Shabbat Parashat Bo

The Four Jewish New Years - Approaching Tu B'Sh'vat

This week's parasha contains the first official commandment given to the Israelite people in the Torah: to observe the first day of the "spring month" as the first of all months (i.e. a New Year).  The children of Israel were freed from slavery, achieving their first taste of freedom in four hundred years.  This new independence was accompanied by the responsibility of self governance.  One aspect of this new independence was the creation of an official calendar, which was set to begin with this spring month, known to us now as "Nisan," during which we celebrate the festival of Pesah. 

The Mishna, the first official Jewish law code edited by Rabbi Judah the Prince in approximately 220 CE, teaches that there are actually four official new year celebrations in one twelve month cycle: the first of Nisan, the first of the twelfth month, Elul, the first of Tishrei, on which we celebrate our Rosh HaShana to this very day, and the New Year which falls in the month of Sh'vat, over which there was a debate about whether it should fall on the first or fifteenth day of the month.  Eventually, Hillel's opinion won out and the New Year of the Trees, named for its date on the Hebrew calendar - Tu BiSh'vat - was established  on the fifteenth of the month of Sh'vat ("Tu" stands for the letters tet and vav adding up to 15 when converted to numerical form based on their places in the Alef-Bet: 9 + 6). 

Last Shabbat, we celebrated Rosh Hodesh Sh'vat, the beginning of our current Hebrew month.  Tu Bish'vat is a very meaningful festival on a variety of levels, particularly for those who take an environmental interest in the world.  However, it is in the Land of Israel that Tu Bish'vat takes on the most power.  While we in Vancouver continue to live through our winter season, Tu Bish'vat in Israel marks the time when the first tree blossoms in Israel begin magically to appear on the Sh'keidiyot, the almond trees.  Each year, school children participate in tree planting field trips in order to continue to beautify the land with more trees or to convert more areas of Israeli desert into green tree groves.  It is indeed a modern miracle to see how Israel has turned barren lands into beautiful fertile forests, and the project continues in the Negev desert each and every day.

This year, tree planting in Israel is an even more important task.  As I shared with you several weeks ago, Israel lost over 5,000,000 trees as a result of the Carmel Region forest fire.  Large sections of forests, some of which had been planted very early on in the life of the Jewish State, were completely burned.  It will take several years to replace the trees that Israel lost in only a matter of days.  Therefore, as JNF tree planting packets go out into the community this week and next, our tree dollars are needed now more than they have been in a long time. JNF BC has also taken on a special project in the aftermath of the forest fire: sponsoring a new JNF fire truck that will help to prevent future forest fire tragedies.  Please join our school community in supporting both of these important Tu Bish'vat initiatives this year and make your plans for how you and your family will want to plant trees and support tree growth in Israel.  JNF Tu Bish'vat packets should be going home to you during the next week. It is a very special mitzvah to plant a tree and support tree growth in Israel, one that takes on even more meaning this year!

Tu BiSh'vat Hi'gi'ah...Hag La'Ilanot Samei'ah!  (Tu BiSh'vat has arrived...Happy festival of the trees!)

Shabbat Shalom!

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Matthew Bellas