The Fifteenth of Shevat or Tu Bishvat is the Rosh Hashanah for trees (Rosh Hashanah 2a). Most people commonly think that just as on the First of Tishrei, which is the day of Rosh Hashanah, all creations are judged for life or death, for wealth or poverty, and the like, so too, on Tu Bishvat, trees are judged in Heaven and their fate for the coming year is decided.
Nevertheless, Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes that this is not the case, for on this day, the trees are not judged at all. Similarly, Hagaon Harav Avraham Chaim Na’eh zt”l (Rabbi of Jerusalem’s Bukharian Quarter approximately fifty years ago) writes that many have a misconception that Tu Bishvat is the Judgment Day for trees when in fact this is not the case, for the Mishnah in Masechet Rosh Hashanah (16a) writes that fruit trees are judged on the holiday of Shavuot, not on Tu Bishvat. If so, what is the significance of Tu Bishvat and why is it called the “Rosh Hashanah for Trees”?
It seems that the reason why Tu Bishvat was established as the New Year for trees is because at this point, most of the rainfall of the year has already fallen, as the Gemara in Masechet Rosh Hashanah (12a) and Rashi (ibid.) state that by the day of Tu Bishvat, most of the rainfall has already passed, the sap rises through the tree, and the fruits have reached a noticeable stage of development by this day (the Rishonim disagree exactly how much this is).
Nevertheless, the day of Tu Bishvat poses certain halachic implications regarding the laws of Terumot and Ma’asrot (tithing of produce) and Orla (fruits grown within three years of the tree being planted which are forbidden to benefit from). Just to illustrate this, let us discuss one such example.
The Torah states (Vayikra 19, 23): “When you shall come to the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, for three years shall it be considered forbidden and may not be eaten.” Our Sages explain that these three years must be counted from the time the tree was planted and only after this point will the fruit become permissible. However, fruits that have grown on the tree during its first three years since being planted are forbidden forever.
Nevertheless, these three years do not need to be counted as three complete years; rather, we follow the years of the world. This means that the last several days of the year and consider them like an entire year. For instance, if one planted a tree at the end of the year 5777, one need not wait until the end of the year 5780 for the fruits to leave their Orla status; rather, the final days of 5777 are considered one year, then the years 5778 and 5779 are another two, and immediately at the beginning of the year 5780, the fruits exit their Orla status.
However, only when there are at least forty-four days remaining in the year can this be considered an entire year. This means that if one planted a tree before the Sixteenth of Av of the year 5777, which is forty-four days before Rosh Hashanah of the year 5778, this counts as one year since being planted, for thirty days of the first year are considered one year and another fourteen days are added to compensate for the time it takes the sapling to take root in the ground; thus, a total of forty-four days are necessary for this to be counted as the tree’s first year. One must then count another two years for the completion of the three years, for instance, if one planted the tree in the year 5777, as we mentioned above, one counts an additional two years, 5778 and 5779, and in the year 5780, the fruits become permitted for consumption. However, since Tu Bishvat is the Rosh Hashanah for trees, although 5780 marks the fourth year, any fruits that are on the tree until Tu Bishvat of 5780 are forbidden to benefit from. Only the fruits grown after Tu Bishvat of the year 5780 are permitted for consumption, even without separating Terumot and Ma’asrot (since these fruits are called “Neta Reva’i” and are permitted for consumption after their sanctity has been transferred onto a coin after the fruits have been harvested. The individual redeeming the Neta Reva’i fruits recites the following blessing: “Baruch Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’Olam Asher Kideshanu Bemitzvotav Vetzivanu Al Pidyon Neta Reva’i.” One then takes a “Perutah,” which is a coin of minimal value, such as the ten-Agora coin in Israel and states: “All of the sanctity of these fruits and their fifth is transferred onto this coin which is worth a Perutah.” It is preferable for one to recite this text three times. After performing this procedure, the fruits are permitted for consumption immediately and Terumot and Ma’asrot need not be separated).
