Many Jewish traditions link water to purification. We ritually wash our hands before meals. We immerse in the mikvah at moments of transition and transformation. And during Tishrei, the month of the High Holidays, we use water to cast our sins away in a ritual called tashlich.
Tashlich is a simple but powerful ritual. Start by finding a large, natural body of flowing water like a lake, river, sea or ocean. If there's fish in the water, even better. Fish getting unintentionally caught in nets symbolize people getting accidentally stuck in bad situations. Line your pockets with crumbs of bread, flower petals, pieces of leaves or other natural materials that will disintegrate safely in the water. These will symbolize your sins.
As you stand at the water's edge, reflect on where you have made mistakes in the past year. Read some of the poems and psalms in this booklet, or take a moment to meditate and reflect on your actions. Take a walk, sing a song or even wade into the water if it's safe to do so.
Pause for a moment. Look at the water as you take the crumbs or leaves from your pockets. One by one, cast them into the water, exhaling and releasing each sin as you are ready.
"Whatever falls into the deep is lost forever," The Zohar
At the Tu B'Shvat seder, it is traditional to drink four cups of wine, similar to the Passover seder.
A participant says:
White wine represents nature in potential. Red wine represents nature in full bloom. On this day, we begin to leave the winter behind and move into a period of renewal and life.
It is stated in the Zohar: Wine has two colors – white and red. White is from the right side [of kindness]; red from the left side [of strength and judgment].
As we progress from white to red, we move from potential to actuality. We are able to appreciate God's judgment as well as His kindness. We see God's design and goodness in the world with increasing clarity.
A participant says:
Wine rejoices the heart of man. This refers to the wine of Torah. Yayin (Hebrew for wine) equals 70, the numerical value of Sod, meaning secret. [Wine represents the hidden aspects of the Torah.] ( Zohar – Parshat Pinchas).
A participant says:
The Talmudic section dealing with agriculture is called trust in God. When a farmer plants a seed, trust in God gives him the strength to survive the winter. On Tu B'Shvat he begins to see that trust rewarded.
Similarly, when we plant a seed for personal growth, it requires trust and patience to survive the 'cold,' before we see the fruits of our labor.
We will now drink four cups of wine (or grape juice) in conjunction with four different categories of fruit. Each of these pairs correspond to each of the four spiritual realms (from lowest to highest):
Each level becomes more spiritual and connected to the Creator. As we eat, we elevate the fruits – and ourselves – through the various levels, rising higher and higher.
A participant says:
The Almighty said: Although wine can be a source of trouble in this world, in the future I shall make it only a source of joy, as it says: 'And it shall come to pass on that day, that the mountains will drip with sweet wine' (Yoel 3:18). (Midrash – Vayikra Raba 12:5)
Pour the first cup of wine (all white):
All say the following blessing, and then drink from the wine (if you haven't already done so during Kiddush):
Baruch Ata Adon-ai Elohai-nu Melech HaOlam boray pri ha-gafen. Blessed are you God, King of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine.
Slow down and really enjoy the taste of the wine. The most prestigious universities offer courses in wine tasting. There's a lot to appreciate in life. Be a connoisseur!
The leader says:
We now eat fruits with inedible shells or peels. For example: nuts, pomegranate, oranges, avocado. The edible part of the fruit corresponds to perfection and purity, while the inedible is connected to deficiency and impurity. This is parallel to the realm of action (asiah), the lowest of the spiritual worlds – a world which is enveloped by materialism, just as the fruit is enveloped in its peel/shell.
A participant says:
Rabbi Tarfon compared the Jewish people to a pile of walnuts. If one walnut is removed, each and every nut in the pile is shaken and disturbed. So too, when a single Jew is in distress, every other Jew is shaken. (Midrash – Shir HaShirim Raba 6:11)
A participant says:
As it is the virtue of a nut to be closed in from all sides, so too the Heavenly Chariot which goes out of the Garden of Eden is hidden on all sides. And just as the four sections of a walnut are united at one side and separated on the other, so are all parts of the Heavenly Chariot united in perfect union – and yet each part fulfills a specific purpose. ( Zohar – Shmot 15b)
Meditation:
As you toss away the peels and shells, see one of your bad character traits (anger, impatience, etc.) being tossed away. In your mind's eye, picture the bad trait as the shell. Then, as you toss it away, feel the trait leaving you. That's not the real you. The real you is the fruit... delicious and nourishing. See the trait going into the garbage.
(7) CUPS 2, 3,4
Drink the second cup – pale pink (white with a drop of red).
