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Tags:The first ever seder for Tu biShvat — Pri Ets Hadar (The Fruit of the Majestic Tree) — can be found in a kabbalistic text, circulated in the 17th century and first published as a pamphlet in Venice in 1728.[1] See Friedberg, Beyt ‘Eqed Sefarim, vol. 3, p.851, no.777. Written by an unknown author, Pri Ets Hadar was included in the Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim by Rabbi Yisrael Yaqov ben Yom Tov Algazi (1680-1756) (the Rosh Yeshiva of Beit El in Yerushalayim, a friend of the Ḥida, and father of the Maharit Algazi). One of the great mequbalim of his time, Rabbi Algazi’s name added greatly to the credibility of Ḥemdat Yamim despite its attribution by Rabbi Yaaqov Emden to Natan Binyamin Ghazzati (1643-1680) the 17th century mystic who greatly encouraged the aspiring messiah, Shabbtai Tsvi. Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim remains a major source of kabbalistic minhagim (customs) still practiced by followers of the ARI z”l‘s school of Jewish mysticism in Jewish communities all over the world.
In his article appearing in Trees, Earth, and Torah (JPS, 1999), Rabbi Miles Krassen explains the structure of the text:
Formally, Pri Ets Hadar contains four basic sections. After an introduction that explains the basis for the Tu biShvat seder, there is a prayer to be said before the actual seder begins. This is followed by a description of the order of the fruit to be eaten and the way wine should be blended in each of the four cups. However, the bulk of the seder consists of selections from the Bible, early rabbinic texts, and the Zoharic literature. In fact, the greatest portion of this material is taken from the Zohar.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
Section 1: Explanation for the Tiqqun of Fruit | |
יום ט״ו בשבט אף כי הוא מימי השובבים אין בו תענית כי הוא ראש השנה לפירו׳ האילן ובתקון המעשה אשר יעסה היום על הפירות בו נעשה תקון צדיק חי העולמים בסוד הנזכר בזוהר בראשית ביומא תליתאה עבד׳ ארעא איבין מחילא דהאי צדיק דכתיב ויאמר אלהים תדשא הארץ וגו׳ עץ פרי דאזעץ הדעת טוב ורע דאיהו עביד איבין ופרין עושה פרי דא צדיק יסוד דעלמא וכו׳. |
Although the 15th of Shevat occurs during the “days of the Shovavim,”[2] The six weeks during which the first six portions of the book of Exodus are read are considered a period of repentance. This is suggested by the fact that the first letter of the Hebrew name for each of these six portions spells shovavim, “wayward,” which alludes to the verse, “Return wayward children.” (Jer. 3:14). it is not a fast day, since it is the New Year’s Day for the fruit of the tree. Through the tiqqun that is performed on this day with fruit, the sefirah, “Tsaddiq, Life of the Worlds,” is aroused.[3] According to Zoharic Kabbalah, earthly arts that are performed with theurgic intention may positively affect the ten inner aspects of the Godhead called sefirot. In this case, the religious acts concerning fruit that are performed on the 15th of Shevat are said to effect the ninth sefirah, Yesod, or “foundation.” The sefirah represents the male generative principle within the divine world called Tsaddiq, or “righteous one.” The sefirah is often anthropomorphically represented as a phallus. This mystery is mentioned in the Zohar Bereshit,[4] Zohar. v. 1. 33a. Also see Zohar v.3. p.87a. The meaning is that the production of fruit depends on the union of both male and female elements. Although the female tree bears the fruit, it depends on the male for fertilization. “on the third day, the earth made fruit from the potency of that [supernal] Tsaddiq. As it is written, ‘And God said, let the earth bring forth… fruit trees that produce fruit…‘[5] Gen 1:11 ‘Fruit trees‘ refers to ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil‘ that bears fruit.[6] I.e., the tenth sefirah, Malkhut, which is female. ‘That produce fruit‘ alludes to Tsaddiq, the foundation of the world….”[7] I.e., the ninth sefirah, Yesod, the male. |
ומנהג טוב להולכים בתמים להרבות בפירות בעצם היום הזה ולומר דבדי שירות ותשבחות עליהן כאשר הנהגתי לכל החברי׳ אשר עמדי. |
It is a good custom for the faithful[8] Tamim in Hebrew. to eat many fruits on this day and to celebrate them with words of praise, just as I have instructed my companions. |
ועם כי בדברי כתבי הרב זל״הה לא נמצא מנהג זה מ״מ לדעתי תקון נפלא הוא בנגלה ובנסת׳ כי הנה הובא בירושלמי פ׳ י׳ יוחסין ז״ל ישמעו ענוים וישמחו א״ר איבון עתיד אדם לתת דין וחשבון על שראה מיני מגדים ולא אכל רבי אלעזר הוה מצמצם פריטי למיכל בהון מכל מילי חדש ע״כ |
Even though this custom is not mentioned in the Lurianic writings, it is nevertheless a wondrous tiqqun,[9] The term tiqqun has two primary connotations. First, it refers to an act of rectification in which some aspect of the damaged cosmos is restored to its desired state. However, it may also mean an act of preparation in which [a] specific cosmic aspect is made ready for some subsequent development or process. In either case, the implication here is that the custom of celebrating the 15th of Shvat through eating and praising fruit has a powerful theurgic effect. The male and female sefirot, Yesod and Malkhut, that are responsible for releasing divine abundance into the world are positively effected. The ultimate desired result is the production of fine etrogim, the pri ets hadar, which are required for the observance of Sukkot, during the following fall. on both exoteric and esoteric levels.[10] It rectifies and energizes Yesod above and results in abundance in nature below. For in the Palestinian Talmud, Asarah Yuḥasin (Kiddushin ch. 4)[11] J. Ḳiddushin. 48b. The text in Pri Ets Hadar is garbled here. the following appears.”‘Listen, humble ones, and rejoice‘[12] Psalms 34:3 R’ Hizkiyah R’ Kohen said in the name of Rav, ‘In the future a person will have to account for everything that his eyes saw and he did not eat. R’ Elazar was concerned about this teaching and used to save poor man’s gleanings. He would eat them, each one at its time.'”[13] Each year a special Blessing is said whenever a fruit is eaten for the first time. |
וטעם הדבר שכשם שהנהנה מן העה״ז בלא ברכה נקרא גזלן מפני שע״י הברכה גורם להמשיך שפע עליון ע״י כח הברכות והשר הממונה על אותו הפרי הוא מתמלא משפע זה כדי לגדל הפרי שנית ולכן הנהנ׳ בלא ברכ׳ גזלן הוי כי אכל הבריה שהרוחניות היה שורה בה וכילה ומנע כח ההוא מן העול׳ והיה ראוי לו להמשיך ברכה מלמעלה והכח הממונה על זה בטל וריק מאותו השפע שהיה בידו ולכן נקרא גזלן |
The reason is that whoever enjoys produce in this world without pronouncing a blessing is called a robber.[14] See B. Berakhot 35b. For by means of the blessing, one draws down shefa. The angel who is assigned to that fruit [which was eaten] is filled by the shefa so that a second fruit can replace the first. Thus one who enjoys the fruit without blessing it is a robber. For through eating an aspect of creation [without blessing it], he eliminated the spiritual element that it contained. [Thus he] prevented that divine power from being manifest in the world, when he should have drawn down a blessing from above. As a result, the angel’s power is annulled, since it no longer possesses the shefa [that it needs in order to replenish the fruit]. That is why the person is called a robber. |
וגם אמר כאילו גוזל אביו ואמו כי האוכל בכוונת הברכה של ברכת הנהנין מתקן ניצוצי נשמתו והנצוצות הנוגעים בנשמת אביו ואמו בסוד והוצאתי את בלעו מפי״ו כטעם חיל בלע ויקיאנו ואם נהנה בלא ברכה הוא כאילו גוזל אביו ואמו מניצוצו׳ השייכו׳ לנשמת׳ והוא חבר לאיש משחי׳ לפי שכל כוונת המשחי׳ לגזול נצוצו׳ ולקולט׳ ולא להחזיר׳ אל הקדוש׳ אשר והו סוד כי לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם כי על כל מוצא פי ה׳ וכו׳ שהיא סוד הברכה המוציא׳ מהטומא׳ להקדוש׳ ונברר׳ ע״י פי ה׳ בלעיט׳ ל״ב שיני׳ אשר המה לעומ׳ ל״ב פעמים אלהים הנאמרי׳ במעש׳ בראשי׳ כמו שביארנו בארוכה בתקון הסעודה בחלק הקודם ע״ש. |
