#52-Thoughts on Tu B’Shvat

Since this group launched, I’ve always done segments connecting the upcoming YT with our challenge; Tu B’Shvat is no exception. Even though most of us don’t make any major celebrations for Tu B’Shvat, I think some lessons can be taken from it.

It seems strange that we celebrate

Tu B’Shvat, which is the new year for the fruit trees, during the winter when the trees are bare and ugly. Wouldn’t springtime be more appropriate?

The answer is that although the trees seem to be dead outwardly, inside, the trees are getting ready to blossom. Tu B’Shvat marks the time when the trees are experiencing internal growth, and on Tu B’Shvat, we celebrate the growth that is happening within the trees.

I believe Tu B’Shvat can be a perfect metaphor for the challenges we experience in our personal lives.

We all go through challenges and experience our own “winter.” During our personal "winter," we may feel dead, stagnant, and not see how anything will ever change.

But Tu B’Shvat serves as a reminder that spring will come even though it’s dark and dreary outside.

Furthermore, the cold and bitter weather enables the trees to grow and blossom in the spring. The same is with us in our own lives. Sometimes, we have to go through our own personal winter so that we can experience spring. Although the “winter” may be cold and grey, it enables us to blossom and grow.

On a more general scale, sometimes, we don’t appear to be so wonderful from the outside. We may seem "dead" or "bare." Hashem, in his infinite kindness, however, doesn’t view us from the outside. He looks at our insides to see where we are heading in life. What are our aspirations, our goals? Although on the outside, we may seem to be stagnant, Hashem looks within and sees where we want to go in life.

May we all experience our own personal “spring” very soon!