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Learn Hebrew |
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Mishneh Torah |
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The month of Shevat (שְׁבָט) is the eleventh month of the Jewish calendar counting from the month of Nisan (Zech. 1:7), though on the Jewish civil calendar, Shevat is the fifth month (counting from the month of Tishri). According to Jewish tradition, Moses began his summary of the Torah (i.e., Mishneh Torah, or the sermon recorded in Book of Deuteronomy) on the first day of this month. The sages therefore associated the 1st of Shevat with the holiday of Shavuot (i.e., the sixth of Sivan), since on both these dates God appealed to Israel to receive the message of the Torah. |
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Tu B'Shevat - New Years for Trees |
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The "Rosh Hashanah for Trees" occurs on the 15th of Shevat (i.e., Tu B'Shevat). This was originally the date selected when tithes (ma'aser) from fruit trees were due to be given to the priests, though now it is observed throughout Israel as a sort of national Arbor Day. It is customary to eat a new fruit from the Land of Israel on this date and to recite the Shehecheyanu blessing. Since the Torah alludes that human life is like "the tree of the field," i.e., כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה, Deut. 20:19), some of the sages mark the fifteenth of Shevat as sort of mystical holiday as well.
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Hebrew for Christians |
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