Almond trees blossom at Tu Bi-Sh’vat
The Lord Himself planted trees, for it is said that he “…planted a garden in the east, in Eden…” (Gen. 2:8). Father Abraham also planted trees. It is recorded of him that he “…planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.” (Gen. 21:33).
Much is said in the Bible about the value and significance of trees. The Bible often compares trees with men, since trees serve as a symbol of man’s intended fruitfulness and blessing (Psa. 1:1-3; Prov.11:30). It is significant that the Bible begins with a picture of the Tree of Life in the midst of God’s garden and that the Christian New Testament ends with a similar picture of a Tree of Life in a restored garden (Rev. 22:2). The traditional vision of peace in the end days is a picture of every man sitting under his own vine and fig tree
(Mic. 4:4).
The Hebrew people, unlike the people of some other cultures, have placed great emphasis upon trees. In biblical times trees were considered so important to the life and economy of Israel, that it was forbidden to cut down any fruit tree, even in times of siege
(Deut. 20:19).
ISRAEL NEVER FORGOT HER TREES
There is scriptural proof that ancient Israel had an abundance of trees and even of forests. All that changed abruptly after the Roman conquest in AD 70. The Roman conquerors destroyed many of the forests. Later in the 400 years of Turkish rule, the Turks levied a tax upon trees. The land owners responded by cutting them down. Because of this, the soil began to erode, foliage disappeared, and precipitation decreased. The land of Israel became that desolate wilderness that Mark Twain described in his book, Innocents Abroad. Twain said, “…of all the lands there are for dismal scenery, I think Palestine must be the prince. The hills are barren, they are dull of color…the valleys are unsightly deserts fringed with feeble vegetation that has an expression about it of being sorrowful and despondent.”
From the lands of their dispersion the Jewish people never forgot the trees. In honor of them, they kept a semi-holiday known as Tu bi-sh’vat (fifteenth of Shevat). On this day the Jewish people looked out their frosted windows in Europe and elsewhere. They dreamed of the day when they would again plant trees in Israel. The sages and Rabbis of the dispersion exhorted the people, “when you first come into the Land of Israel you are to engage in no other work than planting” (Midrash Rabba, Lev. 25). Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai even said, “if a seedling were in your hand and you were told the Messiah is at hand, come and plant the seedling and then go and greet him” (Avot D’Rabbi Nathan).
When the Jews began to return to the land of Israel they heeded the exhortations of their Rabbis. They planted trees – millions of them. The Jewish National Fund has estimated that close to 250 million trees of various types have now been planted inIsrael. These have not only been planted by the Israelis, but by Jews the world over, and also by multitudes of Christian pilgrims. Today where the bleak hills once stood in Mark Twain’s era, lovely forests now stand. The contrast between the land of Israel and other adjoining lands is so stark that the borders of Israel are often referred to as “the Green Line.”
That deep love and respect which the Jewish people have for trees, gives us an indication of why the trees of the field are said to clap their hands and rejoice as the Jews return to their land (Isa. 55:12).
The reforestation of Israel is just another great modern fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It is a sign to all peoples that God has been at work restoring his beloved land as the prophet declares: “I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.” (Isa. 41:19-20).
SOME CUSTOMS OF TU BI-SH’VAT
Tu Bi-Sh’vat signals the awakening of nature after its winter slumber. At the time of this holiday the sap begins to flow and the very earliest blooms appear on the almond trees of Israel.
Traditionally this holiday marked the New Year of Trees. All those trees which blossomed after Tu Bi-Sh’vat were considered to belong to another year so far as counting the tithe was concerned.
Dried fruit and almonds are traditionally eaten on this holiday
There are a few customs associated with this holiday. Most of them have to do either with eating fruit or planting trees. Among the Ashkenazi Jews (those of Eastern Europe), it is customary to eat 15 different kinds of fruit on the 15th of Shevat. Among the Sephardi Jews (those of Spain and North Africa), this festival is called the Feast of Fruits. A special importance is attached to eating fruits which are grown in the land of Israel.
In recent years it has become customary to plant trees on this day. Of course, it is of special importance to plant trees in Israel and also to collect money for planting trees there. This holiday has become a sort of Israeli Arbor Day. In Israel there are many children’s programs which include songs, eating of fruits and planting of trees.
A BLESSING FOR TU BI-SH’VAT
The planting of trees is part of the redemptive program for the land of Israel. Not only is the Messiah, whom we know as Jesus (Yeshua), restoring the land of Israel, but he must also be planting trees as we see in Isaiah 49:5-6, & 8. The verse that we quoted earlier in Isaiah 41:19-20 speaks of the Messianic Servant and we see for certain that he is planting trees as part of his program.
If we want to be laborers together with God as we see in 1 Corinthians 3:9, we might wish to plant a tree too in Israel. This can usually be accomplished at several sites when one actually visits the land.
In the meantime we might be content with simply blessing the trees of Israel. The Tu-Bi-Sh’vat blessing goes like this:
Ba-ruch a-tah a-do-nai, e-lo-hay-nu me-lech ha-o-lam, bo-ray p’ri ha-etz.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth the fruit of the tree, Amen.
– Jim Gerrish
This updated article is presented courtesy of Bridges For Peace, Jerusalem. Original publication date 1992.
To plant a tree in Israel click on the following link:
Plant Trees
Picture credits Wikimedia Commons