Flowing tree sap

The concept of things being hidden within intrigues me.

This past halacha class, we had a lesson on tu b'shvat. I wasn't totally aware of the meaning of the holiday; I knew it had something to do with trees though. I learned that on this holiday, the trees are celebrating their birthdays. Technically, a person should not eat the fruit of their planted trees until they are four years old (Orlah) and that in the fourth year (back then) the fruit must be eaten in Jerusalem (Neta Revai)(since that rule doesn't apply today really, you just don't eat the fruits in the 5th year). After going over the technical rules, we looked deeper.

Rav S. R. Hirsch wrote up a meaning on what this holiday means to us as human beings. Basically he said that underneath the twigs and dead bark, on tu b'shvat, new life is pulsating within. The tree sap is slowly moving up to eventually provide enough nourishment for regrowth. His last paragraph states:

"Behold the trees on the day of their birthday...they celebrate today their silent inner rebirth in defiance of nature's onslaughts... But their inner core remained alive and fresh. They will always weather the storm...Their strength was located not in the transient part if the trees, the rustling crown of adornment of branches, twigs, and leaves; their foundation was in place where weather and storms do not reach'

I am amazed at this understanding, knowing that before I just thought this holiday was about planting trees. This holiday is in the middle of the Jewish year, giving us a perfect timing to reflect on the first half and to see what we can do better for the second. I am truly thankful for these renewals that Judaism provides, G-d is always trying to give people second chances! Every morning, every week, month, half year, and year.

But besides that, quoting my halacha teacher Tamar Weissman, for the second part of this year, we should put create an incubator for ourselves. Get deep within and embrace the fruits that emerge at the end of the year...