Questions For Tu Bishvat Seders, and Suggested Responses

It is hoped that the questions below will be helpful to people leading Tu Bishvat seders as a way to increase audience participation. Suggested responses are given following the questions. Please send me suggestions for additional questions and for additional points for responses. Thanks.

1. What is the origin of Tu Bishvat?

2. Where is Tu Bishvat mentioned in the Tanach?

3. Why are we considering trees and fruits and nature in the middle of the winter?

4. Why was the 15^th of Shvat singled out for special consideration?

5. What was the dispute between Hillel and Shammai re the date of Tu Bishvat?

6. What were the contributions of the kabbalists of S’fat to Tu Bishvat?

7. What are 4 tikkuns (repairs) associated with Tu Bishvat?

8. Why are 4 cups of wine or grape juice drunk at the Tu Bishvat seder?

9. What is the significance of the changing colors of the successive cups of wine or grape juice?

10. What are the similarities and differences between the Tu Bishvat seder and the Pesach seder?

11. What is the significance of the brachot recited at the Tu Bishvat seder?

12. What are the top ten benefits that we get from trees?

13. What Jewish names are associated with trees?

14. How is Tu Bishvat celebrated in Israel today?

15. What is the purpose of reciting brachot (blessings)?

16. What readings are associated with trees in the Torah, nevi’im (prophets), Talmud, and other Jewish writings throughout history?

17. Why is Tu Bishvat becoming more popular today?

18. How are people like “a tree in the field?”

19. What are the four kabbalistic worlds?

20. Which fruits are associated with these 4 kabbalistic worlds?

21. In what order should fruits be eaten?

22. What metaphors compare Jews to trees and fruits?

23. What are vegetarian/vegan connections to Tu Bishvat?

24. Why do some consider Tu Bishvat a Jewish Earth Day?

25. Why are some trying to make Tu Bishvat into an “Environmental Shabbat” when Tu Bishvat occurs on Shabbat?

26. What are some environmental threats facing Israel?

27. How serious are climate change and other current environmental threats?

28. How should individual Jews and synagogues respond to current environmental threats?

29. What important environmental law is related to trees in wartime?

30. How do modern environmental “plagues” compare to the Biblical 10 plagues?

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Responses to the Questions [This is a work in progress and will be added to as time goes on.]

1. What is the origin of Tu Bishvat?

Tu Bishvat is first mentioned in the Mishneh (Rosh                                                          Hashanah 1:1) as a cut- off date for the tithing of fruits for the Temple priests and for the poor.

2. Where is Tu Bishvat mentioned in the Tanach (Jewish Bible)?

It is not mentioned there at all. It is first mentioned in the Mishneh as mentioned above.

3. Why are we considering trees and fruits and nature in the middle of the winter?

The kabbalists of S’fat restored the holiday in the 16^th century after it had lost its usefulness in 70 CE when the Temple was destroyed. They emphasized the eating of many fruits, especially those from the seven species mentioned in Deuteronomy and other fruits mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures and/or common to Israel.

4. Why was the 15^th of Shvat singled out for special consideration?

This is the date when in Israel generally the heavy rain has ended, the ground is starting to warm up, the sap is starting to flow in trees, and the almond trees are starting to bud.

5. What was the dispute between Hillel and Shammai re the date of Tu Bishvat?

Shammai, who lived in a different part of Israel, thought the New Year for trees should be on Rosh Chodesh Shvat,  Hillel, whose view prevailed as usual, thought it should be on the 15^th of Shvat.

6. What were the contributions of the kabbalists of S’fat to Tu Bishvat?

They restored the holiday after the Temple was destroyed and set up the Tu Bishvat seder.

7. What are 4 tikkuns (repairs) associated with Tu Bishvat?

1. Biblical times: tikkun for poverty
2. Kabbalists: tikkun for eating the forbidden fruit
3. Israelis: tikkun for destruction of the land
4. Environmentalists: tikkun for environmental destruction (a modern Earth Day)

8. Why are 4 cups of wine or grape juice drunk at the Tu Bishvat seder?

This is modeled after the Passover seder. They represent the changing seasons from winter to spring, summer, and fall.

9. What is the significance of the changing colors of the successive cups of wine or grape juice?

They represent the changing seasons from winter to fall.

10. What are the similarities and differences between the Tu Bishvat seder and the Pesach (Passover)seder?

Both have 4 cups of wine or grape juice, but on Tu Bishvat they are of different colors, as mentioned above. 

11. What is the significance of the brachot (blessings) recited at the Tu Bishvat seder?

The kabbalists thought they are of great significance, showing our gratitude to God. They tried to have as many brachot as possible.

12. What are ten benefits that we get from trees?

1. shade
2. wood
3. birds habitat
4. beauty
5. prevention of flooding
6. fruit
7. absorption of CO2
8. shach (covering) for Sukkah roofs
9. prevention of erosion
10.  emission of oxygen

13. What Jewish names are associated with trees?

Baum, Applebaum, Nissenboim, Titelbaum, Ilan, Ilana, Elan

14. How is Tu Bishvat celebrated in Israel today?

planting of trees

15. What is the purpose of reciting brachot (blessings)?

making us aware of what we are about to do; express appreciation to God.

16. What readings are associated with trees in the Torah, nevi’im (prophets), Talmud, and other Jewish writings throughout history?

1. bal tashchit;
2. first dietary regimen; (Genesis 1:29)
3. Elim – 12 streams and 70 palm trees

17. Why is Tu Bishvat becoming more popular today?

The holiday involves Israel, nature, God, fruits, brachot, the environment, and more.

18. How are people like “a tree in the field?”

Like trees, we can renew our live, be down but then rise up again.

19. What are the four kabbalistic worlds?

Asiyah, B’riyah, Yetzirah, and Atzilut

20. Which fruits are associated with these 4 kabbalistic worlds?

1. fruits with an outer shell or skin (for Asiyah)
2. fruits with an inner pit (for Briyah)
3. fruits with no outer shell or pit )for (Yetzirah)
4. fruits with just a smell, like a citron (for Atzilut)

21. In what order should fruits be eaten?

If seven species, the one mentioned in the discussion of Deuteronomy closest to the word ‘haaretz’

22. What metaphors compare Jews to trees and fruits?

23. What are vegan connections to Tu Bishvat?

All food associated with Tu Bishvat are vegetarian, actually vegan, and no harm is done to animals, or even to plants.

24. Why do some consider Tu Bishvat a Jewish Earth Day?

All vegan foods, and nature considered. Minimum harm to the environment.

25. Why are some trying to make Tu Bishvat into an “Environmental Shabbat” when Tu Bishvat falls on Shabbat?

There are many environmental connections to Tu Bishvat.

26. What are some environmental threats facing Israel?

1. air pollution;
2. water pollution;
3. lack of open spaces
4. climate change;

27. How serious are climate change and other current environmental threats?

VERY serious, as indicated by leaders of 195 nations, 97% of climate experts, and virtually all the peer-reviewed papers in respected scientific journals.

28. How should individual Jews and synagogues respond to current environmental threats?

1. recycle
2. reduce meat consumption
3. relate Judaism’
4. share rides
5. efficient light bulbs

29. What important environmental law is related to trees in wartime?

Bal Tashchit – “thou shalt not destroy:  Deuteronomy 20: 19-20

30. How do modern environmental “plagues” compare to the Biblical 10 plagues?

1. even more plagues today.
2. today all areas of the world are subjected to the plagues
3. today all plagues at once.