Happy Tu BiShvat

Tu BiShvat is on Thursday, February 13th this year. It is the Jewish celebration of the birthday of trees. The name Tu Bishvat signifies the 15th of the month of Shevat and the beginning of tree planting season in Israel. In Leviticus 19:23 the Israelites were instructed not to eat any fruit of a newly planted tree for three years. To keep track of the age of a tree, they marked the New Year of the trees or the collective birthday of all fruit-bearing trees. Over the centuries this developed into a ritual seder meal where different tree fruits are consumed. In Israel today, Jewish families celebrate by planting trees.

 

I was intrigued by this holiday because of my own tree-planting history. About 8 years ago, after months of careful planning, my family helped me plant 33 trees in our yard. A dozen of these trees made up my backyard orchard. I've enjoyed learning how to prune, spray, and care for fruit trees. Over the years my little orchard has fed several groundhog families. On occasion, it's also produced fruit that we've been able to eat. 

 

February is not a tree-planting month in Indiana so I'll celebrate by bundling up and going outside to prune my fruit trees. It's always best to do this when they are deep in winter dormancy, like doing surgery on someone under general anesthesia. Pruning also anticipates the coming of new life in Spring, something so hard to imagine while we are still in the dead of winter. In the deep, dark cold of this time of year, I will embrace the discipline of celebration to help me remember the beauty of Springtime blossoms and the taste of Autumn harvests.

Pruned and ready to grow.