Tu B’Shevat
Tu B’Shevat occurs on the fifteenth of the month of Shevat, which in the Gregorian calendar corresponds to either January or February, depending upon the year. The holiday has significance both on a mystical and practical level, and to this day is celebrated with dried fruits native to Israel, such as figs and dates.
The origin of Tu B’Shevat is enshrouded in the secrets of Kabbalah, with a connection to the renewing energy of spring even in the midst of winter. In Israel, winter is a time of rain and growth as much as it is of cold, and it is when the almond trees with their white blossoms first come into bloom.
In terms of practical Jewish law, the age of fruit trees is important, because Jews are only permitted to eat the fruits of a tree grown in Israel after a certain number of years have elapsed. Tu B’Shevat is the cutoff date by which the age of fruit trees is calculated, thus acting as a sort of a birthday—or a New Year.
For those attuned to the mystical side of Tu B’Shevat, there is the custom of the Tu B’Shevat seder: A meal that includes fruits native to Israel and four cups of wine, with the appropriate blessings recited over them. Each of these fruits were attributed a symbolic significance by the prominent Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzhak Luria of Safed. Today, the Tu B’Shevat seder is a popular tradition among religious Jews in Israel.
2000+ tips and recommendations
Alright, we'll be the first to admit it. Jerusalem's often chilly and often damp winters don't exactly exude...
In a region known for being one of the first in which early humans settled after leaving Africa, and in a city populated...
Looking for a place to begin your morning in luxury and style? Look no further than the American Colony Hotel, which offers...
Jerusalem, the city where kings ruled and sultans sat is no stranger to luxury. Today, even the visiting yeoman can find...
Jewish tradition holds that in the times of the First and Second Temples, all the Jewish people would gather in Jerusalem...
Technically, it's possible to visit Jerusalem without going to the Old City, but it would be hard to say you'd...
Looking for a place to begin your morning in luxury and style? Look no further than the American Colony Hotel, which offers...
The faithful may rhapsodize about the spiritual highs to be reached in the Old City; culture cognoscenti groove on the...
Once upon a time, options for eating out in Jerusalem were limited to local common phenomena such as falafel and schwarma,...
No results to show
|
Text text text
|
||
