Tu b’Shvat:
Changing the nature of Our Character
by Tapping Deeper Roots
Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This week was Tu b’Shvat, Rosh Hashana for the trees. Some commemorate the day by not saying Tachanun and eating fruits. This is not the only Rosh Hashanah, there are also the Rosh Hashanas for tithing animals and for kings. What is so unique and special about the Tu b’Shvat that we celebrate with special observances and the others we don’t?
There’s a verse that states that man is like the tree of the field. The Gemara in Taanis asks: Is a man like the tree of the field? The Gemara answers that indeed he is like a tree if he is a Talmid Chacham who has wisdom and good deeds, a person who is fitting to learn from and his fruits enjoyed, meaning his wisdom and fine character traits. From this we learn a metaphoric connection between people and trees, but still yet, what is the message for each one of us to take from this comparison in our daily lives?
The answer is it is that there are aspects of the inanimate, plant and animal life aspects of creation within man himself. Plant life reflects itself within the emotions of a person which grow like a tree. As children grow from stage to stage in development so too their emotions grow. Animal life is reflected in the intellect of man. Just as a living animal is not attached to the ground and is able to move from place to place, so too the intellect is able to transverse from one place to another in thought and constantly move in new intellectual directions and pursue new angles in thinking arriving at vistas unknown until the moment of discovery.
Generally speaking emotive traits define the individual. We define a person by the nature of their temperament and the character traits they express (if they are kind and loving or severe and harsh or charitable or compromising etc.) Also, the emotions of a person are generally well rooted and hard to change once they have established their patterns. We find it difficult to change our nature much like a tree which once planted is very difficult to uproot and transplant itself in another place, especially an unfamiliar environment.
The stated purpose of Chassidus is to change the nature of one’s midos, one’s emotional attributes. The reason for this objective is because as mentioned they are tantamount to the entire person. The inheritance our Jewish nature comes from our forefathers Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov. The forefathers represent our inherited Jewish emotions. When we speak of Avrohom it refers to the emotion of love for Hashem. When we speak about Yitzchok it refers to the fear of Hashem and when we speak of Yaakov we refer to the quality of compassion. These are our roots, our emotional character traits that we use in the service of Hashem that come from our forefathers.
On Tu b’Shvat we learn, celebrate and remember that the qualities of our character should grow in the proper way rooted in their deep connection to our Rebbeim. We remind ourselves about our roots and that no wind or force in the world can control us or push us to the side in the service of Hashem. We constantly strengthen and grow this connection by learning Chassidus doing mitzvos and raising our children to go on their path to becoming Chassidim, Yirei Shomayim and Lamdanim. Through our deep rooted connection and constant growth we prepare the world for the full and complete revelation of Moshaich now!
(Adapted from Likutei Sichos parshas Shoftim v. 24)