May healing waters pour forth over us all.
Every one of us. Everywhere, speedily and in our days.
May healers the world over be blessed with a well-spring of strength.
Part the seas before our nurses and doctors and health care workers.
As you turned the sea into walls of water for our ancestors, raise up mountains of protection around our healers, send them all they need, so they may walk through the torrents in safety and in health. And as the Israelites relied on each and every person to do their part to carry the community across to dry land, so may we be vigilant in sharing our healing resources as they are now, and as they emerge across the horizon.
The Beginning
By Rachel Kann
If you can find stillness,
the jasmine will night-bloom in your direction
and the breeze
will carry its sacred exhalation of perfume
toward you.
Breathe,
the moon will cascade waves of radiance
downward,
drop her silver robes,
glow.
You will awaken,
overtaken by a love
that asks no permission,
golden particles rising
beneath your skin.
all of existence
longs to be an offering.
eternity is a constant whisper
wishing to be listened to.
This is the beginning.
This is only the beginning.
Let it in.
The shofar is our ancient, animalistic alarm clock. Hearing it tells us to wake up and it's a mitzvah, a commandment to hear its call. We say the first blessing before the shofar is sounded, then we say shehecheyanu, the blessing for milestones, to mark the occasion.
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu lishmoa kol shofar.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has made us holy with commandments, and who has commanded us to hear the voice of the shofar.
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam shehecheyanu v’kiyimanu v’higiyanu lazman ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.
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.
May healing waters pour forth over us all.
Every one of us. Everywhere, speedily and in our days.
May healers the world over be blessed with a well-spring of strength.
Part the seas before our nurses and doctors and health care workers.
As you turned the sea into walls of water for our ancestors, raise up mountains of protection around our healers, send them all they need, so they may walk through the torrents in safety and in health. And as the Israelites relied on each and every person to do their part to carry the community across to dry land, so may we be vigilant in sharing our healing resources as they are now, and as they emerge across the horizon.
The Beginning
By Rachel Kann
If you can find stillness,
the jasmine will night-bloom in your direction
and the breeze
will carry its sacred exhalation of perfume
toward you.
Breathe,
the moon will cascade waves of radiance
downward,
drop her silver robes,
glow.
You will awaken,
overtaken by a love
that asks no permission,
golden particles rising
beneath your skin.
all of existence
longs to be an offering.
eternity is a constant whisper
wishing to be listened to.
This is the beginning.
This is only the beginning.
Let it in.
The shofar is our ancient, animalistic alarm clock. Hearing it tells us to wake up and it's a mitzvah, a commandment to hear its call. We say the first blessing before the shofar is sounded, then we say shehecheyanu, the blessing for milestones, to mark the occasion.
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu lishmoa kol shofar.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has made us holy with commandments, and who has commanded us to hear the voice of the shofar.
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam shehecheyanu v’kiyimanu v’higiyanu lazman ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.
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.
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