On the 15th of Shevat (February 6, 2023) we celebrate the New Year of the Trees (BiShvat). This day is an opportunity to ask Hashem that we may also bear sweet and good fruits. According to the Zohar, “The world is judged four times a year… On Atzeret, it is judged by the fruits of the tree.”
What is Tu BiShvat? Celebrating the New Year of the Trees
One should have said “fruits of the trees” (plural) because it refers to a powerful metaphorical tree in the heavens, the tree of the Sefirot of Zeir Anpin, known as the “Tree of Life. The Zohar says that the physical trees in our world are the material manifestation of the spiritual tree.
The Bible says, “Man is the tree of the field” (Deuteronomy 20:19), suggesting that just as a tree has many parts, roots, branches, fruits, etc., so too does man have many parts and their expression can be seen in his actions.
Just as the Ari compares the 613 organs of the body to the 613 commandments, which are divided into 248 positive obligations and 365 prohibitions, as well as the bones and sinews of the body, so the Ari compares the 613 commandments to the 613 commandments, which are divided into 248 positive obligations and 365 prohibitions.
Tu BiShvat
The Afta Rebbe explained that the differentiation in the human body demonstrates why each person is a microcosm, a small image of the entire universe, with a portion of good and a portion of evil reflected in their actions.
Tu BiShvat acts as a marker in the universe, indicating a change. The physical manifestation of this is that from Tu BiShvat many trees begin to bear fruit.
This process is mirrored in the higher worlds where there is an awakening of the spiritual force known as the Tree of Life.
With Tu BiShvat, a process of rejuvenation and renewal occurs in the physical and spiritual worlds, and connecting with Tu BiShvat helps us to manifest the fruits of our labor on this physical plane.
How does it affect us?
The Kabbalists say that the awakening of the consciousness of the Tree of Life in the spiritual world during Tu BiShvat makes it possible to connect our 613 organs to the power of the Tree of Life.
This power helps to fix and refine the various parts of our soul, aligning them and bringing them into vibration with the spiritual and healing power of the Tree of Life. We know that the plant kingdom is the answer and cure to all diseases.
On Tu B’Shevat the energy is revealed that will keep every plant in the world alive for an entire year. Since trees and plants have no EGO, they know no differentiation, i.e. they feel like one interconnected organism.
Therefore, any type of plant can be a means of transmitting the healing energy that our body needs. It is not necessary to know the specific one, since the fruit or herb we use as a vehicle has the ability to recognize the part of its universal organism that holds the healing.
Connecting with the Power of the Tree of Life
On Tu B’Shevat we have the opportunity to connect with the power of the Tree of Life and use its energy to assist us in our transformation process. This moment is an additional tool on our path to success in all areas of our lives.
Rabbi Nachman of Breslav states that it is a great virtue to be able to forget what we have learned in previous years, as this allows us to approach the same issues with a fresh perspective and helps us to connect with our capacity as creators.
Renewing our way of thinking and perceiving the world is a sign of our connection to the Tree of Life.
Maintaining a flexible mind and emotions keeps us young and emotionally strong. The more cognitively and emotionally flexible we are, the longer we can maintain our youth and strength.
How to connect on Tu BiShvat
- Planting trees: in planting a tree, we connect with its important beginning of life and will receive its energy to grow in the higher worlds.
- Eating fruits: they contain the essence of the trees and their interconnectedness with other species. By eating them, we connect with the abundance, healing and prosperity available in the universe on this day of the year.
Read more
- The Month of Shevat — The Month of Trees
Shevat, the fifth month of the Hebrew calendar, remembers the liberation of the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage. This month also the eleventh in the list of months in the Bible, starting with Nisan.