The leader says:
We now eat fruits with inedible pits. For example: dates, olives, peaches, plums, cherries. This stage is comparable to the realm of formation (yetzirah).
The edible parts of the fruit represent holiness. Pits represent impurities which have penetrated the holiness.
As the color of the wine begins to gets darker, we can start to see potential turn into reality. The inedible part has now moved from the outside to the inside of the fruit. This is an advancement toward purity. In addition, the inedible part is no longer waste; it is a seed with potential to grow.
Meditation:
Imagine one of your bad traits as this seed. Really see it. Then, see that trait growing and developing into something great. This trait no longer holds you back, but propels you forward. Many great people have turned their faults into assets. You too can become great.
Drink the third cup of wine (dark pink).
The leader says:
Now we eat fruits that are completely edible: blueberries. This is the realm of creation (briah), the highest level in the created world. (The three lower worlds – asiyah, yetzirah, and briah – are referred to as ma'aseh bereishit, the act of creation. )
Meditation:
Things are coming close to their full potential. Even the seeds are now edible. They not only have future potential, but are also delicious and ready to eat right now.
Think about an area of life you would like to improve. Picture your ideal self. Realize that's the real you. Now, for the rest of Tu B'Shvat, actually be that person. Act as if you're already there. The experience can be transformational.
Drink the fourth cup (red with a drop of white).
The leader says:
We now taste the fruit on the table with the best fragrance. This is comparable to the realm of pure Godliness (atzilut). This level is called the ma'aseh merkava, the act of the Chariot. The prophet Ezekiel saw a Chariot in his vision relating to the mysteries of creation.
A participant says:
In Leviticus 23:40, the Esrog is described as pri aitz hadar – fruit of the majestic tree. The Esrog is the most spiritual of all trees, as it's fruit and bark both have fine taste and smell.
On Tu B'Shvat, when all trees are judged, it is fitting to pray for a beautiful Esrog during the coming Sukkot.
A participant says:
The sense of smell is the purest and most elevated. It is through the nose that God invested Adam with a soul, as it says, God breathed into man's nostrils a breath of life (Genesis 2:7). Since there is no perceptible physical matter to smell, it is the most spiritual and Godly of the five senses. Burning the fragrant incense was designated as the holiest act of the Jewish year – performed by the Kohen Gadol in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur.
Come let us welcome the new year! May its radiance illuminate our heart.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁלְיֹוםטֹוב
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel yom tov.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe,
who has sanctified us with commandments, and commanded us to light festival candles.
Each year we sit expectantly,
waiting to hear how it all began.
We strain and stretch ourselves,
not to imagine darkness, chaos––
darkness and chaos are states
with which we are well acquainted.
No, we begin
by trying to conjure first light,
form and order and sense emerging
from tohu va-vohu. And how can it be
that on Day One there was light,
night and day, but Sun and Moon
not till Day Four? OK, we think,
put aside that question for the moment
as we struggle to see how it was, for light
has limitless possibilities to consider––
shimmering white heat of the Negev,
June sunset over the Pacific, the way it sparks
on early morning maple leaves
in Maine woods when everything
seems new and promising.
And yes, before sun and moon, the Yangtze,
Ganges, Nile, Mississippi, Danube, North Sea,
Finger Lakes, Victoria Falls, Ein Gedi.
And fig trees, fuschia, redwood, rhubarb, eucalyptus,
birch, blueberries, mango and mustard seed,
dogwood, dill, the mighty oak, oregano, arugula,
climbing roses, cinnamon and cyclamen.
A fifth day brings us dolphin and wren, duck
and swan, seagull and whale, crocodile, crab,
bat, octopus, butterfly, sockeye salmon & shark,
trout, snapping turtle, blue jay, hawk & dove,
ladybug, lobster, falling sparrow,
heron and herring and hummingbird,
whooping cranes, and bees,
Now our hearts are pounding wildly,
our eyes fill with tears
at the glory of this world––
all in a jumble then, frantically
getting ready for Shabbos, come
antelope and alley cat, Irish Setter, polar bear,
black bear, beaver, tiger, squirrel, chipmunk
and camel, lioness and spring lamb, zebra,
elephant, monkey, mountain goat––
and just as it’s time to reach
into the box at the back of the cupboard
to pull out two candles and find the matches
for licht bentschen––
miraculously comes the human
who can strike the match and sanctify
all the work that God has done, eons ago,
and every moment since,
battling tohu va-vohu, the chaos
that threatens to once again engulfs it all
shaken and humbled,
we reach for the match
and the blessing,
full of gratitude
for this holy world.