He also said that it is as if he robbed from his father and mother.[15] I.e., Rabbi Hanina bar Papa in the passage from Berakhot 35b associates enjoying something from this world without a blessing with robbing one’s father and mother. For through the kavvanah[16] The mystical or theurgic intention that to contemplated when one uners the blessing. of the blessing recited when eating fruit, a person who eats rectifies the sparks of his own soul as well as the sparks that pertain to the souls of his parents. This is the esoteric meaning of, “I will make him disgorge what he has swallowed,”[17] Jer. 51:44. which is related to [the secret of the verse], “the riches he swallowed, he vomits, [God empties it out of his stomach],”[18] Job 20:15. So if one enjoys the fruit without a blessing, it is as if he robbed his parents of the divine sparks that pertain to their souls.[19] In the teaching cited from B. Berakhot 35b, the father is identified as the Blessed Holy One and the mother is the Community of Israel. Thus the kabbalistic meaning would seem to allude to sparks pertaining to Tiferet and Malkhut or to the partzufim, Ze’ir ‘Anpin and Nuqba. “He is a comrade of the Destroyer.“[20] Pro. 28:24 For the Destroyer’s only intention is to rob the divine sparks and to absorb them [in the realm of evil] and to [prevent them from] returning to [their source] in holiness. That is the esoteric meaning of “for a person does not live on bread alone, but on all that goes forth from the mouth of YHVH.”[21] Deut. 8:3. [All use of ‘Lord’ in Rabbi Krassen’s quotations of scripture, have been replaced with ‘YHVH’ unless they translate ‘ADoNaY‘. — Aharon Varady] This alludes to the secret of the blessing, which retrieves [the sparks] from impurity to holiness.[22] The blessing prevents the divine sparks in the food from being appropriated by the evil forces and recycles them to the forces of holiness. It is brought about through the “mouth of YHVH,” i.e., by means of the chewing of the thirty-two teeth which correspond to the thirty-two times that Elohim is mentioned in the Story of Creation,[23] The divine name Elohim appears thirty-two times in the first section of Genesis that details the stages of Creation. The thirty-two teeth which chew the food that has been blessed and return the divine sparks to holiness correspond to these thirty-two divine names. Thus they are alluded to by the ‘mouth of YHVH,’ mentioned in Deut. 8:3. as we have explained at length in the previous section concerning the tiqqun of the meal.[24] This is not found in the previous chapter of Hemdat Yamim. Location of this tiqqun would aid in identifying the source of Pri Ets Hadar. |
ועונשים הל לו גם המה ישכן למי שרואה מיני פירות ומגדים ומצטמק ורע לו ולא אכל ומנע טוב מבעליו ולא בירך עליהם אשר הכח הממונ׳ עליהן בטל ורק מצדו משפע עליון הבא על ידי הברכה ואף גם גוזל אביו ואמו כי הואיל ולא אכל מהן לא הוציא ניצצות דשייכי לנשמתם כאמור ועל כן מטעם זה ר״א הוה מצמצם בפריטי למיכל בהון כל מיני פירו׳ חדשות להרבו׳ ברכות ולעשות התקון תכף ומיד ושלא להחמיץ המצוה. |
The punishments [for these transgressions] also apply to someone who sees species of fine fruit and allows them to dry up and go bad without eating them. [By not eating them], he prevented the angels of the fruit from receiving [their share of] divine goodness. Since he did not say a blessing over the fruit, the angel’s power is annulled and it is bereft of the shefa that depends on the blessing. He also robs his parents. For since he did not eat the fruit, he also neglected to eat the sparks that pertain to their souls, as has been explained. Accordingly, R’ Eleazar used to save poor man’s gleanings of all kinds of new fruit to eat. [For he wanted] to increase blessings and perform the tiqqun immediately, so as not to miss the [opportunity for fulfilling] the mitzvot. |
לתקון הדבר הזה יאותה לנו בעצם היום הזה לאכול כל ומיני פירות ולברך עליהן בכוונה זו כי חביבה מצוה בשעתה. |
In order to effect this tiqqun, it is fitting for us to eat all kinds of fruit on this very day and to bless them with this intention. For a mitsvah is best when performed at the proper time. |
ובזוהר פרשת שמות דף ט״ו ז״ל אמר ר׳ יהודה מ״ד גס זה לעומת זה עשה האלהים כגוונא דרקיעא עבד קב״ה בארעא וכולהו רמיזא למה דלעילא דכד הוה חמי רבי אבא חד אילנא דאיביה את עביד עופא דפרח הוה בכי ואמר א׳ הוו ידעין בני נשא למאי רמי זאן וכו׳ דא״ר יוסי א׳לנין אינון דאתחזי מינהון וחכמתא כגון חרובא דקל פסתוקא וכדומה לון כולהו בחד רתיכא אתרכיכו כל אינון דעבדין פירין ואינון רברבין בר מתפוחים רזא חדא אינון בר משבילין וכו׳ דכל חד מאינון זוטרי בר מאזובא מאימ׳ חדא אתיצידו כל עשבין דארעא דאתמני עליהון רברבין תקיפין בשמיא כל חד וחר רזא בלחודיי כגוונא דלעילא וכו׳. |
According to the Zohar, “R’ Yehudah said, why is it written, ‘even this God made corresponding to that?‘[25] Eccle. 7:14. God made the earth to correspond to the firmament. Everything [below] alludes to what is above. For when R’ Abba would see a certain tree whose fruit would change into a bird that flew from it, he would weep and say, ‘if human beings only knew to what this alludes….’ As R’ Yose said, these trees from which wisdom can be learned,[26] I.e., their nature alludes to some characteristic of the divine world of the sefirot. such as the carob, palm, pistachio, and the like were all borne in one chariot.[27] or, “were all compounded in one compounding.” All those [trees] that bear fruit, except the apple tree, allude to one supernal mystery…. And all the small ones, except for the hyssop, are the offspring of one mother. In heaven, powerful intermediaries are placed over each of the earth’s plants, and each has its own mystery, just as above.”[28] Zohar, Shemot, 15b. |
הנה משם תתבונן כי אף על גב שהבוראית׳ שם͏ משטרו בארץ ועל כל אחד מלאך ממונה עליו מכל מקום העיקר של כל א׳ וא׳ נאחז במדות העליונות ובמ״ש שם בזוהר ז״ל מ״ד אל גינת אגוז ירדתי א׳ל ת״ח האי גנתא נפקא מעדן ודא היא שכינתא אגוז דא היא רתיכא קדישא דאיכון ארבע רישין דנהרין ומתפרשין מגנתא כהאי אגוזא וכו׳ אשר ממנו נקח כי בכל עשב יהיה מותר מחברו בשורש שלו למעלה. |
From this you can understand that although the blessed Creator rules over the earth and everything has an angel assigned to it, nevertheless of greatest importance is the fact that everything is connected to the supernal attributes.[29] I.e., the sefirot. As they said there in the Zohar: “why is it written, ‘I went down to my walnut garden‘?[30] Song of Songs, 6:11. He said to him, come and see. This is the garden that went forth from Eden and it is the Shekhinah.[31] The tenth sefirah, Malkhut. It is often called Shekhinah, the divine presence, ‘Walnut’ refers to the Holy Chariot,[32] The chariot is described in Ezekiel’s vision. It is located under the tenth sefirah. the four tributaries that spread out from the garden like a nut . . .”[33] Zohar, ibid. From this we can infer that herbs can be distinguished by the pre-eminence of their divine roots above. |
ומהרח״ו זלה״ה ביאר שיש ל׳ מיני פירות האילן ובעולם הבריאה עשרה מהן לעומ׳ י׳ ספירות שלה ומפני שהם רחוקי׳ מן הטומאה וקרוב לאצילות אין להם קלי׳ לא בפנים ולא בחוץ ונאכלין כמו שהן. ואלו הן ענביס תאנים תפוחים אתרוגים לימוני״ם אגסים חבושום תותים שורב״אש חרובין |
R’ Hayyim Vital explained that there are thirty kinds of fruit trees. Ten [have their divine roots] in the World of Creation, corresponding to the ten sefirot of that world. Since their roots are far removed from tuma’ah [34] Literally, “impurity.” Here, the meaning is “forces of evil,” represented by the qelippot (shells). and close to the purely divine World of Emanation, they have no shell, either within or without.[35] The cosmology assumed by the author consists of four worlds that are hierarchically arranged between the divine source, which is completely holy, and the forces of evil, which are completely impure. The thirty species of fruit have their roots in the second, third, and fourth worlds, called Creation, Formation, and Making. They are classified according to the nature of their shells, which symbolize the type of protection required, due to the extent that evil is present in that world. The fruit, which correspond to the World of Creation, have no shells because their roots are so far from the force of evil that no protection is required. They may be eaten as they are.[36] They may be eaten in their entirety. There is no shell or kernel to discard. They include the following: grapes, figs, apples, citrons (etrogs), lemons, pears, quince, strawberries, sorbs, and carob. |
ועשרה מיני פירו׳ הם העולם היצירה והן סוד י״ס דיצירה שהם בנוכים בין עולם הבריאה ובין עולם העשיה שאינן קרובות לטומאה כמו עולם העשיה ולא רחוקים כמו עולם הבריא׳. |
There are ten types of fruit [whose roots are] in the World of Formation. Esoterically, they correspond to the ten sefirot of Formation, which are intermediate, between the World of Creation and the World of Making. They are neither as close to the forces of evil as [the sefirot] of the World of Making nor as distant as the [sefirot] of the World of Creation. |
ולכן גרעיני הזרע בתוך הפרי אינו נאכל לפי שאינן רכים כגרעינים שבתוך הפירות דבריאה. ואלי הן זתים תמרי׳ גודגוניו׳ שופאייפ״אש פרישקו״ש זירגואי׳לאש משמישי״ש׳ גינדא״ש אקאאני״ש נישפ״ ולאש |
