Tu B\'Shevat Seder

TU B’SHEVAT SEDER – FEBRUARY 2, 2007

The Lord God took the human and placed him in the garden of Eden to till it and tend it. – Genesis 2:15

When you come to the land and you plant any tree, you shall treat its fruit as forbidden; for three years it will be forbidden and not eaten. In the fourth year, all of its fruit shall be sanctified to praise the L-RD. In the fifth year, you may eat its fruit. -Leviticus 19:23-25

According to the Mishnah (Rosh HaShannah 1:1) there are 4 New Year’s and one of them marks the new year for trees.  Tu B’Shevat has gone through many incarnations: an agricultural marking day to know which trees must be tithed, a mystical ascent thorough the levels of the soul, an ecological observance, and more.  Today it is as concerned about celebrating the wonder of the planet as it is about exploring the wonders of the soul.

The mystics of Sfat created a seder, patterned on the Passover seder, which used different fruits as symbols for different levels of the soul.   In the 1960’s other authors used that same pattern to create a seder which spoke of our need to be faithful stewards of the earth.

There are many versions of Tu B’Shevat seders available.  Here are some links to versions on the web:

http://scheinerman.net/judaism/tubshevat/treeseder.html -- we have used this one at the synagogue in year’s past.

http://www.ritualwell.org/holidays/tubshvat/PrimaryObject.2005-04-23.4355 -- this interesting seder has mystical and feminist influences.

http://www.wzo.org.il/en/resources/view.asp?id=209 – this brief seder comes from the World Zionist Organization

http://www.babaganewz.com/kidspdfs/5408sederK.pdf -- the most beautiful seder of this selection – Babaganewz is a magazine for teens used in our Hebrew School.