#shevat

[thejewitches]

Did you know that Judaism has a New Year of the Trees?

I see the ancient groves of olive trees and my heart breaks, it twists in my chests to see our community say it’s worth it to flood the land with sea water, to salt the earth, and destroy one another, somehow claiming this in the name of Judaism.

Judaism teaches magic in the trees; teaches that the roots ground us, that the branches bring us to HaShem and HaShem to Us. There is a famous Jewish idea that we are not in the business of going to heaven but in bringing Heaven to us.

Tu B’Shevat is this week 🕯️🌱 how will you be celebrating?

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[fancyfliers-fr]

Commission for @/wildewinged on FR of their Gaoler ore merchant, Shevat! She had so much shiny jewelry to render~

If you're interested in commissioning me, check out my Commission Post or my USD commissions thread on FR~

[eretzyisrael]

The Jewish people is compared to the moon because, whereas the sun shines with its own light, the moon shines with reflected light. So too with Israel: the light with which we shine comes not from ourselves but from God of whose glory we are but a reflection. Chodesh tov! #Shevat

[places-in-games]

Xenogears - Shevat

[jewishvirtuallibrary-blog]

Tu B’shvat seder in Kibbutz Eilot, Israel; 2007. x

Tu Bishvat is the New Years of the trees and occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat.  It is traditionally used to calculate the beginning and ending of agricultural cycles in Judaism.  The agricultural cycles were used in days of the Holy Temple in order to pay tribute to the High Priests.

Today, as there is no Holy Temple, the holiday is used to honor the 7 species.  The 7 species refer to the 7 food plants that grow on the land of Israel.  They are as follows: Wheat, Barley, Grapes, Figs, Pomegranates, Olives, and Dates.  Beginning in the 16th century from Rabbis in Safed, a seder is traditionally organized to honor Tu Bishvat.  A short Tu Bishvat seder guide can be found here.

In 2017 Tu Bishvat begins on the evening of February 10th and continues until the evening of February 11th.  Shabbat Shalom from all of us at the Jewish Virtual Library!