Consequently, the seed kernels within the fruit are not eaten, since they are not soft like the seeds within the fruit that correspond to the World of Creation. They include: olives, dates, cherries, jujubes, persimmons, plums, apricots, hackberries, lotus fruit, uzerar.[37] Or uzerad, a kind of crabapple, mentioned in the Mishnah, Demai 1:1. |
ועוד י׳מיני פירו׳ יש בעול׳ העשי׳ לעומת י״ס ולכן נאכל מה שבפני׳ ונזרק מה שבחוץ שקליפת הפרי היא מחיצה בינו ובין עולם התמורות כדי שלא יקבל טומאה וז״ס היצר הרע והקליפה דבוקה בנפש ואלו הן רמונים אגוזים שקדים ערמונים לוזים הנקרא אלבי אנ״אש אלונים הנקרא אלכיו״טאש בלעז פריסין פניוני״ש פסתו״קיש מאו זי״ז. |
There are ten other kinds of fruit [whose roots are] in the World of Making, corresponding to the ten sefirot [of that world]. Consequently, we eat what is within and discard what is without. For the fruit’s shell is a barrier between it and the World of Delights,[38] The World of Making is bordered by the realm of evil forces that is characterized by lust or pleasures entirely separated from holiness. so that it will not take on the impurity [of the evil forces].[39] The spiritual battle that must be waged between good and evil, or holiness and impurity, is confronted directly in the World of Making. Consequently, the fruit that correspond to that world require a hard outer shell. The fruit that symbolize the World of Formation have only a hard inner kernel, because that world is not directly assailable by the forces of evil, but may only be penetrated by evil/impurity. This is the esoteric meaning of the evil urge and ‘the qelippah‘ cleave to the nefesh.[40] The human soul potentially contains a series of grade or parts that hierarchically correspond to the series of worlds. The lowest grade, nefesh, like the World of Making, is directly assailable by the forces of evil. The following correspond to sefirot of the World of Making: pomegranates, walnuts, almonds, pistachio, chestnuts, hazelnuts, acorns, coconut, pine nuts, peanuts. |
והנה העשר מיני פירות דבריאה נתברר מהם כל הפסול׳ ונשארו כולן טוב ואילן סרק הוא להעך שהוא הכל רע שהכל הוא קליפה וכנגד י׳מיני פירו׳ דיצירה שהמוח מלבר|והקליפ׳ מבפנים שהוא הגרעין שבתוכם כנגד זה בקליפה כשנצוץ הקדושה שנפל הוא גדול ולא יכלה הקליפה לסבול כל אותו האור בקרבה נכנסה הקליפה תוך הקדושה ונעשית הקדושה מקיף אליה |
Now the ten kinds of fruit [that represent the World] of Creation have been purified of everything that relates to the forces of evil (pesolet)[41] Literally, “of all refuse.” and are left completely good. But a barren tree [represents] the opposite. It corresponds to pure evil, containing nothing but the qelippah. Just as the ten kinds of fruit [that correspond to the World] of Formation have an edible exterior and a hard interior, the kernel within, so it is with the qelippah.[42] It bears no edible fruit. Thus it contains no divine sparks. When a fallen holy spark is great, the qelippah is not able to contain all of that light within itself. So [the qelippah] enters within the holiness and the holiness surrounds it. |
וכנגד יימיני פירות דעשיה שהמוח הוא מלגאו והקליפ׳ חופפת עליו מבחוץ כנגדן בקליפה כשלוקחת ניצוץ הקדושה בתוכה לחיות אליה והיא חופפת עליו מבחוץ כקליפ׳ אל המוח ע״כ. |
The ten kinds of fruit [that correspond to] the World of Making have a soft interior surrounded by a hard shell. This is like the qelippah, when it takes a holy spark within itself, in order to be enlivened by it. It surrounds the spark just as a shell encompasses the fruit. |
צא ולמד כי אין דבר גשעי פה למטה שאין דוגמתו למעלה כי גבוה מעל גבוה שומר זגכוהים עליהם ואשר המה בעולמות התחתונים המה צל העליונים כי אם לא היה מצל לא היה צל. |
Consequently, we learn that there is no physical thing here below that does not correspond to something above. “For one is protected by another on a higher level, and both of these by still higher ones.”[43] Eccle. 5:7. As things are below, so they are above. For there would be no shadow if there were no one to cast it. |
ואביראה בסדאה נועם שיח סוד לשון הזהב אשר כחכמה דברו לאמר ראש השנה לפירות האיל״ן ולא אמרו לפירות האילנות רמזו בחכמה לאילנא קדישא אילנא דחיי וכמו שביארו ?ור׳ האר״י שכן אילן בגי״ יאהדונה״י כמו שבא במכתבם בביאור מאמר הזוהר פרשת אחרי מות ההוא אילנא רבא ותקיפא וכו׳ אילנא דנטע שורשוי באינון חיים ע״ש וכן ככתבי רבינו הקדוש האר״י אילן במלואו גי״ י״ב צירופי הי״ת רמז על הת״ת אילנא דחיי שכולל בו י״ב צירופי הוייה כמ״ש בפרשת בשלח תריסר תחומין וכולי סליקו באולנא קדישא רבא וכן עוד שם במאמר ייבאו אלימה וכו׳ ואת תקף אילנא קדישא בי״ב תחומין וכו׳. |
My father perceived the esoteric wisdom [alluded to by the] wording of the Mishnah, which says,”New Year’s Day for fruit of the tree,” rather than “for fruit of the trees.” The [sages of the Mishnah] were alluding to the Holy Tree, the Tree of Life,[44] I.e., they were alluding to the sefirah, Tiferet, which is symbolized by the “Tree of Life.” as Isaac Luria’s disciples explained. For tree (ilan) has the same numerical value as the holy name, YAHDVNHY,[45] The letters that spell ilan have the numerical value of 91. This equals the value of the sum of the two divine names, YHVH and ADoNaY. The combination of these two names, YAHD-VNHY represents the union of the sefirot, Tiferet, and Malkhut, respectively, i.e., the sacred union of the male and female principle within the Godhead. as they wrote in their explanation of the following passage from the Zohar, Aḥarei Mot.”That great and mighty tree [which contains nourishment for all is called the Tree of Life], the tree that planted its roots in these living ones.”[46] Zohar, v. 3, 58a. Also, the Lurianic writings state that when the word tree (ilan) is spelled out fully, its numerical value is the same as twelve permutations of the name YHVH.[47] When ilan is spelled ALP YVD LMD NVN, it equals 311 plus one for the word itself, total 312. Twelve permutations of YHVH equal 312. Thus [tree] alludes to Tiferet, the Tree of Life, which contains twelve permutations of YHVH, as stated in Zohar, Beshalaḥ, “twelve [supernal, engraved] regions ascended [in the scale], in the great and powerful holy Tree.”[48] Zohar, vol. 2, 66b. Also see the passage,”‘And they came to Elim and there were twelve springs of water there and seventy date palms…‘[49] Exod. 15:27. and the Holy Tree grew strong in twelve regions . . .”[50] Zohar, vol. 2, 62b. |
והענין כי כמו שהיום ראש השנה לפירות האילן לענין המעשרות רחשבינן להו שבה מט״ו בשבט דהואיל וירדו רוב גשמי שנה ועלה השרף באילנות ונמנאו פירות חונטים מעתה כן דוגמתו למכלה ראש השנה לפירות האילן העליון להשפיע את שפעו הקדיש לפירותיו הם הם העולמו׳ אסר מהם ישתלשל וירד פה למטה באילנות ועל משטרם. |
The meaning is that the 15th of Shevat is the New Year’s Day for tithing the fruit of trees. For most of the year’s rain has already fallen. The sap has begun to ascend through the trees, and fruit begin to take form on the trees from this time. Similarly, in the divine realm, it is the New Year’s Day for the fruit of the supernal tree which bestows its holy abundance on its fruit, the . From them the shefa descends until it reaches the trees in our world below and the powers that oversee them. |
ומעשה ידינו כוננהו בכח סגולת התקון הזה הנעשה בעצם היום הזה בכח הברכו׳ ואשר ילוה אליהם הוות סוד שורשן תתעוררנא בקומתם וצביונ״ למעלה. |
“And establish for us, the work of our hands.“[51] Ps. 90:17. Through the special power of this tiqqun, performed on this very day, through the power of the blessings and contemplation of the mystery of the fruit’s divine roots, an effect will be produced in their structure and character above. |
ונותף גם הוא כי בספר התקון הלו מעוות לו יוכל לתקון את פגם הברית אשר לא נאמנה בבריתו והיה בעשותו התקון לעץ פרי מחץ מכתו ירפא בפגם הצדיק עושה פרי בצרוף סגולת הימים ההם הנזכלי׳ ונעשים לתקון פגם הברית כמו שנת באר בפרק א׳. |
