Reflections on Tu B'Shvat: Connecting to Our Roots

On the fifteenth day of the month of Shevat, we mark the “New Year for the Trees.” The holiday of Tu B'Shvat is first mentioned in the Mishnah. It is customarily observed as a joyful day on which we thank God for the fruits and pray for a blessed year ahead.

Although it is called “the holiday of the trees,” it carries deep meaning for us as human beings, as the Torah states: “For man is a tree of the field” (Devarim 20:19).

In one of his teachings, the Lubavitcher Rebbe explains the words of the Talmud: the tree reflects the essence of the human being — even though a tree belongs to the level of plant (tzomeach) and a human being to the level of speaker (medaber).

All creations originate from the earth, as stated in Kohelet: “All came from the dust.” Yet only the plant remains physically connected to its source of life — if a plant is cut off from its roots, it withers.

A human being, by contrast, is not physically connected to the source of life. A person can move from place to place without remaining attached to the mother who gave birth to them.

Chassidic teachings explain that within the human soul exist all four levels of creation: inanimate, plant, animal, and human. The plant aspect within the human soul represents a person’s emotions and character traits.

A person’s task in life is the refinement and rectification of their character traits. When someone works on their inner qualities and improves them, they repair their soul. This is the lifelong spiritual work of a human being.

In this sense, the plant has an advantage over the human: by its very nature, the plant remains connected to its source, to the soil, and consistently fulfills its purpose by producing fruit year after year. A human being, however, must actively work to remain connected to their root.

This is the deeper meaning of “man is a tree of the field.” Just as the essence of a tree lies in its connection to the earth, the essence of a person lies in their connection to the character traits within their heart.

The Talmud says about a tree: “From it you may eat, but you shall not cut it down.” Likewise, it says about a person: one may “learn from” a Torah scholar — eat from him, only if his character traits are refined. Only when a person resembles a tree — firmly rooted in proper, upright qualities, can others truly receive and learn from them.

On Tu B'Shvat, we celebrate a special time to thank God for the fruits He grants us. At the same time, it is a powerful opportunity to reconnect with the plant level within our own souls.

May we yearn to remain, like a tree, constantly connected to our true roots — the refined qualities of our hearts. May we use this unique day to improve our character, so that all our actions and the fulfillment of our purpose are carried out with integrity and goodness.