Don’t pack away those NYE decorations just yet! Rabbi Shira and Joshua discuss Tu Bishvat, the Jewish “New Year of the Trees.” They’ll help you spruce up your observance with new ways to celebrate an ancient holiday. Also, we book our first guest, and it’s Santa Claus. No, really.

Episode Timecodes:

(15:30) Mark Donovan Interview

(48:10) Scott Foley defines Hebrew/Yiddish terms used on the podcast

(51:05) Rabbi Shira’s Guided Meditation

Show notes:

1) Leviticus 19:23-25

(23) When you enter the land 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. (24) In the fourth year all its fruit shall be set aside for jubilation before the LORD; (25) and only in the fifth year may you use its fruit—that its yield to you may be increased: I the LORD am your God.

2) Hassidic teaching on meditative prayer in nature by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (d. early 1800s)

Know! when we pray in the fields, all the herbs and grasses enter into prayer [with us], helping us and strengthening us in our prayer. This is the reason prayer is called SiChah (conversation [with God]), it is related linguistically to “SiaCh [shrubs/grasses] of the field” (Genesis 2:5). All the shrubs of the field empower and assist our prayer.

3) Proverbs 3:18

 עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃

(18) She is a tree of life to those who grasp her,

And whoever holds on to her is happy.

4) "West Bank Palestinians' olive trees burn as U.N. urges protection for harvest," Ali Sawafta and Rami Ayyub, Reuters, 29 October 2020.

5) Center for Jewish Nonviolence

6) T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights

7) "Braiding Sweetgrass: Skywoman Falling," by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

8) "The Heroes of This Novel Are Centuries Old and 300 Feet Tall," Richard Powers, New York Times, 9 April 2018.

9) Rabbi Shira's blessing for Tu Bishvat: Baruch Atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu Melech Haolam, Asher Kidshanu BMitzvotav Vitzivanu LeHagen u'Lih-Gadel u'Lih-Lamed May-HaEtzim

10) "Lazuz," by Hadag Nachash.

11) "Westport man dressed as Santa swings from 100-year-old tree in protest of new land developer,” from News12 Connecticut.

[ Transcript ]