Moreover the person performing the tiqqun can also be affected. For through the beauty of this tiqqun, he can correct what he distorted (me’uvat lo yukhal litkon)[52] A pun on Eccle. 1:15: “That which is crooked cannot be made straight (me’uvat lo yukhat litkon).” in damaging the [sign of the] covenant through inchastity.[53] Although various forms of male sexual incontinence may be alluded to here, it is possible that the author has masturbation specifically in mind. The Zohar views ejaculation that does not occur during “normal” intercourse with women as an especially serious sin that cannot be rectified. If this is indeed the meaning, Pri Ets Hadar would have to be considered an earlier tiqqun for shikvat zera le-vatalah than the Tiqqun ha-Kelali of Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav. See Yehuda Lieves, “Ha-Tiqqun Ha-Kelali of R’ Nahman of Bratslav and Its Sabbatian Links,” in Studies in Jewish Myth and Jewish Messianism (SUNY, 1993), pp. 115-50. By virtue of performing this tiqqun for the fruit tree, he will heal his part[54] Literally, “his wound.” in the flawing of Tsaddiq who makes fruit.[55] See above. Sexual irregularities, the “flaw of the covenant,” have a negative effect on the ninth sefirah, Yesod, the Tsaddiq, which represents the divine phallus. Since the 15th of Shvat tiqqun affects this sefirah and deals with supernal potency, it can also correct the damage caused in that region by aberrant sexuality. It is interesting to note the implied magical relationship between human sexuality and fecundity of nature. Male irregularities in this area damage the divine quality that is ultimately responsible for the quality of the year’s fruit. There is the added benefit of the penitential period, mentioned above.[56] See note on shovavim, above. Thus a tiqqun for the flaw of the covenant is performed…. |
Section 2: Preparation for the Tiqqun of Fruit | |
ומורי ז״ל היה אומר לכוין באכילת פרות יהן לתקון חטא אדה״ר אשר חטא בפירות האילן כ׳ אף כי כל ימי שכה כל בוונותינו לתקון זה מ״מ חביבה מצוה בשעתה זה היום תחלה וראש לפירות האילן. |
My teacher used to say that one should intend through eating the fruit to correct the sin that Adam committed with the fruit of the tree. Even though our intention is directed toward this end all the days of the year, a mitsvah is best when observed at its proper time, and this day is the beginning for fruit of the tree. |
ואשר להיות כבר הודענו בכמה מקומות כי יש בכח הדבור להיות מעורר כח מדות העליונות להאירן באור מופלא יתר גדול מאד להשפיע שפ׳ רצון ברכה ונדבה בכל העולמות ע״כ נכון להגותם לפני אכילת כל פרי וסרי בסוד שורשו הבא בספר הזוהר ובתקונים בקצת מהם לעורר שרשיהן למעלה וקודם הכל יהגו בסדר זה. |
Moreover, as we have frequently stated, speech has the power to arouse the sefirot and to cause them to shine more wondrously with a very great light that sheds abundance, favor, blessing, and benefit throughout all the worlds. Consequently, before eating each fruit, it is proper to meditate on the mystery of its divine root, as found in the Zohar and, in some cases, in the tiqqunim, in order to arouse their roots above. But, first of all, read the following selections. |
תורה פרשת בראשית ויאמר אלהים יקוו המים עד ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום שלישי ואחר כך בפרשת עקב כל המצוה אשר אנכי מצוך היום וכו׳ עד על הארץ הטובה אשל נתן לך ואח״כ פרשת בחקתי עד ואולך אתכם קוממיות. |
Torah:
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נביאים יחזקאל סי׳ י״ז בה אמר ה׳ אלאהים ולקחתי אני מצמרת הארץ וכו׳ עד דברתי לקיתי ובסי׳ ל״ד והושעתי לצאני וכו׳ עד נאם ה׳ אלהים ובסי׳ ל״ו ואת רוחי אתן בקרבכם וכו׳ עד דברתי ועשיתי ובסי׳ מ״ז וישיבני אל פתח הבית והנה מים וכו׳ עד ועלהו לתרופה ואח״כ ביואל סי׳ ב׳ ויקנא ה׳ לארצו וכו׳ עד לוא יבושו עמי לעולם. |
Prophets:
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כתובים סי׳ ע״ב יקמ״ז וקמ״ח וסימן ס״ה לך דומיה תהלה וסי׳ קכ״ו בשוב ה׳ שיב׳ ציון וכו׳. |
Writings:
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זוהר ואח״כ בזוהר פ׳ בראשית דף ל״ג ע״א א״ר חייא מקוה המים דא צדיק וכו׳ עד והא אתמר ובזוהר פרשת קדושים דף פ״ו ע״א פתח רבי אלעזל ואמר אתם עדי נאם ה׳ וכו׳ עד ואורח צדיקים כאור מגה ואחר פך״בסוד הברכה ריש פדשת עקב יגד אתה ה׳ אבינו גואלנו. |
Zohar:
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ושוב יפטירו בשפה נוסח תפלה זו פשוטה |
After this say the following prayer: |
Section 3: The Prayer for the Tiqqun of Fruit | |
אָנָּא הָאֵל, הָעוֹשֶׂה וְהַיּוֹצֵר וְהַבּוֹרֵא וְהַמַּאֲצִיל עוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים, וּבְצוּרָתָם וּבְצִבְיוֹנָם בָּראתָ דוּגְמָתָן עַל הָאָרֶץ מִתַּחַת, כּוּלָם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ׃ עֶלְיוֹנִים לְמַעְלָה וְתַחְתּוֹנִים לְמַטָּה לְחַבֵּר אֶת הָאוֹהֶל לִהְיוֹת אֶחָד, וְאִילָנִין וּדְשָׁאִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה הִצְמַחְתָּ, בְּקוֹמָתָם וּבְצִבְיוֹנָם שֶׁל מַעְלָה, לְהוֹדִיעַ לִבְנֵי אָדָם חָכְמָה וּתְבוּנָה בָּהֵמָּה, לְהַשִּׂיג בַּנֶּעְלָמִים. וּפָקַדְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּמִשְׁמֶרֶת מַלְאָכֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִים הַמְּמוּנִּים וְהַמּוּשְׁטָרִים לְהַגְדִּילָם וּלְהַצְמִיחָן וְעָלֵימוֹ תִיטּוֹף שֶׁפַע וְכֹחַ מִדוֹתֶיךָ הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת. |
Please, God, who makes, forms, creates, and emanates supernal worlds and created their likeness on the earth below, according to their supernal form and character. “All of them You made with wisdom,”[57] Ps. 104:24. supernal [forms] above and lower [forms] below, to join together the tent so as to be one.[58] Exodus 36:18, a reference to building the mishkan in the midbar (wilderness), implying that the whole Creation is a mishkan or holy sanctuary for divinity. David Seidenberg, Kabbalah and Ecology: God’s Image in the More-Than-Human World (Cambridge 2015), pp.212-213. You caused trees and grass to grow from the earth, according to the structure and character of [the forms] above, so that human beings might gain wisdom and understanding through them, and thus grasp the hidden [forms]. You appointed your holy angels over them as agents to oversee their growing. And you caused shefa and the power of your supernal qualities to flow upon them. |
וְיַעֲשׂוּ פְּרִי תְבוּאָה וְכָל עֵץ פְּרִי עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמִינוֹ | |
וּמִפְּרִי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ תִשְׂבַּע הָאָרֶץ, לֶאֱכוֹל מִפִּרְיָהּ וְלִשְׂבּועַ מִטּוּבָה. לְהַחֲיוֹת בָּהֶם נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חַי מִן הַכֹּחַ הָרוּחָנִי אֲשֶר בָּהֶן, מִפְּרִי פִי מַלְאָכֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַנּוֹטְרִים אֶת פִּרְיוֹ וּמִמֶּנוּ פֶרְיְיךָ נִמְצָא, |
“The earth is sated from the fruit of Your work,”[61] Ps. 104:13. so one may “eat of its fruit and be sated by its bounty.“[62] Paraphrase of Jer. 2:7. From [the fruit], every living soul is enlivened through the spiritual power that is in them, [which is] the fruit of the mouth of your holy angels who guard its fruit. |
שְׂכַר פְּרִי הַבֶּטֶן לְהַחֲיוֹת וְלָזוּן אֶת הַגּוּף. |
“From me your fruit is found,”[63] Hosea 14:9. the reward of children. |
וְהָיָה פִּרְיוֹ לְמַאֲכָל וְעָלֵיהוּ לִתְרוּפָה. וְזֶה הַיּוֹם תְּחִילַּת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ לְהַחְנִיטָהּ וּלְחַדְּשָה, אִישׁ יָבִיא בְּפִרְיוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמִינֵהוּ כִּי כֵן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי הַחֲנוּטִים לְפֵירוֹת הָאִילָן הָעֶלְיוֹן, עֵץ הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן, וְעָשָׂה פְּרִי לְמָעְלָה. |
“Its fruit is food and its leaves a source of healing.“[64] Ezek. 47:12. So on this day, the beginning of Your deeds concerning [the trees’] budding and renewal, “a person will earn with its fruit…,”[65] Song of Songs 8:11. “producing fruit after its kind.“[66] Gen. 1:11. For so the days of budding will be full for the fruit of the supernal tree, “the tree of life which is in the midst of the garden“[67] Gen. 2:9. and it makes fruit above. |
וִיהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁבְּכֹחַ סְגוּלַּת אֲכִילַת הַפֵּירוֹת שֶׁנֹּאכַל וּנְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶן עַתָּה וַאֲשֶׁר נֶהָגֶה בְּסוֹד שׁוֹרְשֵהֶן יִתְעוֹרְרוּ שְׂרָפֵיהֶן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים אֲשֶר הֵמָּה תְּלוּיִים בָּם לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶן שֶׁפַע רָצוֹן בְּרָכָה וּנְדָבָה, וְגַם הַמְּמוּנִּים וְהַמֻּשְּטָרִים עֲלֵיהֶן יִתְמַלְּאוּ מֵעוֹז שֶׁפַע הדרן לָשׁוּב שֵׁנִית לְהַגְדִּילָם וּלְהַצְמִיחָם מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית הַשָּׁנָה לְטוֹבָה וְלִבְרָכָה לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם. |
May it be Your will YHVH our God and God of our ancestors, that through the sacred power of our eating fruit, which we are now eating and blessing, while reflecting on the secret of their supernal roots upon which they depend, their supernal sap will be aroused,[68] The words “יתעוררו שרפיהן” were not included in the versiont that Miles Krassen translated. (Our girsah is a derivative of the 1731 Vienna printing of Pri Ets Hadar in Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim.) Many thanks to R’ David Seidenberg for noting the variation in this girsah. He further writes, “שרף pronounced saraf means angel, while s’raf sap — in the case of sap it is cognate to syrup — and so the Hebrew could mean either one (knowing the style of the author, it probably is intended to mean both).” so that shefa , favor, blessing, and bounty be bestowed upon them. May the angels appointed over them also be filled by the powerful shefa of their glory, may it return and cause them to grow a second time, from the beginning of the year and until its end, for bounty and blessing, for good life and peace. |
