Today begins the Hebrew month of Shevat, a month in which we celebrate Tu b’Shevat and the new year of the trees. Entering Shevat this year may feel more challenging than in other years; the landscape and nature that surrounds us has changed significantly in recent weeks. And yet, trees still stand. The amazing thing about trees is their natural adaptations to withstand fire – their thick bark serves as a heat shield, protecting their inner layers, while the moisture inside trees makes them less flammable.
| There is hope for a tree; If it is cut down it will renew itself; Its shoots will not cease. If its roots are old in the earth, And its stump dies in the ground, At the scent of water it will bud And produce branches like a sapling. – Job 14:7-9 |
כִּי יֵשׁ לָעֵץ תִּקְוָה אִם־יִכָּרֵת וְעוֹד יַחֲלִיף וְיֹנַקְתּוֹ לֹא תֶחְדָּל׃ אִם־יַזְקִין בָּאָרֶץ שׇׁרְשׁוֹ וּבֶעָפָר יָמוּת גִּזְעוֹ׃ מֵרֵיחַ מַיִם יַפְרִחַ וְעָשָׂה קָצִיר כְּמוֹ־נָטַע׃ |
The natural resilience of trees has inspired me over the last few weeks. Amidst the devastation of homes, schools, businesses, and houses of worship, the trees still stand. They don’t look the same as they did before – their outer layers may be singed, but still, many of them remain standing.
As we celebrate the new month and Tu b’Shevat in the weeks to come, I pray that we can gain hope and strength from the resilience of the trees that surround us.
—Rabbinic Intern Yael Farber