Many Jewish traditions link water to purification. We ritually wash our hands before meals. We immerse in the mikvah at moments of transition and transformation. And during Tishrei, the month of the High Holidays, we use water to cast our sins away in a ritual called tashlich.
Tashlich is a simple but powerful ritual. Start by finding a large, natural body of flowing water like a lake, river, sea or ocean. If there's fish in the water, even better. Fish getting unintentionally caught in nets symbolize people getting accidentally stuck in bad situations. Line your pockets with crumbs of bread, flower petals, pieces of leaves or other natural materials that will disintegrate safely in the water. These will symbolize your sins.
As you stand at the water's edge, reflect on where you have made mistakes in the past year. Read some of the poems and psalms in this booklet, or take a moment to meditate and reflect on your actions. Take a walk, sing a song or even wade into the water if it's safe to do so.
Pause for a moment. Look at the water as you take the crumbs or leaves from your pockets. One by one, cast them into the water, exhaling and releasing each sin as you are ready.
"Whatever falls into the deep is lost forever," The Zohar
At the Tu B'Shvat seder, it is traditional to drink four cups of wine, similar to the Passover seder.
A participant says:
White wine represents nature in potential. Red wine represents nature in full bloom. On this day, we begin to leave the winter behind and move into a period of renewal and life.
It is stated in the Zohar: Wine has two colors – white and red. White is from the right side [of kindness]; red from the left side [of strength and judgment].
As we progress from white to red, we move from potential to actuality. We are able to appreciate God's judgment as well as His kindness. We see God's design and goodness in the world with increasing clarity.
A participant says:
Wine rejoices the heart of man. This refers to the wine of Torah. Yayin (Hebrew for wine) equals 70, the numerical value of Sod, meaning secret. [Wine represents the hidden aspects of the Torah.] ( Zohar – Parshat Pinchas).
A participant says:
The Talmudic section dealing with agriculture is called trust in God. When a farmer plants a seed, trust in God gives him the strength to survive the winter. On Tu B'Shvat he begins to see that trust rewarded.
Similarly, when we plant a seed for personal growth, it requires trust and patience to survive the 'cold,' before we see the fruits of our labor.
We will now drink four cups of wine (or grape juice) in conjunction with four different categories of fruit. Each of these pairs correspond to each of the four spiritual realms (from lowest to highest):
Each level becomes more spiritual and connected to the Creator. As we eat, we elevate the fruits – and ourselves – through the various levels, rising higher and higher.
A participant says:
The Almighty said: Although wine can be a source of trouble in this world, in the future I shall make it only a source of joy, as it says: 'And it shall come to pass on that day, that the mountains will drip with sweet wine' (Yoel 3:18). (Midrash – Vayikra Raba 12:5)
Pour the first cup of wine (all white):
All say the following blessing, and then drink from the wine (if you haven't already done so during Kiddush):
Baruch Ata Adon-ai Elohai-nu Melech HaOlam boray pri ha-gafen. Blessed are you God, King of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine.
Slow down and really enjoy the taste of the wine. The most prestigious universities offer courses in wine tasting. There's a lot to appreciate in life. Be a connoisseur!
The leader says:
We now eat fruits with inedible shells or peels. For example: nuts, pomegranate, oranges, avocado. The edible part of the fruit corresponds to perfection and purity, while the inedible is connected to deficiency and impurity. This is parallel to the realm of action (asiah), the lowest of the spiritual worlds – a world which is enveloped by materialism, just as the fruit is enveloped in its peel/shell.
A participant says:
Rabbi Tarfon compared the Jewish people to a pile of walnuts. If one walnut is removed, each and every nut in the pile is shaken and disturbed. So too, when a single Jew is in distress, every other Jew is shaken. (Midrash – Shir HaShirim Raba 6:11)
A participant says:
As it is the virtue of a nut to be closed in from all sides, so too the Heavenly Chariot which goes out of the Garden of Eden is hidden on all sides. And just as the four sections of a walnut are united at one side and separated on the other, so are all parts of the Heavenly Chariot united in perfect union – and yet each part fulfills a specific purpose. ( Zohar – Shmot 15b)
Meditation:
As you toss away the peels and shells, see one of your bad character traits (anger, impatience, etc.) being tossed away. In your mind's eye, picture the bad trait as the shell. Then, as you toss it away, feel the trait leaving you. That's not the real you. The real you is the fruit... delicious and nourishing. See the trait going into the garbage.
(7) CUPS 2, 3,4
Drink the second cup – pale pink (white with a drop of red).
