Articles for Tu Bishevat – The 15th of Shevat – New Year of Trees
In the Torah, the tree symbolizes both man (“You [the Jewish people] are called ‘man’”)–”for man is the tree of the field”–and the Torah–”It [the Torah] is a tree of life for all that hold onto it.” Both man and the Torah possess all of the four major components of the tree: roots, trunk, branches, fruit.
Trees, Tzadikim, Divine Blessing, and Us
The month of Shevat is the most conducive time for each one of us to manifest his own inner spark of tzadik, by strengthening his conscious connection to the tzadik of the generation. The tree of life, as expressive of the potential for restoring perfection to all reality, appears in Jewish sources as symbolic of both the tzadik, the foundation of the world and the Torah, in particular its inner dimension—the esoteric tradition.
The Tree as a Symbol for Man and the Torah · The Eyes of the Righteous · From Chanukah to Purim · The Unifying Power of the Primordial Tree [CURRENTLY NOT ON THE SITE]
The Taste and Smell of Tu Bishevat [CURRENTLY NOT ON THE SITE]
