shells We now eat fruits with inedible hard shells or peels. For example: nuts, pomegranates and palmelos. This parallels the realm of action (asiyah), the lowest of the spiritual worlds -- a world which is enveloped by the physical, just as the fruit is enveloped in its shell. The nut cracker is available to assist those who choose to crack nuts. Keep in mind that this blessing on the fruit will be for all the fruits to be eaten during the Seder. Baruch ata Ado-noy, Elo-heinu melech ha- olam, boray pri ha-aitz.. Blessed are you God, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the tree. Discussion: What is our hard shell? Take note: when we select fruits (nuts) that have a hard shell we need to work to reveal the fruit inside. 8 Kadesh Urechatz Motzie haKlipot Magid We refill the cups with wine or grape juice that is white with a splash of red. Kabbalistic intention from the original seder text: Please God who makes, forms, creates, and emanates supernal worlds according to their form and character “You made all of them with wisdom,” to unite the spiritual above and the physical below. You caused trees and grass to grow from the earth, according to the structure and character of the forms above, so that human beings might know wisdom and understanding through them, in order to grasp the hidden forms. May it be Your will, O Lord our God and God of our ancestors that through the sacred power of eating fruit which we are now eating and blessing while reflecting on the secret of their supernal roots may that flow favor blessing and bounty upon them. Kadesh Urechatz Motzie haKlipot Magid Merichah We now take a fruit and use it as a spread (on bread) preferably with avocado (or preserves). Spreading symbolizes are telling the story of how we can want to share our knowledge with others. 9 Kadesh Urechatz Motzie haKlipot Magid Merichah Olam-he-Yetzirah Everyone drinks the second cup of the vine—the little splash of red is like the pit in the fruit. Baruch ata Ado-noy, Elo-heinu melech ha- olam, borei pri hagafen. Blessed are you God, King of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine. We now eat fruits with inedible pits. For example: dates, olives and plums. This stage is comparable to. the realm of formation (yetzirah), the world of emotions. The inedible part of these fruits is on the inside. The inedible part is a seed with potential to grow another fruit Kadesh Urechatz Motzie haKlipot Magid Merichah Olam-he-Yetzirah Chartzan People eat a fruit with a pit and spit out the pit. Discussion: What does a pit represent in us? Is it a barrier to growth or is it an opportunity for growth? 10 We sing a song about the date palm (Tamar): ♫ Tzadik ka-Tamar Yifrach, ki-Erez ba-Levanon Yizkeh. Shitulim beVet Hashem, be-Chatzrot Elohehun, Yafrichu. Ode Yenuvun beSayva deShaynim vera’ananim ye-Heyu, le-Hagid ba-Boker Chasdecha, ve-Emunscha ba-Laylot The righteous flourish like a palm tree. The righteous are fruitful and sweet, like a date palm. (Psalms 92:13). Kadesh Urechatz Motzie haKlipot Magid Merichah Olam-he-Yetzirah Chartzan Cos Shlishi We fill the cup with a mixture of white and red wine or grape juice. Baruch ata Ado-noy, Elo-heinu melech ha- olam, borei pri hagafen. Blessed are you God, King of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine. Wine rejoices the heart of man. Yayin (Hebrew for wine) equals 70 in gematriyah, the same numerical. value of Sod, meaning secret. As wine enters the secret is revealed (Zohar -Parshat Pinchas). 11 Kadesh Urechatz Motzie haKlipot Magid Merichah Olam-he-Yetzirah Chartzan Cos Shlishi Olam ha-Briyah Now we eat fruits that are completely edible: berries, figs, apples, seedless grapes.
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