וְקיֵּים לָנוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר שֶהִבְטַחְתָּנוּ עַל יְדֵי מַלְאָכִי חוֹזָךְ וְגָעֲרְתִּי לָכֶם בָּאוֹכֵל וְלֹא יַשְׁחִית לָכֶם אֶת פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה וְלֺא תְשַׁכֵּל לָכֶם הַגֶּפֶן בַּשַׂדֶה אָמַר יְיָ צְבָאוֹת הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ מִן הַשָׁמַיִם וּבָרֵךְ עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַשָׁנָה הַזֹּאת לְטוֹבָה וְלִבְרָכָה |
And fulfill for us the word which you promised us through Malachi, Your seer, “And I will banish the devourer from among you and he will not destroy the fruit of your earth and the vine of your field will not miscarry, says YHVH Tsevaot.“[69] Mal. 3:11. [‘YHVH Tsevaot‘ here replaces Rabbi Krassen’s translation ‘Lord of Hosts’. — Aharon Varady] Look down from your sacred dwelling place in heaven and bless us this year with bounty and blessing. |
תְשִׁיתֵהוּ בְרָכוֹת לָעַד תְּחַדֵּהוּ בְשִׂמְחָה אֶת פָּנֶיךָ וְנָתְנָה הָאָרֶץ יְבוּלָהּ וְעֵץ הַשָׂדֶה יִתֵּן פִּרְיוֹ | |
וְעֲלֵיהֶם תָּבֹא בִּרְכַּת טוֹב לְהִתְבָּרֵךְ פֵּירוֹתֶיהָ בְּמֵעֵינוּ אֶחָד הַמַּרְבֶּה וְאֶחָד הַמַּמְעִיט גַּם בְּרָכוֹת יַעְטֶה בִבְרִיאוּת הַגּוּף שָם יְצַוֶּה ה׳ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה חַיִּים עַד הָעוֹלָם |
The blessing of goodness will come upon them, that its fruits will be blessed within us. Whether one eats a lot or a little, the health of his body will also be blessed. “There YHVH commanded blessing, eternal life.“[72] Ps. 133:3. |
וְעוֹז הֲדַר הַבְּרָכוֹת בַּאֲכִילַת הַפֵּירוֹת יִהְיוּ לִמְאוֹרוֹת בְמַעְיַין הַבְּרָכוֹת צַדִּיק חַי הָעוֹלָמִים וְנִרְאֲתָה הַקֶשֶׁת שָׂשׂ וּמִתְפָּאֵר בְּגוָֹונִים שֶׁלּוֹ וּמִשָּׂם יוּשְׁפַּע עָלֵינוּ שֶׁפַע רָצוֹן וְרַחֲמִים לִמְחוֹל וְלִסְלֹחַ מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ וְאַשְׁמָתֵנוּ אֲשֶׁר נוֹאַלְנוּ וַאֲשֶר חָטָאנוּ. וְהָיִינוּ מַרְשִׁיעֵי בְרִית וּפגַמְנוּ בִפְרִי צַדִּי״ק חַי הַעוֹלמָיִם וּמַנַעְנוּ רְבִיבֵי הַשְׁפָּעֲתוֹ וְנִשְׁחָתוּ כָּל מְקוֹרוֹת וְיָשׁוּב עַתָּה הַכּל לְאֵיתָנוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן וְתֵשֵׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ כִּי אַתָּה תְּבָרֵךְ צַדִּיק ה׳ כַּצִנָּה רָצוֹן תַּעְטְרֵהוּ׃ |
And may the splendid power of the blessings [said] while eating the fruit illuminate the source of blessings, Tsaddiq, the Life of the Worlds, and let the rainbow appear, proudly rejoicing in its colors.[73] Cf. Shabbat 28a, where it describes the tachash — the animals whose skins were used to make the tabernacle/ohel of the mishkan. Here again, the author equates Creation with the mishkan, and the rainbow becomes the covering of the sacred ohel or sanctuary that is the Earth. –Rabbi David Seidenberg From there, may shefa , favor, and compassion be bestowed upon us, to pardon and forgive the iniquities and misdeeds that we committed and sinned. We violated the covenant and damaged the fruit of Tsaddiq, the Life of the Worlds, and caused the rains of its beneficence to be withheld, so that all the sources [of shefa ] were harmed. Now let everything return to its original might “and let His bow remain taut.“[74] Gen. 49:24. “For You, YHVH , bless the Tsaddiq, favor crowns him like a shield.“[75] Ps. 5:13. |
וְכָל הַנִּצוֹצוֹת שֶׁנִּתְפַּזְּרוּ עַל יָדֵינוּ אוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וּבְעָוֹן אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶר חָטָא בְפֵירוֹת הָאִילָן עַתָּה יָשׁוּבוּ לְהִתְכַּלֵּל בְּעוֹז הֲדַר עֵץ הַחַיִים וְיוּסַר מֵהֶם כָּל רַע בְּכֹחַ שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל הַיוֹצֵא מִפָּסוּק חַיִל בָּלַע וַיְקִיאֶנּוּ |
And may all the holy sparks which were dispersed by us or by our ancestors and [also] through the sin that Adam committed with the fruit of the tree now return to be included in the splendid power of the Tree of Life. May all evil be removed from them through the power of Your great name which emerges from the verse, “the power that he swallows, he vomits out.“[76] Job 20:15. |
וְיָשוּב הַכֹּל לְאֵיתָנוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן וְלֹא יִדַּח מִמֶּנוּ נִידַּח כִּי אַתָּה ה׳ לְבַדֶּךָ מְקַבֵּץ נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. |
And may everything return to its original might and not be rejected. For only You, YHVH, restore the dispersed of Israel. |
וּבְכֵן אֶת צֶמַח דָּוִד עַבְדֶּךָ מְהֵרָה תַּצְמִיחַ וְקַרְנוֹ תָּרוּם בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ וירום הודו ותנשא עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ |
Therefore, swiftly cause the offshoot of Your servant David to flower and raise up its might through Your salvation. And the hand of YHVH is upon the whole world in its entirety. |
וְתַחַת הַנַּעֲצוּץ יַעֲלֶה בְּרוֹשׁ וְתַחַת הַסִּרְפָּד יַעֲלֶה הָדָס וְהָיָה לַה׳ לְשֵׁם לְאוֹת עוֹלָם לֹא יִכָּרֵת |
“Instead of a briar, a cypress will arise, instead of the nettle, a myrtle will arise. And it will be a testimony for YHVH and an everlasting sign which will never be effaced.“[77] Isa. 55:13. |
וִיהִי פִסַּת בַּר בָאָרֶץ בְּרֹאשׁ הָרִים יִרְעַשׁ כַּלְּבָנוּן פִּרְיוֹ וְיָצִיצוּ מֵעִיר כְּעֵשֶׂב הָאָרֶץ |
“Let abundant grain be in the land to the mountain top. Let its fruit tremble like [the cedars of] Lebanon and may the inhabitants of cities sprout like the land’s grass.“[78] Ps. 72:16. |
אָז יְרַנְּנוּ עֲצֵי הַיַעַר וְעֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה נָשָׂא עָנָף וְעָשָׂה פֶרִי דְבַר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ. |
“Then the trees of the forest will rejoice“[79] Ps. 96:12. and the tree of the field lift its branch and bear fruit daily. |
וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה לְהָבִיא בִּכּוּרִים לִפְנֵי מִזְבֵּחַ ה׳ בְּהַלֵּל וְתוֹדוֹת לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְרַב טוּב לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל |
“And you shall take from the first of the fruit of the earth“[80] Deut. 26:2. to bring first fruits before the altar of YHVH in praise and thanksgiving to YHVH, our God, and [it shall result in] great good for the house of Israel. |
יְשׂוּשׂוּם מִדְבָּר וְצִיָּה וְתָגֵל עֲרָבָה וְתִפְרַח כַּחֲבַצֶלֶת פָּרוֹחַ תִפְרַח וְתָגֵל אַף גִילָת וְרַנֵּן כְּבוֹד הַלְּבָנוֹן נִיתַּן לָהּ הֲדַר הַכַּרְמֶל וְהַשָׁרוֹן הֵמָּה יִרְאוּ כְּבוֹד ה׳ הֲדַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ |
“The arid desert will be glad and the wilderness will rejoice and blossom like a rose, it shall greatly flower and also rejoice and be glad. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the Glory of YHVH, the splendor of our God.”[81] Isa. 35:1-2. |
בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן |
May it occur swiftly, in our days, amen. |
עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן יְמִינֶךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן תּוֹרָתֶךָ. |
Act for the sake of Your Name. Act for the sake of Your loving kindness. Act for the sake of Your right hand. Act for the sake of Your Torah. |
יִֽהְי֥וּ לְרָצ֨וֹן ׀ אִמְרֵי־פִ֡י וְהֶגְי֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ יְ֝הוָ֗ה צוּרִ֥י וְגֹאֲלִֽי׃ (תהלים יט׃טו) |
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart find favor before You, YHVH, my rock and my redeemer.[82] Psalms 19:15 |
וִיהִ֤י ׀ נֹ֤עַם אֲדֹנָ֥י אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ עָ֫לֵ֥ינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָ֭דֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָ֥ה עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דֵ֗ינוּ כּוֹנְנֵֽהוּ׃ (תהלים צ׃יז) |
“May the favor of the Lord, our God, be upon us, establish the work of our hands for us — yes, establish the work of our hands.“[83] Ps. 90:17. |
Section 4: The Tiqqun of Fruit | |
ושוב אחר העתר עתרת זאת יצלח דברו במעש׳ שפר תקוני הפירות בסדר זה. |
Now, after offering this prayer, one’s word can prosper through the ritual tiqqun of fruit according to the following seder. |
חטה יעשה ממנו תבשיל או יביא פת הבאה בכסנין לאחר הסעודה ויהגה בזוהר פרש׳ בלק דף קפ״ח ע״ב פתח ואמר והיה באכלכם מלחם הארץ וכולי עד אתתקפנא במנן וצנה לאגנא ויברך כל א׳ עלין. |