The leader says:
We now eat fruits with inedible pits. For example: dates, olives, peaches, plums, cherries. This stage is comparable to the realm of formation (yetzirah).
The edible parts of the fruit represent holiness. Pits represent impurities which have penetrated the holiness.
As the color of the wine begins to gets darker, we can start to see potential turn into reality. The inedible part has now moved from the outside to the inside of the fruit. This is an advancement toward purity. In addition, the inedible part is no longer waste; it is a seed with potential to grow.
Meditation:
Imagine one of your bad traits as this seed. Really see it. Then, see that trait growing and developing into something great. This trait no longer holds you back, but propels you forward. Many great people have turned their faults into assets. You too can become great.
Drink the third cup of wine (dark pink).
The leader says:
Now we eat fruits that are completely edible: blueberries. This is the realm of creation (briah), the highest level in the created world. (The three lower worlds – asiyah, yetzirah, and briah – are referred to as ma'aseh bereishit, the act of creation. )
Meditation:
Things are coming close to their full potential. Even the seeds are now edible. They not only have future potential, but are also delicious and ready to eat right now.
Think about an area of life you would like to improve. Picture your ideal self. Realize that's the real you. Now, for the rest of Tu B'Shvat, actually be that person. Act as if you're already there. The experience can be transformational.
Drink the fourth cup (red with a drop of white).
The leader says:
We now taste the fruit on the table with the best fragrance. This is comparable to the realm of pure Godliness (atzilut). This level is called the ma'aseh merkava, the act of the Chariot. The prophet Ezekiel saw a Chariot in his vision relating to the mysteries of creation.
A participant says:
In Leviticus 23:40, the Esrog is described as pri aitz hadar – fruit of the majestic tree. The Esrog is the most spiritual of all trees, as it's fruit and bark both have fine taste and smell.
On Tu B'Shvat, when all trees are judged, it is fitting to pray for a beautiful Esrog during the coming Sukkot.
A participant says:
The sense of smell is the purest and most elevated. It is through the nose that God invested Adam with a soul, as it says, God breathed into man's nostrils a breath of life (Genesis 2:7). Since there is no perceptible physical matter to smell, it is the most spiritual and Godly of the five senses. Burning the fragrant incense was designated as the holiest act of the Jewish year – performed by the Kohen Gadol in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur.
Come let us welcome the new year! May its radiance illuminate our heart.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁלְיֹוםטֹוב
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel yom tov.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe,
who has sanctified us with commandments, and commanded us to light festival candles.
Each year we sit expectantly,
waiting to hear how it all began.
We strain and stretch ourselves,
not to imagine darkness, chaos––
darkness and chaos are states
with which we are well acquainted.
No, we begin
by trying to conjure first light,
form and order and sense emerging
from tohu va-vohu. And how can it be
that on Day One there was light,
night and day, but Sun and Moon
not till Day Four? OK, we think,
put aside that question for the moment
as we struggle to see how it was, for light
has limitless possibilities to consider––
shimmering white heat of the Negev,
June sunset over the Pacific, the way it sparks
on early morning maple leaves
in Maine woods when everything
seems new and promising.
And yes, before sun and moon, the Yangtze,
Ganges, Nile, Mississippi, Danube, North Sea,
Finger Lakes, Victoria Falls, Ein Gedi.
And fig trees, fuschia, redwood, rhubarb, eucalyptus,
birch, blueberries, mango and mustard seed,
dogwood, dill, the mighty oak, oregano, arugula,
climbing roses, cinnamon and cyclamen.
A fifth day brings us dolphin and wren, duck
and swan, seagull and whale, crocodile, crab,
bat, octopus, butterfly, sockeye salmon & shark,
trout, snapping turtle, blue jay, hawk & dove,
ladybug, lobster, falling sparrow,
heron and herring and hummingbird,
whooping cranes, and bees,
Now our hearts are pounding wildly,
our eyes fill with tears
at the glory of this world––
all in a jumble then, frantically
getting ready for Shabbos, come
antelope and alley cat, Irish Setter, polar bear,
black bear, beaver, tiger, squirrel, chipmunk
and camel, lioness and spring lamb, zebra,
elephant, monkey, mountain goat––
and just as it’s time to reach
into the box at the back of the cupboard
to pull out two candles and find the matches
for licht bentschen––
miraculously comes the human
who can strike the match and sanctify
all the work that God has done, eons ago,
and every moment since,
battling tohu va-vohu, the chaos
that threatens to once again engulfs it all
shaken and humbled,
we reach for the match
and the blessing,
full of gratitude
for this holy world.
showing
1-6
of
63
Page
1
of
11
