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Jan. 25, 2013
Fruits of Tu b’Shevat
Mystical seder leaves room for improvisation.
ELIZABETH NIDER
My five-year-old tells me that Tu b’Shevat is a celebration for the trees. But where does it come from and why do we celebrate? More importantly, how do we celebrate?
Tu b’Shevat is titled after the date on which it falls: the 15th day of Shevat. The first reference to Tu b’Shevat, where it’s referred to as the New Year of the Trees, is in the Talmud in the midst of discussions on tithing. Kabbalists, however, offer a more profound understanding. They explain that Tu b’Shevat is a time to amend the transgression of Adam and Eve with the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. According to the mystics, the mere act of eating fruit during a Tu b’Shevat seder allows us to participate in this tikkun, or act of repair.
The seder was first created in the 16th century by the kabbalists of Tzfat and involves drinking four cups of white and red wines in conjunction with eating fruits from four categories, as well as foods from the seven species by which Israel is praised (figs, pomegranate, dates, grapes, olives, wheat and barley). Each of the categories of fruit represents a personal virtue or a situation from which we can learn or upon which we can improve.
Each part of the Tu b’Shevat seder has meaning, but it is not as regimented is the Pesach seder, and there is room for improvisation.
The first category of fruit is those with peels or shells, such as walnuts or pomegranates.
According to Rabbi Shmulik Yeshayahu of the Ohel Ya’akov Community Kollel, eating fruits of this kind reminds us that “in our life, G-d gives us so much good but, unfortunately, it’s often hidden and we need to peel the shell to see the good. You have to work hard for it,” he said. “All of modernity is like this: there is a concealment to it. If you’re only eating the shell, it’s not good for you – you find the inner purpose. The same goes with people. They [may] have a heavy and thick shell and you look at them and say, ‘Oy vey, they have a thick shell!’, but inside is sweetness ... the good is hidden inside.”
Fruits with an edible peel and a pit, like dates, plums or peaches, make up the next group. These fruits remind us that while something may appear to be good, there may also be negativity deeper within. Yeshayahu explained that although eating a pit may be negative, the pit itself has such a positive purpose: new life. “There is a potential; if you know how to discipline it well, you’ll be able to use it for growth. Judaism tells us that even negative virtues can be used positively and effectively. Try to find a way to use it positively.”
The third category is the fruit that is entirely edible, including the seeds, such as blueberries. According to Yeshayahu, all human beings are born this way and, through life, we develop our “shells.” What remains underneath, however, is the original “blueberry,” so to speak, and this part always remains and makes up who we truly are. Staying in tune with our true selves is difficult but it’s a very possible task, Yeshayau explained. “Each one of us can get in touch with this level,” he said, “not every day maybe, but on [days like] Yom Kippur” or during other moments of serious reflection.
The most challenging category to appreciate is that of the citrus fruit. According to Yeshayahu, “This is the only fruit that stays all season on the tree. You could have new citrus on the tree with the old ones. This means stability and clarity. In this physical world nothing is separated. The taste of G-d is everlasting and everywhere. This is the hardest category, but it gives us the idea that life is beautiful and divinity is everywhere. Whatever you see is all good. This is what it means to be G-dly. All we need to do is remove the peel” to see pure goodness.
Even the wine drinking of the seder is ordered. White wine represents potential and red wine represents the actual outcome, Yeshayahu explained. The seder begins with potential – exclusively white wine – and then we slowly add red until the last glass is exclusively red wine.
This year will be the first year my family will hold a Tu b’Shevat seder. There is one thing I know for sure, however. I plan to take my time with every single piece of fruit. I want to enjoy the fragrance, the beauty, the nutrients it has to offer and to recognize that each fruit is a gift. By participating this way, eating becomes a spiritual act, as we exercise gratitude, inspiring us to transform actions that are as mundane and everyday as eating into spiritual moments of connection. This is the meaning of Tu b’Shevat.
TU B’SHEVAT BONBONS
For a richer taste, I recommend using high-quality and organic ingredients, if possible. This recipe makes 32 bonbons.
1/4 cup natural almond butter
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp cocoa powder (or cocoa powder)
pinch of salt
For the coating:
dried, shredded unsweetened coconut
cocoa powder
Mix all ingredients in a food processor for approximately three minutes. Scoop the mixture out and form small uniform balls. Pour cocoa powder and coconut into two different bowls. Roll the bonbons into either the powder or the coconut. For the coconut coating, press firmly so that the shreds stick. Place, alternating coatings, on a pretty serving plate (or in an airtight container).
Elizabeth Nider is a food writer living in Vancouver. For recipes and healthy eating tips, visit wholesomekids.ca.
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