While it might still be January, the days are ever-so-slowly getting longer and many of us are looking forward to spring. The natural world will soon slowly wake up and experience growth and renewal, and in some ways, so will we.
Shevat brings the holiday of Tu BiShevat, which occurs on the 15th of the month (as per its name). It’s not a Biblical holiday, but rather, a rabbinic one: the TorahRefers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, also called the Five Books of Moses, Pentateuch or the Hebrew equivalent, Humash. This is also called the Written Torah. The term may also refer to teachings that expound on Jewish tradition. Read more says, “When you enter the land [of Israel] and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten” (Vayikra 19:23).
Because they were only allowed to eat the fruit of older trees, ancient Israelite farmers needed to know how to mark how old a tree was. The rabbis set the 15th of Shevat as the “birthday” of the trees, no matter when they were planted.
According to the TalmudReferring to one of two collections, the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmuds, edited in the 6th century, that contains hundreds of years of commentary, discussion, and exploration of the ideas in the Mishnah. One could describe it as Mishnah + Gemara = Talmud Read more, Tu BiShevat was chosen because most of the yearly rainfall in Israel has already passed, so the earth will be healthy and ready for planting (Rosh Hashanah, 14a). As time has gone by, the holiday has come to represent a connection to the physical land of Israel and environmental action.
The month of Shevat was also when Moses began his final lessons about the Torah before he died. Some Jews see this month as a time that lends itself to spiritual renewal, including Torah learning and personal growth. Just as trees begin to expand their roots and grow, we can do the same as Jews this month.
Shevat also tends to fall around the time of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We commemorate MLK’s birthday, and center the importance of civil rights, justice, equality, and social action. Rabbi Tarfon says, “It isn’t your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it” (Pirkei Avot 2:16). Numerous Jewish leaders and rabbis were involved in the civil rights movement, such as Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched alongside MLK from Selma to Montgomery; Rabbi Israel Dresner, a Freedom Rider and the “most arrested rabbi”; and Shoah survivor Rabbi Joachim Prinz, along with the work of the National Council of Jewish Women.
Whatever you connect with most for the month of Shevat, here are some thematic suggestions for your reading this month!
If you’re looking to be inspired by a notable Jewish civil rights figure:
Thunder in the Soul: To be Known by G-d by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Heschel was known for his activism and outspokenness, and was a descendent of notable Hasidic rabbis. He was known for bringing the teachings of the prophets into his activism, and brought his affinity for Jewish mysticism into his work as well. He saw wonder as a part of faith, and in this small but mighty book, he writes about a person’s relationship with G-d, the issue of justice within theology, prayer, and the wonders and mysteries of belief. It’s a great introduction to his writing, if you haven’t read him already.
If you’re looking for an environmental read:
Trees, Earth, and Torah: A Tu B’Shvat Anthology edited by Ari Elon, Naomi Mara Hyman, and Arthur Waskow
It is, after all, the month of the “birthday of the trees,” and this book is a collection of writings from Biblical, rabbinical, mystical, medieval, and modern sources. There are pieces on the history of Tu BiShevat, MidrashThis word is used in two ways, as both a concept and a literature. As a concept, midrash is the expansive interpretation of biblical texts. The term is used to describe the practice of rabbinic interpretation. As a text, it refers to specific collections of interpretations, particularly from the third to ninth centuries in the Land of Israel and Babylonia. Plural: Midrashim
Read more and GemaraThe discussion portions of the Talmud based on the quoted Mishnah. Read more on the holiday, Kabbalah and the holiday, poems, meditations, artwork, blessings, and pieces on how to have a Tu BiShevat seder this spring. It’s a wide-ranging anthology that is well-organized, encompassing eco-Judaism, Zionism and Israel, mysticism, pedagogy, and much more.
If you want to read about Judaism and Tikkun Olam:
To Heal A Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
I don’t think you can go wrong with any Jonathan Sacks book. He was a wonderful and thoughtful scholar, and his insights and teachings are more relevant than ever. Especially this month, as we observe MLK Day, Sacks asks questions about what we owe others, our personal responsibility to society, and moral behavior. In this book, he explains that it’s through our actions that our faith is expressed and made real—so how are we going to go about doing that in a positive way? He brings in halakha, Biblical interpretations, and theology to make his points, but in a straightforward, conversational way that will resonate with many.
If you’re looking for an activist voice within Judaism (and also want some great recipes!):
Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew by Michael W. Twitty
While we honor MLK and the spirit of his activism, it’s also important to recognize current activist voices within Judaism as well, including Michael Twitty, a culinary historian, writer, and educator. In this book, he explores the foods and traditions of the African Atlantic and the Jewish diaspora, braiding the two together, along with his own story and those of others. By discussing not just food, but how food helps to make a people, he brings up questions of faith, history, and identity that are multifaceted and thought-provoking. By celebrating differences as well as intersections, we can fully appreciate how different cultures coexist, and he illustrates this through both his writing and cooking.
If you’re interested in thought-provoking opinions in Judaism:
Judaism Unbound (Bound): Provocative Conversations About the Jewish Future with Visionary Thinkers and Practitioners edited by Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg
If you’re using Shevat to think about deepening your practice or exploring Judaism in a new way, check out this book. Libenson and Rofeberg have been hosting the weekly podcast Judaism Unbound since March 2016, and this is a collection of highlights from their first 200 conversations. With contributors like Yitz Greenberg, Benay Lappe, Adina Allen, and many more, the book represents multiple strains of thought and approaches to Judaism, making for a diverse learning experience. The essays explore the history of Judaism, its current iterations, and the ways in which Judaism has expanded and changed—as well as what its future might look like. The book can be uncomfortable to read at times, and you may not agree with everything in it—but as one of my rabbis recently told me, most of our growth happens outside of our comfort zones.
So what will you be reading first?