Wheat: Make from it some kind of pastry or dessert and reflect on Zohar, vol. 3, 188b. Then everyone should say the blessing, “borei minei mezonot.” |
זית יהגה בזוהר פר׳ פנחס דף דמ״ז ע״א בלולה בשמן כתית וכו׳ ור״מ שם עד ד׳ אנפי אדם. ויברך עליו א׳ מהמסובין הוא לבדו. ויכוין בצירוף יּהוֹה פשוטה. |
Olive: Reflect on Zohar, vol. 3, 247a and also on the Ra’aya Mehemna there. Then one of those present should say the blessing, “borei pri ha-éts.” The kavvanah is simply YHVH. |
תמרים יהגה בזוהר ויקרא דף י”ו ע”א ר׳ אבא הוה יתיב קמיה דר״ש וכו׳ עד צורי ולא עולתה בו. ויברך עליו אחר מן [המסובין שלא אכל מן הראשו׳ וכן על זה הדרך יעשו בשאר הפירות] כדי לברך ויכוין בצירוף יּהֹהֹּוֹ בכולן. |
Dates: Reflect on Zohar, vol. 3, 17a. Afterwards, one of those present who did not already eat from the previously blessed fruit says the blessing with the kavvanah, YHHV.[84] The twelve permutations of YHVH serve as kavvanot for the first twelve fruits that are blessed. Similarly, one person who has yet to partake says the blessing for each of the remaining fruits. |
גפן יהגה בזוהר פ׳ וישב דף קצ״ב ע״א ובגפן ג׳ שריגים וכו׳ עד בדרגין שלימין כדקא יאות ובפרשת נשא דף קכ״ז מיין ושכר יזיר ויברך אחר בענבים ויכוין צירוף יֹּוֹהֹּהּ וישתו יין כוס כולו לבן ויכוונו בשם ע״ב יּוֹ״ד ֹהֹּ״יּ וֹיּ״וֹ ה״יּ. |
Grapes: Reflect on Zohar, vol. 1, 192a and vol. 3, 127. Then one says the blessing for the grapes,”borei peri ha-gafen,” with the kavvanah, YVHH. Then everyone drinks a cup of entirely white wine with the kavvanah of the Name of 72.[85] I.e., the Name, YHVH, spelled YVD HY VYVHY. which equals 72. This Name is associated with the World of Emanation. |
תאנה לא נמצא רמז סודו בזוהר ולמביני מדע נקל להשכיל סודה כי היא במלכת בקבלת׳ ג׳ מילואי אהי״ה גימטריא תנ״ה. וגם הבינה נקרא׳ תאנה נוצר תאנה זה משה שזכה לבינה במ״ש הרב זלה״ה ויכוין צירוף ֹהֹּוֹֹהֹּ״יּ ויהגה במשנה פרק ב׳ דמעשרות. |
Figs: Reflect on Mishnah, Ma’asarot, chapter 2. The kavvanah is HVHY.[86] The Hemdat Yamim claims that the secret to which figs allude is not to be found in the Zohar. However, it associates the fig with both Malkhut and Binah. It also observes that the Hebrew for fig, te’enah equals three spellings of the Name, EHYH, plus one lor the word itself. The three spellings (milu’im) are ALF HY YVD HY (161), ALF HH YVD HH (151), ALP HA YVD HA (143). For a fuller explanation of the implications, see Ya’qov Zevi Yolles, Qehilat Ya’aqov, q.v. te’enah. |
רמון יהגה בתקונים ריש תקון כ״ד עד בלבושין שפירין. ויכוין צירוף ֹהֹּוֹיּ״ֹהֹּ. |
Pomegranate: Reflect on Tiqqunei Zohar, beginning of tiqqun 24. The kavvanah is HVYH. |
אתרוג יהגה (בזוהר פרי משפטים) דף ק״ך ע״ב פקודא בתר דא להביא בכורים וכו׳ עד הלב רואה ויכוין צירוף ֹהֹֹּהֹּ״יּוֹ . |
Etrog: Reflect on Zohar, vol. 2, 120b. The kavvanah is HHYV. |
תפוח יהגה בזוהר פרשת אחרי מות דף ע״ד ע״א רבי חייא פתח כתפוח וכולי והא אתמר ובפרשת האזינו דף רפ״ו ע״ב רבי יצחק פתח וכולי ער דאתכלילת בשושנים וכאן ישתו כולן כוס יין מעט אדום ורובו לכן ויכוונו לשם ס״ג יּוֹ״ד ה״י וֹא״וֹ ֹהֹּ״יּ ויכוין צירוף וֹֺהֹּיּ״ֹהּ. |
Apple: Reflect on Zohar, vol. 3, 74a and 286b. The kavvanah is VHYH. Here everyone should drink a cup of wine that is mostly white with a little red in it. Their kavvanah is the Name of 63.[87] The name of 63 is YHVH spelled YVD HY VAV HY. This Name is associated with the World of Creation. |
אגוז יהגה בזוהר פרשת אלה שמות דף ט״ו ע״ב אמר לה רבי עקיבא מהו דכתיב אל גנת אגוז ירדתי וכולי עד וקראן בשמהן. צירוף וֹֺהֹּהֹּ״יּ. |
Walnut: Reflect on Zohar, vol. 2, 15b. The kavvanah is VHHY. |
לוזים אז שקרים או ערמונים יהגה בסתרי תורה פרשת ויצא דף קס״א ע״ב ויקח לו מקל לבנה לח ולוז וערמון וכולי עד שלים בכולא ויכוין בצירוף וֹיֹּהֹּהֹּ. |
Chestnuts, Almonds or Hazelnuts: Reflect on Zohar, vol. 1, 161b, Secrets of the Torah. The kavvanah is VYHH. |
חרובין יחגה בר״מ פרשת פנחס דף ר״ו ע״ב קם בוצינא קדישא עד ה׳ ימלוך ויכוין בצירוף ֹהֹֺּהֹּוֹיּ. |
Carobs: Reflect on Zohar, vol. 3, 216b, Ra’aya Mehemna. The kavvanah is HHVY. |
אגסים יהגה במשנה ראשונה מפרק כיצד מברכין ויכוין בסופי תיבות המוצי״א לח״ם מין גימטריא יאהדונ״הי ובמשנה דף ד׳ פ״א דכלאים וישתו כוס יין חציו לבן וחצי אדום ויכוונו בשם מ״ה יּוֹד ֹהֺּא וֹאוֹ הא ויכוין צירוף ֹהֹּיֹּהֹּוֹ. |
Pears: Reflect on the first mishnah of Berakhot, chapter 6.[88] Here the kavvanah is the last letters of ha-motzi’ leheM miN, which equal 91, the sum of the two Names YHVH and ADNY. Also reflect on the fourth mishnah in Klayim, chapter 1. The kavvanah is HYHV. Everyone should now drink a cup of wine that is half white and half red. The kavvanah is the Name of 45.[89] The Name of 45 is YHVH spelled YVD HA VAV HA. This Name is associated with the World of Formation. |
עוזרדין יהגה במשנה ב׳ דפרק כיצד מברכין בירך על פירו׳ האילן בור״א פר״י האדמ״ה ויכוונו בס״ת שם ֹאֹהּיּהּ ומשנה א׳ דפרק א׳ דדמאי ויכוין צירוף ֹהּיּוֹֺהּ. |
Medlar:[90] The fruit’s name in Hebrew is uzerad, a type of crabapple. Reflect on the second mishnah of Berakhot. chapter 6 and the first mishnah of Demai, chapter 1. The kavvanah is HYVH. |
פרישין יהגה במשנה ג׳ על דבר שאין גדולו מן הארץ על הג׳ בינה ו׳ על ה׳ בצים או״מר ויכוונו בשם אהוֹה החתום בר״ת זיוצא מפ׳ א״ת׳ השמים ואת׳ הארץ ובמשנה ג׳ דפר׳ א׳ דמעשרות |
Quince: Reflect on the third mishnah of Berakhot, chapter 6 and the third mishnah of Ma’aserot, chapter 1. The kavvanah is AHVH. |
גודגוניות יהגה במשנה ד׳ וה׳ ויכוינו בשם ע״ב בר״ת בי״רך ע״ל היין. |
Hackberry: Reflect on the fourth and fifth mishnayot of Berakhot, chapter 6. The kavvanah is the name of 72. |
סופאייפה יהגה במשנה ו׳ ויכוונו בס״ת ב״א לה״ם יי״ן גימטריא יאהדונה״י |
Jujube: Reflect on the sixth mishnah of Berakhot, chapter 6. The kavvanah is YAHDVNHY. |
בטנים יהגה במשנה ז׳ הביאו לפניו מליח וכו׳ מברך על ה״עקר ו״פוטר א״ת ה״טפילה ויכוין בש׳ אהוֹה. |
Pistachio: Reflect on the seventh mishnah of Berakhot, chapter 6. The kavvanah is AHVH. |
גינדאש יהגה במשנה ח׳ אכל תאנים וענבי׳ רבי טרפון אומ׳ בו׳ רא נ״פשות ר״ת גי׳ שם יו״ד ה׳ה ו״ו ה״ה. |
Cherry: Reflect on the eighth mishnah of Berakhot, chapter 6. The kavvanah is the Name of 52.[91] The Name of 52 is YHVH spelled YVD HH VV HH. This Name is associated with the World of Making. |
נישפולא״ש יהגה במשנה ראשונה מפרק שלשה שאכלו חייבין ל׳זמן א״כל ר״ת א״ל . |
Nishpolas: Reflect on the first mishnah of Berakhot, chapter 3. The kavvanah is EL. |
תורמוסים יגמור כל הפר׳ ויכון במשנ׳ ג׳ ברבו׳ אומ׳ א״להי ה״צבאו׳ י״ושב״ה״ כרובים ר״ת שם אהיּ״ה ומשנה ד׳ שלשה שאכלו כא״חד אינ״ם רשאי״ יכוונו בשם אדנ״י ובמשנה ה׳ ב׳ חבורו׳ שהיו אוכלות כאחת ה״רי א״לו מ״צטרפין ל״זמון יכוונו שם אל״הי׳ ואמשנה א׳ מפרק אלו דברים וכו׳ |
Lupine: Finish all of chapter 7 in Mishnah, Berakhot. |
ואחר כך מברך על היין ו״בית ה״לל א״ומרים יכוונו שם אֹהֹּוֹֺהֹּ ואח״כ ישתו כוס יין אדום במעט יין לבן ויכוונו לשם ב״ן יו׳ד ה״ה ו״ו ה״ה. |
Afterwards, everyone should drink a cup of red wine with a little bit of white wine in it. The kavvanah is the Name of 52. |
ובמקום שמצויות כל השלשים פירו׳ שהובאו למעלה ששורשם בעולמות בי״ע מצוה לחזר עליה׳ כי כל המרבה הרי זה משובח ובמקומות שאין מצויו׳ כ״כ לא יפחות מי״ב מיני פירות לעומת פירות האילן העליון אילנא דחיי דאתתקן אילנא קדישא בתריסרו תחומין סוד י״ב צירופ׳ הוי״ה ויכוין בכל אחד מהן בצירוף אחד |
Wherever all thirty of the fruits mentioned above, whose roots are in the worlds of Creation, Formation, and Making, can be found, it is a mitsvah to obtain them. For whoever does much is surely worthy of praise. However, wherever they are not all available, there should be no less than twelve types of fruit, corresponding to the fruit of the supernal tree, the Tree of Life. It is established as a Holy Tree in twelve directions, the secret of the twelve permutations of the Name, YHVH. For each of these the kavvanah should be one of the twelve permutations, according to the order mentioned above . . . . |
תם ונשלם סדר ט׳ו בשבט |
Shomrei Adamah (Keepers of the Earth, the first national Jewish environmental organization) employed Miles Krassen to translate the Pri Ets Hadar into English in 1989. Pri Ets Hadar was an important source inspiring The New Year for Trees, the first eco-conscious Tu biShvat seder haggadah (Ellen Bernstein for Shomrei Adamah 1988). Excerpts from Pri Ets Hadar were subsequently woven into “The Trees Are Davening,” a contemporary Tu biShvat Haggadah (1991) by Barak Gale and Ami Goodman. The source text of the Pri Ets Hadar used for the translation is found in the Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim. Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim, Ḥelek Sheni, third chapter of the section “Shovavim,” Izmir: 1731, page 109a. For more on the controversies surrounding Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim, see here.
