Living Torah Archives

15 Shevat, the New Year for Trees, is when the sap is just beginning to flow, and the trees awaken from their winter sleep. But if the fruit is not yet growing, why do we celebrate the occasion by eating fruit?

Jewish girls are equal members in Tzivos Hashem. Even though in Torah the “army” is not a place for women, when it comes to a battle of life and death – and the battle against the evil inclination is a battle of survival – the law is different. In that case, even a bride must go from her wedding to take part.

As soon as a Jewish baby is born, what G-d declared at Sinai applies to him. All souls of all generations, this baby’s soul included, were present at Sinai when G-d addressed them – in the first person: “I am the Lord thy G-d, Who brought you out from the Land of Egypt.”

At Mount Sinai, Moses and Aaron served as "marriage ushers," escorting G-d and the Jewish People to one another to unite in an eternal covenant. Chassidic teaching explains that Moses represented the "masculine" Divine force, and Aaron, the "feminine" Divine force - so from this derives the custom for a man and a woman to escort bride and groom to the Chupah.

When G-d and the Jewish People were "married" at Mount Sinai, there were two "marriage ushers": Moses and Aaron. In commemoration of this, at a Jewish wedding two ushers escort bride and groom to one another. But there is a surprising regulation that demands explanation: a pregnant woman may not serve as marriage usher.

The Previous Rebbe was once approached with the following dilemma: You profess to expect Moshiach’s coming “immediately.” Yet, at the same time, you make long-term plans, as if expecting exile to continue for the foreseeable future?

On Tu B’Shevat, the 15th of Shevat, we celebrate the New Year for Trees. It falls in the middle of the winter, when the sap is just beginning to flow. If the fruit is not yet growing, why do we celebrate the occasion by eating fruit? By enjoying fruit on Tu B’Shevat, we celebrate the potential within the tree. We also commit ourselves to bring out this potential by nurturing the tree through the spring and summer, until it brings its fruit. The human being is compared to a tree. We must recognize the wonderful potential within every person and every event, and we must commit ourselves to bringing out that potential.

The Rebbe gives Rabbi J.J. Hecht platters of fruit to distribute the following day at a children’s rally, and then begins a lively song.

The children should sing ‘We Want Moshiach Now,’ and he should truly come now!