Tu Bishvat reminds us to find inspiration in unexpecting places - opinion

At this difficult and dark time in our history, many people are looking towards Tu Bishvat for inspiration.

The Torah gives us the Halacha of Orlah, “When you enter the land [of Israel] and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten” (Leviticus 19:13). The fruit of the fourth year (Neta Revai) was imbued with holiness and had to be eaten in the holy city of Yerushalayim.

This raised the question of how farmers were to mark the “birthday” of a tree. The Sages established the 15th of the month of Shevat as a general “birthday” for all trees, regardless of when they were actually planted.

The Rabbis discussed why this date was chosen. They taught that, since Tu Bishvat falls after mid-winter, the majority of the annual rainfall has usually already fallen by this time in Eretz Yisrael, thus yielding a healthy, water-filled soil in which to plant new trees (Talmud Rosh Hashanah 14a).

In medieval times, the Kabbalists gave Tu Bishvat greater spiritual significance by comparing the hidden seeds in the shells or peels of fruit and nuts to the hidden sparks of holiness buried deep within the soul of the human being. By eating fruit and nuts on Tu Bishvat, this symbolically released those holy sparks from within us.

With the return to Eretz Yisrael in the modern era, Tu Bishvat has become a symbol of both Zionist attachment to the land of Israel as well as an example of Jewish sensitivity to the environment.

Early Zionist settlers to Israel began planting new trees not only to restore the ecology of ancient Israel, but as a symbol of renewed growth of the Jewish people returning to their ancestral homeland.

The love and feelings of gratitude for the gift that is our Homeland are never more poignant than they are today as the flower of our youth fight and sacrifice their lives so that we can continue to enjoy that gift.

This year, by chance, my family and I were privileged to experience the ultimate in Tu Bishvat experience, albeit many thousands of miles from the Land of Israel.

ON A visit to our son and his family in Perth, Western Australia, we were invited by an incredibly generous couple, congregants of our son, to spend a few days at their idyllic farm in the Manjimup area of Western Australia, three and a half hours drive south of Perth.

As well, as enjoying the luxury of their lodge which is used as the “to-die-for” setting for weddings, we were privileged and humbled to get to know an amazing couple who are inspirational in their care for the environment, their love of the Earth and their phenomenal work ethic.

What we also discovered was a deep spirituality and a humility which touched us enormously.

Dion and Sharon Rangé purchased 162 acres of woodland just over 20 years ago and through, blood, sweat, tears and a huge dose of love have transformed it into a paradise and a thriving truffle business, as well as a haven of environmental preservation.

Stonebarn Truffles is now one of the biggest producers of truffles in Australia and exports to numerous countries worldwide including to 21 Michelin-starred restaurants in New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and beyond.

Dion, an ex-South African and Sharon, a third generation Aussie, have done all of this almost singlehandedly, having planted literally thousands of oak trees on which to grow the truffles, as well as many other thousands of different plants and trees.

Sharon, a consultant gastroenterologist at Mount Lawley Hospital in Perth, provided the financial and emotional support in the first 13 years until the enterprise began to thrive, whilst at the same time bringing up two utterly delightful boys, who, unsurprisingly, are both multitalented and, undoubtedly, destined for great things.

Dion and Sharon lovingly showed us around the estate and explained all the quite staggering things that they have both achieved here, all the while exuding love of the land and the environment, with a passion for preservation for the future generations.

The family are not religiously observant, but clearly have a deep respect and love for their rabbi (our son) as demonstrated by the lengths they went to in order that the Lodge should be kosher for us to stay.

A story with a beautiful message

During one of our chats, I mentioned to Dion that Tu Bishvat was this week, and I explained the significance. I also told him of the story in the Talmud (Tractate Taanit 23a) of Honi Hameagel (the circle maker), who saw an old man planting a carob tree.

Honi asked the old man how long it would take for the tree to bear fruit.

Seventy years was the reply.

Honi asked him “Are you sure you will live for seventy years to enjoy its fruit?”

THE OLD man answered humbly, “I was born into a world full of carob trees bearing fruit, which my ancestors toiled to grow for my benefit, I am now doing the same for future generations.”

This simple yet profound idea touched Dion, and he showed me a project he was involved with.

There is a tree called the Wollemi Pine, thought to be extinct, and known only through fossilized remains dating back 200 million years. In 1994, some amateur botanists in New South Wales spotted an unusual looking tree and took a cutting.

Research led to it being identified as the long-lost Wollemi Pine.

Dion managed to obtain some seeds from the very few known living trees and has grown a large number of these very rare trees on his estate. In fact, as we arrived Dion and his son Ari were up one of the trees taking off the cones in order to plat the seeds and regenerate more of the rare tree.

There is no commercial value to this – rather it is the knowledge that he has helped preserve and regenerate something of environmental value which spurs on this hugely impressive man.

After, I mentioned that Tu Bishvat was coming up and its significance, Dion was clearly inspired too, because he decided to delay by a few days the planting of the next round of Wollemi seeds until Tu Bishvat itself, thus recognizing and connecting, not only with his love of the earth and environment, but also with his deep Jewish roots which are, perhaps, also being awakened, much like the seeds in the Wollemi pine cone.

In these deeply troubled times, this oasis of tranquility and meeting such an inspiring family, has been truly regenerating for us. But more than that, the story of the Wollemi Pine, thought to be lost forever, and now thriving again due to the love and care given to it by one generation for the benefit of their descendants is a metaphor for our lives in Medinat Yisrael (the State of Israel).

What our sons and daughters are doing as they fight the battle of right over evil, is planting that carob tree for future generations to benefit from, and like Honi in the Talmud – we must appreciate their hard work and sacrifice – and not squander it in the future.

The writer is a rabbi who lives in Ramat Poleg, Netanya, and is a cofounder of Techelet – Inspiring Judaism.