Transcription Source
Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim, Ḥelek Sheni, third chapter of the section “Shovavim,” Yaakov Algazi, Izmir: 1731. (Venice ed. 1763.)
Notes
| 1 | See Friedberg, Beyt ‘Eqed Sefarim, vol. 3, p.851, no.777. |
|---|---|
| 2 | The six weeks during which the first six portions of the book of Exodus are read are considered a period of repentance. This is suggested by the fact that the first letter of the Hebrew name for each of these six portions spells shovavim, “wayward,” which alludes to the verse, “Return wayward children.” (Jer. 3:14). |
| 3 | According to Zoharic Kabbalah, earthly arts that are performed with theurgic intention may positively affect the ten inner aspects of the Godhead called sefirot. In this case, the religious acts concerning fruit that are performed on the 15th of Shevat are said to effect the ninth sefirah, Yesod, or “foundation.” The sefirah represents the male generative principle within the divine world called Tsaddiq, or “righteous one.” The sefirah is often anthropomorphically represented as a phallus. |
| 4 | Zohar. v. 1. 33a. Also see Zohar v.3. p.87a. The meaning is that the production of fruit depends on the union of both male and female elements. Although the female tree bears the fruit, it depends on the male for fertilization. |
| 5 | Gen 1:11 |
| 6 | I.e., the tenth sefirah, Malkhut, which is female. |
| 7 | I.e., the ninth sefirah, Yesod, the male. |
| 8 | Tamim in Hebrew. |
| 9 | The term tiqqun has two primary connotations. First, it refers to an act of rectification in which some aspect of the damaged cosmos is restored to its desired state. However, it may also mean an act of preparation in which [a] specific cosmic aspect is made ready for some subsequent development or process. In either case, the implication here is that the custom of celebrating the 15th of Shvat through eating and praising fruit has a powerful theurgic effect. The male and female sefirot, Yesod and Malkhut, that are responsible for releasing divine abundance into the world are positively effected. The ultimate desired result is the production of fine etrogim, the pri ets hadar, which are required for the observance of Sukkot, during the following fall. |
| 10 | It rectifies and energizes Yesod above and results in abundance in nature below. |
| 11 | J. Ḳiddushin. 48b. The text in Pri Ets Hadar is garbled here. |
| 12 | Psalms 34:3 |
| 13 | Each year a special Blessing is said whenever a fruit is eaten for the first time. |
| 14 | See B. Berakhot 35b. |
| 15 | I.e., Rabbi Hanina bar Papa in the passage from Berakhot 35b associates enjoying something from this world without a blessing with robbing one’s father and mother. |
| 16 | The mystical or theurgic intention that to contemplated when one uners the blessing. |
| 17 | Jer. 51:44. |
| 18 | Job 20:15. |
| 19 | In the teaching cited from B. Berakhot 35b, the father is identified as the Blessed Holy One and the mother is the Community of Israel. Thus the kabbalistic meaning would seem to allude to sparks pertaining to Tiferet and Malkhut or to the partzufim, Ze’ir ‘Anpin and Nuqba. |
| 20 | Pro. 28:24 |
| 21 | Deut. 8:3. [All use of ‘Lord’ in Rabbi Krassen’s quotations of scripture, have been replaced with ‘YHVH’ unless they translate ‘ADoNaY‘. — Aharon Varady] |
| 22 | The blessing prevents the divine sparks in the food from being appropriated by the evil forces and recycles them to the forces of holiness. |
| 23 | The divine name Elohim appears thirty-two times in the first section of Genesis that details the stages of Creation. The thirty-two teeth which chew the food that has been blessed and return the divine sparks to holiness correspond to these thirty-two divine names. Thus they are alluded to by the ‘mouth of YHVH,’ mentioned in Deut. 8:3. |
| 24 | This is not found in the previous chapter of Hemdat Yamim. Location of this tiqqun would aid in identifying the source of Pri Ets Hadar. |
| 25 | Eccle. 7:14. |
| 26 | I.e., their nature alludes to some characteristic of the divine world of the sefirot. |
| 27 | or, “were all compounded in one compounding.” |
| 28 | Zohar, Shemot, 15b. |
| 29 | I.e., the sefirot. |
| 30 | Song of Songs, 6:11. |
| 31 | The tenth sefirah, Malkhut. It is often called Shekhinah, the divine presence, |
| 32 | The chariot is described in Ezekiel’s vision. It is located under the tenth sefirah. |
| 33 | Zohar, ibid. |
| 34 | Literally, “impurity.” Here, the meaning is “forces of evil,” represented by the qelippot (shells). |
| 35 | The cosmology assumed by the author consists of four worlds that are hierarchically arranged between the divine source, which is completely holy, and the forces of evil, which are completely impure. The thirty species of fruit have their roots in the second, third, and fourth worlds, called Creation, Formation, and Making. They are classified according to the nature of their shells, which symbolize the type of protection required, due to the extent that evil is present in that world. The fruit, which correspond to the World of Creation, have no shells because their roots are so far from the force of evil that no protection is required. |
| 36 | They may be eaten in their entirety. There is no shell or kernel to discard. |
| 37 | Or uzerad, a kind of crabapple, mentioned in the Mishnah, Demai 1:1. |
| 38 | The World of Making is bordered by the realm of evil forces that is characterized by lust or pleasures entirely separated from holiness. |
| 39 | The spiritual battle that must be waged between good and evil, or holiness and impurity, is confronted directly in the World of Making. Consequently, the fruit that correspond to that world require a hard outer shell. The fruit that symbolize the World of Formation have only a hard inner kernel, because that world is not directly assailable by the forces of evil, but may only be penetrated by evil/impurity. |
| 40 | The human soul potentially contains a series of grade or parts that hierarchically correspond to the series of worlds. The lowest grade, nefesh, like the World of Making, is directly assailable by the forces of evil. |
| 41 | Literally, “of all refuse.” |
| 42 | It bears no edible fruit. Thus it contains no divine sparks. |
| 43 | Eccle. 5:7. |
| 44 | I.e., they were alluding to the sefirah, Tiferet, which is symbolized by the “Tree of Life.” |
| 45 | The letters that spell ilan have the numerical value of 91. This equals the value of the sum of the two divine names, YHVH and ADoNaY. The combination of these two names, YAHD-VNHY represents the union of the sefirot, Tiferet, and Malkhut, respectively, i.e., the sacred union of the male and female principle within the Godhead. |
| 46 | Zohar, v. 3, 58a. |
| 47 | When ilan is spelled ALP YVD LMD NVN, it equals 311 plus one for the word itself, total 312. Twelve permutations of YHVH equal 312. |
| 48 | Zohar, vol. 2, 66b. |
| 49 | Exod. 15:27. |
| 50 | Zohar, vol. 2, 62b. |
| 51 | Ps. 90:17. |
| 52 | A pun on Eccle. 1:15: “That which is crooked cannot be made straight (me’uvat lo yukhat litkon).” |
| 53 | Although various forms of male sexual incontinence may be alluded to here, it is possible that the author has masturbation specifically in mind. The Zohar views ejaculation that does not occur during “normal” intercourse with women as an especially serious sin that cannot be rectified. If this is indeed the meaning, Pri Ets Hadar would have to be considered an earlier tiqqun for shikvat zera le-vatalah than the Tiqqun ha-Kelali of Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav. See Yehuda Lieves, “Ha-Tiqqun Ha-Kelali of R’ Nahman of Bratslav and Its Sabbatian Links,” in Studies in Jewish Myth and Jewish Messianism (SUNY, 1993), pp. 115-50. |
| 54 | Literally, “his wound.” |
| 55 | See above. Sexual irregularities, the “flaw of the covenant,” have a negative effect on the ninth sefirah, Yesod, the Tsaddiq, which represents the divine phallus. Since the 15th of Shvat tiqqun affects this sefirah and deals with supernal potency, it can also correct the damage caused in that region by aberrant sexuality. It is interesting to note the implied magical relationship between human sexuality and fecundity of nature. Male irregularities in this area damage the divine quality that is ultimately responsible for the quality of the year’s fruit. |
| 56 | See note on shovavim, above. |
| 57 | Ps. 104:24. |
| 58 | Exodus 36:18, a reference to building the mishkan in the midbar (wilderness), implying that the whole Creation is a mishkan or holy sanctuary for divinity. David Seidenberg, Kabbalah and Ecology: God’s Image in the More-Than-Human World (Cambridge 2015), pp.212-213. |
| 59 | Paraphrase of Ps. 107:37. |
| 60 | Gen. 1:11. |
| 61 | Ps. 104:13. |
| 62 | Paraphrase of Jer. 2:7. |
| 63 | Hosea 14:9. |
| 64 | Ezek. 47:12. |
| 65 | Song of Songs 8:11. |
| 66 | Gen. 1:11. |
| 67 | Gen. 2:9. |