Although the actual fate of the trees for that year is not decided on Tu Bishvat, nevertheless, Hagaon Rabbeinu Yosef Haim of Baghdad writes that there is an accepted tradition from Ashkenazi sages that one should recite a special prayer regarding the Etrog (citron) fruit so that the Jewish people will merit obtaining beautiful Etrogim for the Sukkot holiday.
An Idea for the Night of Tu Bishvat
Tonight will mark Tu Bishvat and we customarily recite blessings and partake of various fruits and vegetables.
We have already discussed that when two types of fruits are served, one belonging to the Seven Species and the other not, such as a date and an apple, one should recite the blessing on the fruit belonging to the Seven Species, for it is more significant.
Rav Shimshon Refael Hirsch (Parashat Vayera) explains that the number seven represents Hashem’s revelation in the Creation. While the number six represents Hashem’s creation during the Six Days of Creation, one more number, corresponding to Shabbat, the will of Hashem comes to fruition in the world. It is for this reason that the word for “oath” in Hebrew “Shevu’a” is related to the number seven, “Sheva,” because an oath means placing oneself and the entire creation under the direct command and authority of Hashem.
It is possible then that the Seven Species which the Land of Israel was praised with also represent Hashem’s special supervision over the Land of Israel.
The first of the Seven Species is wheat, the most significant of all the species, from which bread, man’s primary stable, is made. It would seem appropriate then that a wheat stalk should stand tall and straight in the field. Interestingly though, as the wheat ripens and grows larger and fuller, the stalk begins bending over towards the ground. Why is that?
There is an interesting parable used to explain this: A man named Binyamin wished to become a farmer, however, he had no knowledge of how to plant wheat. He therefore turned to his friend, a seasoned farmer, and asked him to teach him the trade.
The friend was glad to teach Binyamin, and he invited him to his field before the first planting. When they arrived at the field, Binyamin saw a beautiful, glistening field before him and was horrified when his friend got on the tractor and starter plowing through the pristine earth. Binyamin began yelling at his friend, “What are you doing? You are ruining the field!” The friend replied, “Just wait and see.”
Next, the friend brought some golden wheat kernels and started spreading them on the ground. Once again, Binyamin yelled, “Why are you destroying these precious kernels?!”
Sometime later, the two arrived back at the field and saw it filled with beautiful stalks of wheat. Binyamin stood there, full of pride, but was again horrified when his friend mounted the tractor again and began harvesting the wheat. Binyamin exclaimed, “Why are you cutting down what you planted? Have you lost your mind?!” His friend exclaimed, “Wait patiently.”
The friend then threshed the wheat, ground it into fine powder, wet it, and turned it into large white dough. Binyamin stood side not knowing what to do with himself. What was his friend doing?
The farmer then took this dough and placed it into a fiery oven. Binyamin could not contain himself any longer and yelled, “Are you now about to burn everything we’ve invested in?!” A few minutes later, Binyamin was finally pleasantly surprised when a fine-looking loaf of bread came out of the oven.
The interpretation of this parable is as follows. In this world, we are like Binyamin. Hashem chose Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and then sent Yaakov down to Egypt, where they were eventually tortured and killed. Everyone wondered why Hashem did this to His chosen nation. However, our Sages taught us to wait and see what Hashem had in store for us. We left Egypt, wandered in the desert for forty years, entered the Land of Israel where the first and second Temples were built, and later destroyed. We were then subjected to almost two millennia of endless persecution. Our Sages keep urging us to be patient and wait, for we have not yet reached the end of the journey!
At this point, we are sitting in the oven. The fire of materialism is raging in the world. Many people are confused and follow the appeal of this generation, thus abandoning the values our ancestors gave up their lives for and giving up on all the patience and suffering our nation endured until now.
Everyone understands that this is the most critical time in the Jewish nation’s history, and it is the most worthwhile juncture to gird ourselves with patience now. Just as the wheat stalk bends over the fuller it becomes as it gazes humbly at the earth that bore it, so must we bend our heads in subjugation to our eternal Torah and a tradition that held us together for thousands of years. Whoever holds on now will merit the ultimate goal of the arrival of our righteous Mashiach!
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