What Is Tu BiShevat?

The Daily Halacha Moment - Tu BiShevat 🌴 🍇

״כל השונה הלכות בכל יום - מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא״ (נידה עג ע״א, מגילה כח:)

“Anyone who studies Halachot every day is guaranteed that he is destined for the world-to-come” (Megilla 28b, Niddah 73a)

Question:

What exactly is Tu BiShevat?

Answer:

Tu BiShevat, which falls on the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, is widely recognized as the Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot—the New Year for Trees. This date holds agricultural, halachic, and spiritual significance, marking the point at which fruit from newly planted trees enters its next halachic year for the purposes of orlah (the prohibition on eating fruit from a tree's first three years) and terumot u’ma’aserot (the tithes separated from produce in the Land of Israel). Beyond its technical implications, Tu BiShevat has also become a day of appreciation for the beauty and bounty of Hashem’s creation, particularly the fruits of Eretz Yisrael. [1]

Omitting Tachanun

As a day of joy and celebration, Tachanun, the supplicatory prayers recited on regular weekdays, is omitted on Tu BiShevat. Additionally, Tachanun is also not recited at Mincha on the day preceding Tu BiShevat, similar to other festive occasions in the Jewish calendar. [2]

The Custom of Eating Fruits

One of the most well-known customs of Tu BiShevat is the practice of eating a variety of fruits, especially those from the Shiv'at HaMinim—the Seven Species for which the Land of Israel is praised: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. Many have the custom to arrange a festive table adorned with a wide selection of fruits and to recite the appropriate berachot (*blessings*) upon eating them. This custom serves as an opportunity to express gratitude to Hashem for the abundance He provides us with. [3]

Some people also have the custom to eat etrog jelly on Tu BiShevat, utilizing the etrog from Sukkot. However, one should not recite Shehecheyanu upon eating it, as the blessing was already recited during Sukkot when the etrog was first used for the mitzvah. [4]

Ensuring Proper Kashrut When Eating Fruits

While the custom of eating fruits on Tu BiShevat is a beautiful and praiseworthy tradition, one must be cautious when selecting fruits, especially dried fruits, to ensure they are free from infestation. The Torah strictly prohibits the consumption of insects, and even the slightest possibility of consuming an insect requires careful checking. Certain fruits are more prone to infestation and may require thorough inspection before eating. Therefore, it is advisable to consult a reliable local kashrut agency to determine which fruits are known to have infestation issues and which methods should be used to check and clean them properly. No custom, however meaningful, justifies compromising the laws of kashrut. [5]

Learning Torah on Tu BiShevat

In addition to eating fruits, many have the custom to engage in Torah study related to trees and the significance of Tu BiShevat. This includes reading specific passages from Tanach (the Hebrew Bible), Mishnah, Gemara, Midrash, and Zohar that discuss trees, their symbolism, and their halachic implications. This practice, known as Tikkun Tu BiShevat, is recorded in Sefer Pri Etz Hadar. [6]

Additionally, it is worthwhile to study some of the halachot related to agricultural mitzvot, such as the laws of orlah (the prohibition against eating fruit from a tree’s first three years), terumot (priestly tithes), and ma’aserot (various tithes separated from produce). Understanding these laws deepens our appreciation for the sanctity of the Land of Israel and its agricultural mitzvot. [7]

Sources:

[1]. See Mishnah in Rosh HaShanah 2a. See also Shulchan Aruch, Y.D. 331:57 & 125.

[2]. Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 131:6.

Regarding the Mincha preceding Tu BiShevat see Levush 131:6; Mishnah Berurah 131:32; Aruch HaShulchan 131:12; Chazon Ovadia, Tu BiShevat, p. 4, 2.

[3]. See Pri Chadash 131:6, which cites Tikkun Yissachar, which states that the Ashkenazic custom is to do so. This is also brought in Magen Avraham 131:16; Eliyah Rabbah 131:14; and Mishnah Berurah_131:31. _Kaf HaChaim 131:97 says that this has also become the custom for Sepharadim. See also Chazon Ovadia, Tu BiShevat, p. 4 & p. 274, footnote 1.

[4]. See Mishnah Berurah, 225:16, which states that a SheHecheyanu is not recited for a whole year because the etrog is found on the tree all year around. See also Ben Ish Chai, Re’eh 1:11; Kaf HaChaim 664:60; Yabia Omer, vol. 4, O.C. §50; and Yalkut Yosef, Moadim, p. 250.

[5]. Pri Chadash Y.D. 84:22.

[6]. See Moed LeChol Chai 30:7–8 and Kaf HaChaim 131:97.

[7]. Yalkut Yosef, Moadim, p. 248.

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