Almond tree in Bloom
Soon the holiday of Tu B’Shvat, or the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, will be upon us. But what is this festival that some call “Jewish Arbor Day?”
According to Jewish Law Tu B’Shvat is considered the cut-off date for calculating the age of a fruit tree. The age of a tree needs to be taken into consideration for the prohibition on eating “orlah” which is the fruit a tree bears its first three seasons. When a tree is bearing fruit in its third year, the fruit that is ripening on the tree before Tu B’Shvat is considered orlah and cannot be eaten. However, it is permissible to eat the fruit ripening either on or after Tu B’Shvat.
Aside from Jewish Law, Tu B’Shvat has come to be a day to celebrate the beauty of nature and the importance of appreciating, protecting and preserving the world of nature. Trees are a wonderful symbol of the natural world, and it behooves everyone to go out and plant a tree on this day of renewal and rebirth.
Rabbi Balkany wishes everyone a happy Tu B’Shvat.