| 68 | The words “יתעוררו שרפיהן” were not included in the versiont that Miles Krassen translated. (Our girsah is a derivative of the 1731 Vienna printing of Pri Ets Hadar in Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim.) Many thanks to R’ David Seidenberg for noting the variation in this girsah. He further writes, “שרף pronounced saraf means angel, while s’raf sap — in the case of sap it is cognate to syrup — and so the Hebrew could mean either one (knowing the style of the author, it probably is intended to mean both).” |
| 69 | Mal. 3:11. [‘YHVH Tsevaot‘ here replaces Rabbi Krassen’s translation ‘Lord of Hosts’. — Aharon Varady] |
| 70 | Ps. 21:7. |
| 71 | Lev. 26:4. |
| 72 | Ps. 133:3. |
| 73 | Cf. Shabbat 28a, where it describes the tachash — the animals whose skins were used to make the tabernacle/ohel of the mishkan. Here again, the author equates Creation with the mishkan, and the rainbow becomes the covering of the sacred ohel or sanctuary that is the Earth. –Rabbi David Seidenberg |
| 74 | Gen. 49:24. |
| 75 | Ps. 5:13. |
| 76 | Job 20:15. |
| 77 | Isa. 55:13. |
| 78 | Ps. 72:16. |
| 79 | Ps. 96:12. |
| 80 | Deut. 26:2. |
| 81 | Isa. 35:1-2. |
| 82 | Psalms 19:15 |
| 83 | Ps. 90:17. |
| 84 | The twelve permutations of YHVH serve as kavvanot for the first twelve fruits that are blessed. |
| 85 | I.e., the Name, YHVH, spelled YVD HY VYVHY. which equals 72. This Name is associated with the World of Emanation. |
| 86 | The Hemdat Yamim claims that the secret to which figs allude is not to be found in the Zohar. However, it associates the fig with both Malkhut and Binah. It also observes that the Hebrew for fig, te’enah equals three spellings of the Name, EHYH, plus one lor the word itself. The three spellings (milu’im) are ALF HY YVD HY (161), ALF HH YVD HH (151), ALP HA YVD HA (143). For a fuller explanation of the implications, see Ya’qov Zevi Yolles, Qehilat Ya’aqov, q.v. te’enah. |
| 87 | The name of 63 is YHVH spelled YVD HY VAV HY. This Name is associated with the World of Creation. |
| 88 | Here the kavvanah is the last letters of ha-motzi’ leheM miN, which equal 91, the sum of the two Names YHVH and ADNY. |
| 89 | The Name of 45 is YHVH spelled YVD HA VAV HA. This Name is associated with the World of Formation. |
| 90 | The fruit’s name in Hebrew is uzerad, a type of crabapple. |
| 91 | The Name of 52 is YHVH spelled YVD HH VV HH. This Name is associated with the World of Making. |
“📖 פְּרִי עֵץ הֲדַר | Pri Ets Hadar (Fruit of the Majestic Tree), the original seder for Tu biShvat (School of Rabbi Yitsḥak Luria, circa 17th century)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Miles Krassen
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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17
Thank you for your scholarship and heartfelt efforts to share the Pri Eytz Hadar with the community. Chag Sameach!
You’re very welcome, Lauren. It was my pleasure developing this work and integrating the efforts of Rabbi Krassen and our other transcription volunteers in making the Pri Ets Hadar available in a new free-culture licensed digital edition.
Should, in the first box, איבין מחילא דהאי צריך read איבין מחילא דהאי צדיק (tzaddiq, not tzarikh)?
Thank you, Jonah!
Also: יחיה הא דם should be יחיה האדם–just two words. I should say that this is a beautiful translation and commentary. Thank you for posting this! I’m happy to help with noting other Hebrew elements…
Thank you, Jonah! We’re looking for help translating the remaining paragraphs if you’re interested.
נישפולא״ש is also known as loquat.
Nishpolas: first mishnah of Berakhot, chapter 7. The hebrew says chapter 3.
Thanks Max. Corrected.
[…] printed in the 18th (check out my friend Aharon’s historical and liturgical background info here) and adapted, altered, and personalized by countless communities and individuals since, the basic […]
[…] seder appeared in the 17th century. The Kabbalists, or Jewish mystics, created a pamphlet called Pri Etz Hadar (The Fruit of the Majestic Tree), with prayers and meanings that followed the structure of a […]
[…] to confound Hebrew School students for generations to come. You can read a translation of their original text, known as Pri Eitz Hadar, online courtesy of the Open Siddur […]
[…] of the goodly tree” (a.k.a. etrogim) which were so central to our celebration of Sukkot. Pri Etz Hadar is also the name of the first haggadah for the Tu BiShvat seder, published in […]
[…] first Tu B’Shevat Haggadah was called “Pri Etz Hadar” or “Fruit of the Goodly Tree” in Hebrew. It was published in 1753. This Tu B’Shevat Seder was modeled on the Passover […]
[…] of this tradition we received the seder for this holiday, as documented in the “The Pri Etz Hadar: Fruit of the Majestic Tree seder for Tu biShvat by Rabbi Natan Binyamin Ghazzati …,” a deeply mystical text intended to help people take a spiritual accounting of their growth and […]
[…] Tree) — can be found in a kabbalistic text, first published as a pamphlet in Venice in 1728.[88] Written by an unknown author, Pri Etz Hadar was included in the Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim by R’ […]
Celebrating Tu B’shvat in Israel seemed always very natural. On the hills leading to Jerusalem almond trees were already blooming in pink and white, the kids planted trees, and everyone snacked on bountiful dried fruit and nuts.
We cannot plant trees in Israel when we’re here (although many of you, I’m sure, got at least once in your life a certificate promising that someone planted a tree in Israel in your name), and we cannot watch the beautiful almond trees in bloom. But we can enjoy the fruits (at least the dry ones) and nuts from Israel.
That’s the idea the Kabbalists of Safed had when they came up with the Tu B’shvat seder. In the 16th century, the Kabbalists wished to renew celebration of this forgotten holiday and in their book Chemdat Yamim (and later in a separate book Pri Etz-Hadar) they described a ceremonial meal, very close to the Passover seder, to mark the holiday of Tu B’shvat. From Safed the Tu B’shvat seder spread through Jewish communities in eastern countries around Israel and all the way to the Ashkenazi communities in Europe.
And what an extravagant seder this was! No less than 30 fruits, nuts and grains are recommended to be included on the Seder table – fruits with peels and fruits with edible seeds, fruits with pits and without. The Seder specifically calls for presenting the seven species of the land of Israel, wheat, barley, grapes, olives, date, fig and pomegranate, as well as pears, walnuts and almonds, carob, citron (Etrog in Hebrew), quince and more. The seder included prayers and reading from the bible, and many communities even had their own poems praising the land and its goods.
Fresh dates at Shuk Machine Yehuda
“If you were a real Guttman”, mumbled my husband behind his laptop “You would simply put a bowl of nuts on the tables and everyone would take a couple after dinner. That’s how we used to do it in my house”
I have to ignore him sometimes in order to keep this family attached to its roots.
One of the most inventive parts of the Tu B’shvat seder is drinking four glasses of wine (indeed, inspired by Passover). Only this time each glass symbolizes a season of the year.
A glass of white wine reminds us of the fall, when nature is asleep. A second glass of white wine with just a little red wine mixed into it is dedicated to the winter, when the first signs of bloom already appear. A third glass of half red half white reminds us of the spring, when nature awakes and the bloom is at its peak. And a full glass of red wine for summer.
“So you want to mix red and white wines and drink it”, asked the wine expert at my local liquor store.
“You will basically take red wine and pour white wine into it” He added after a long silence, hoping he might have heard wrong.
“It’s a Jewish tradition” I explained.
“And you’ll be drinking the red and white wines together?” He asked again. We agreed on Rosé and I left the store happy.
To practice the seder at home you can follow one of the many adaptations available online – such as this one from the Reform Judaism website. You can also find the full text of original Seder, from Uri Etz-Hadar book in here.
Dried fruit at Shuk Machne Yehuda
You’re also allowed to come up with your own seder tradition, as many organizations have done. Gather the seven species of land of Israel, or many more, fresh and dried, as available this time of the year: fresh pomegranate and grapes and dried figs, dates, pickled olives and cakes or bread from wheat and barley. Sing all the songs you remember about trees and fruits and mother nature. Find verses from the bible that include those species. Drink 4 glasses of wine and have your kids drink red and wine grape juice.
But the best thing about Tu B’shvat are the dishes associated with it. I’m going to serve Moroccan sweet couscous with chicken and dried fruit; rolled farina cookies with dates and nuts; and a large bowl of dried fruit and nuts to make my husband happy.
[…] Pri Ets Hadar, the original Tu biShvat Haggadah, circa 1728 (Open Siddur Project) […]