By Chaim Barzel This verse from Zechariah is the very first verse in the Hebrew Bible that mentions the month of Shevat. But it’s only the second that mentions “the eleventh month.” Do you know where “the eleven month” is first mentioned?...
The Fundamental Significance of the Seven Species
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz One year, I was doing my reserve duty in the Negev on a small base. On Friday night, I was guarding the front gate. To pass the time, I began learning about Bikkurim, the first fruits which are brought as an...
What is Tu B’Shevat?
Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for the Trees, is considered a minor festival in Judaism. There is no reference to the holiday of Tu B'Shevat in the Bible, but the Mishna (Rosh Hashana 1:1) notes that there are four distinctive New Years in the...
What do Noah’s ark, the Temple lamp and anointing oil have in common?
The first time the olive tree is mentioned in the Bible is when Noah checked to see if the flood waters had receded. After the rain stopped falling, Noah waited until after the tops of the mountains became visible, and then sent a dove...
What can we learn from a grape?
Chapter five of Isaiah presents one of the most famous parables in the Bible, known as the song of the vineyard. In it, Isaiah gathers the people together to pass judgment on a disobedient vineyard. Despite the owner’s efforts to care for...
Why do we eat pomegranates on the Jewish New Year?
The pomegranate is one of the seven special agricultural species of the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 8:8). It has always been a symbol of beauty. Its unique shape is a favorite design element, appearing on the priestly garments and on the...
Tu B’Shvat: Planting Trees as Spiritual Renewal for Mankind
Tu B’Shvat, the fifteenth month of the holiday of Shevat, is, according to the Mishna (oral law), the new year for the trees. But Jews traditionally take the day as an opportunity to go out into nature to plant trees and act that has...