Are you ready for the seder?
No not THAT seder. Although it is far less famous than the one in the spring, Tu b’Shvat does have its own traditional seder. And like the one on Passover, the Tu b’Shvat seder is centred around food and is rich in symbolism, both mystical and environmental.
In the 16th century, the Kabbalists of Safed compiled a Tu b’Shvat seder that involves enjoying the fruits of the tree, particularly those native to the Land of Israel, and discusses philosophical and kabbalistic concepts associated with the day. This seder is a great way to appreciate the bounty that we so often take for granted, and to develop a good and generous eye on the world around us.
Yitzhak Buxbaum’s Kabblastic Tu b’Shvat Seder draws upon the teachings of the Talmud, the Baal Shem Tov and traditional Jewish mystics. The following question is asked and answered at his seder. “Why is one held accountable for not eating a new fruit when presented with the opportunity? Because each life form, even fruit, is entrusted to a specific angel. By saying a blessing over a fruit, we empower that angel to reproduce more of that fruit. One who refrains from partaking of a fruit deprives the world of the spiritual influence that the blessing would have provided.”
No answer is supplied for this seder question. How would you respond? “When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, they were permitted to eat only fruits and vegetables. Only after Noah’s flood did God permit meat. In what ways is it considered spiritually higher to eat meat? And in what ways is it considered spiritually higher to be a vegetarian?”
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) suggests, “This Tu b’Shvat, as we eat of the fruit of the earth and celebrate with friends and family, let us consider how we each can tread more lightly on Earth, how we can help our Jewish institutions to practise more fully Judaism’s environmental traditions, and how we all together can motivate our government to tend the public lands we all share.” COEJL’s seder is titled The Trees are Davening.
For more tips, there are Hazon.org’s Seder and Sourcebook and Ari Davidow’s Tu b’Shvat Seder Toolkit.
The child-oriented Ice Cream Seder is one that I would not mind being invited to. What lesson is to be learned from ice cream and fruit? “Distribute mango and mint chocolate chip ice cream. The mango is soft on the outside and hard on the inside. This is symbolic of the fact that while a mango or a person may be soft or fragile to begin with, the inner seed (or pit), if cared for, can grow into a wonderfully fruitful tree or person… The green mint chocolate chip ice cream symbolizes life, such as the budding of the trees in the spring.”
Jerusalem’s Diaspora Yeshiva’s Mystical Seder for the New Year of Trees calls for 22 foods including red and white wine, olives, dates, walnuts, carobs, pistachios, azaroles, quinces and hackberries. (Low on hackberries? You can substitute similar fruits.)
If you are hosting a seder, you can go minimalist and focus on almonds, dates, figs, raisins and (what always seemed to be rock-hard) carob. Or, if you want to put a bit more work into celebrating the holiday, here are some recipes to try out. Start off with Sephardi “Prehito” Bulgur Pudding followed by Dates Stuffed with Lamb and Compote with Spiced Wine. Top it all off with Walnut Carob Halvah.
The Tu b’Shvat Recipe Index recommends Persian Date Halvah, uchpolo (Bucharan Rice) and over 180 other recipes, while Virtual Jerusalem has Tu b’Shvat Fruity Chicken, Raisin Relish and Chicken Rimonim (“the pomegranates lend a beautiful colour and delicate flavour to the chicken”).
Those certainly sound tasty, but here’s a real challenge. Can you make something edible using all the “Shivat Haminim,” the seven types of fruits and grains named in the Torah as the main produce of the land of Israel. Sounds a bit random as ingredients for a recipe? The Seven Species Talboulleh Salad seems to cover all the bases with wheat, barley, figs, raisins, dates topped off by a vinaigrette that rounds off the seven: pomegranate juice and olive oil.
As you’re sitting around the table, put down that pomegranate and sing a holiday song. The first fruit tree to bloom in Israel is the almond or in Hebrew, the shekadia, with its white blossoms. And that also give us the most famous song for the holiday Hashkediya Porachat – The Almond Tree is Blooming. You can listen to the delightful tune. If the almond trees aren’t in blossom in your neighbourhood – they certainly aren’t in mine – take vicarious pleasure from these lovely shots from Israel.
Barbara Lerman-Golomb may invoke kabbalistic terms like Olam Ha’Yetzirah (the World of Formation) and Olam Hab’riyah, (the World of Creation) when she plans her seder. But it’s heartening to see that Jewish environmentalists are not too earnest to indulge in a pun or two. Her article is titled, “Tu B’Shwatt: Serving up energy action at the seder.”