Shabbat Parashat B’Shalach Bringing Tu B’Shvat Into Your Home

While Shabbat always has the potential to be a rich and enriching experience, from an educator’s point of view, this Shabbat is particularly chock-full of great texts and great experiential opportunities.

The Shabbat that we read Parashat B’shalach, the Biblical description of the chase scene between Pharaoh’s army and the escaping (departing?) Children of Israel.  It is also known as Shabbat Shirah (the Shabbat of Song) because the traditional Torah reading contains the song of thanksgiving (Shmot (Exodus) 15:1-19) sung by the Children of Israel after they safely cross the Sea of Reeds.  The song is a particularly martial description of God’s power, one of the many facets of God that concerns people more comfortable with a God who is compassionate and forgiving.  I however, find it comforting, as one created in God’s image, to find that it is in fact Godlike to be angry and show anger, to show power against one’s enemies as well as being able to show compassion, mercy and love.

There are many beautiful midrashim about this text; the reason we spill out drops of wine while reading the ten plagues at our Passover Seder is based on the midrash that God chastises the angels for excessive celebration at a time when his own creations, the Egyptians, had to be destroyed to enable to freedom of the fleeing Israelites.  There is also a midrashic tradition, since this parasha is traditionally read mid-winter that we provide food for birds (again, the connection to song) before the beginning of this Shabbat, as fewer of their regular food sources are available to them at this time of year.  I remember my children preparing pine cones covered in peanut butter and rolled in bird seed to hang out on our trees to feed our neighborhood birds years ago.

This year, Shabbat Shirah coincides with Tu B’Shvat, the 15^th of Shvat, which according to the first Mishnah in tractate Rosh HaShanah, is the New Year for Trees (this is actually one of the historical debates between Hillel and Shammai, Shammai setting the first of Shvat and Hillel prevailing with setting the date on the 15^th, the appearance of the full moon).

It’s always a good time to bring Israeli products into your home and to do things as a family that builds our connection to Israel.  Tu B’Shvat is one of those holidays that is fun and easy to observe, and especially at a time that it doesn’t feel like spring is coming here (this year we observe Tu B’Shvat on Shabbat, January 26^th) it’s a great tie in to Israel.

Tu B’Shvat is the Jewish New Year for trees, established in the time of the Mishnah (1^st and 2^nd Centuries BCE) as a way of dating trees and orchards for purposes of the agricultural rules and taxes in the land of Israel.  Today it is observed as the original Earth Day, a day to celebrate nature and the coming of spring.

Here are some ideas for celebrating Tu B’Shvat with your family:

•  There are several texts for following the Kabbalists’ custom of holding a Tu B’Shvat Seder (one of my favorites, a very accessible guide for families is A Seder for Tu B’Shvat, Appelman and Shapiro, published by KarBen , 1984).  It contains the fondue recipe that appears below. 
•  Serve a platter of fruits that are native to Israel – Oranges, Grapefruit, Grapes, Figs, Dates, Pomegranates 
•  Make chocolate fondue for dipping the fruit:  In a fondue pot or double boiler, combine 12 ounces of chocolate chips, 1 cup of light corn syrup (Karo syrup), 2 teaspoons of vanilla; sometimes a couple of tablespoons of water helps make it smooth – stir until the mixture is smooth. 
•  Start seeds for plants to transfer to your garden in the spring – we plant parsley seeds on Tu B’Shvat and harvest our parsley for the Passover seder. 
•  There are lots of Israeli products available in local stores, including cookies and other fun foods; now is a time to introduce them to your family.  (For the grown-ups, it’s a great opportunity to try an unfamiliar Israeli wine). 
•  Have fun and enjoy!

Questions for Discussion:

1.    You’ve just left Egypt, a place your family has lived for hundreds of years, and now a powerful army is chasing you?  How do you feel?

2.    The army chasing you was just destroyed and you are safe.  How do you feel now?

3.    What are some of the ways trees make our lives better.  What do they contribute to the environment?

4.    Jewish law has many laws regulating and growing and protection of trees.  Can you name any?

Steve Kerbel is Director of Education at Congregation B’nai Tzedek in Potomac and chair of the Education Directors Council of Greater Washington