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This prayer, and the seder for Tu biShvat, are based on the Kabbalah of the four worlds and the ancient idea that everything physical is an image of the spiritual. Traditionally this prayer was recited at the beginning of the seder, but it can also be recited at the end. Bracketed words are added; words in parentheses are alternative readings or Hebrew. For seders taking place on some other day of Sh’vat, look for the * (asterisk) and change “And this day…” to “And this moon (i.e. month)…”
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
אָנָּא הָאֵל, העוֹשֶׂה וְהַיּוֹצֵר וְהַבּוֹרֵא וְהַמַּאֲצִיל עוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים, וּבְצוּרָתָם וּבְצִבְיוֹנָם בָּראתָ דוּגְמָתָן עַל הָאָרֶץ מִתַּחַת, |
Please God, who makes (ha’oseh העושה), and forms (hayotser היוצר), and creates (haborei הבורא), and emanates (hama’atsil המאציל) the higher worlds, and in whose form and pattern you created their model on the earth below — |
כּוּלָם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ׃ עֶלְיוֹנִים לְמַעְלָה וְתַחְתּוֹנִים לְמַטָּה, ”לְחַבֵּר אֶת הָאוֹהֶל לִהְיוֹת אֶחָד,“ (שמות לו:יח) |
You made all of them with wisdom, higher above and lower below, “to join [together] the tent to become one” (l’ḥaber et ha’ohel lihyot eḥad לחבר את האהל להיות אחד).[1] See Exodus 36:18 and the ספר הפליאה: ד”ה ויקרא אלהים לאור יום. |
וְאִילָנִין וּדְשָׁאִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה הִצְמַחְתָּ, בְּקוֹמָתָם וּבְצִבְיוֹנָם שֶׁל מַעְלָה, לְהוֹדִיעַ לִבְנֵי אָדָם חָכְמָה וּתְבוּנָה בָּהֵמָּה, לְהַשִּׂיג בַּנֶּעְלָמִים, |
And You made trees and grasses bloom from the ground in the shape and pattern of what is above, to make known to the children of Adam the wisdom and discernment in them, to reach what is hidden; |
וּפָקַדְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּמִשְׁמֶרֶת מַלְאָכֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִים הַמְּמוּנִּים וְהַמּוּשְׁטָרִים לְהַגְדִּילָם וּלְהַצְמִיחָן וְעָלֵימוֹ תִיטּוֹף שֶׁפַע וְכֹחַ מִדוֹתֶיךָ הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת, “…וַ֝יַּעֲשׂ֗וּ פְּרִ֣י תְבֽוּאָה” (תהלים קז:לז) וכל “…עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ…” (בראשית א:יא), ו”מִפְּרִ֥י מַ֝עֲשֶׂ֗יךָ תִּשְׂבַּ֥ע הָאָֽרֶץ“ (תהלים קד:יג), לֶאֱכוֹל מִפִּרְיָהּ וְלִשְׂבּועַ מִטּוּבָה. לְהַחֲיוֹת בָּהֶם נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חַי מִן הַכֹּחַ הָרוּחָנִי אֲשֶר בָּהֶן, |
And upon them You will drop the flow and power of Your higher vessels (midotekha מידותיך, i.e. the Sefirot) [as it says]: “And he made the harvest fruit”[2] Psalms 107:37 and “the fruit tree making fruit by its kind”[3] Genesis 1:11 ; “and from the fruit of Your works You will satisfy the land”,[4] Psalms 104:13 “to eat from her fruits and to satisfy from her goodness”[5] From the Brakhah Aḥaronah (blessing after eating fruit), ‘Al Hamikhyah. see Talmud Bavli Berachot 44a. “Abaye asked R. Dimi: What is the one blessing which includes three [blessings]? — He replied: Over fruit of the tree… ; “to give life through them to the soul of all life”[6] From the from the blessing after eating all kinds of food, Borei Nefashot (l’haḥayot bahem nefesh kol ḥai להחיות בהם נפש כל חי), [meaning] from the spiritual strength which is in them; |
מִפְּרִי פִי מַלְאָכֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַנּוֹטְרִים אֶת פִּרְיוֹ וּמִמֶּנוּ פֶרְיְיךָ נִמְצָא, שְׂכַר פְּרִי הַבֶּטֶן לְהַחֲיוֹת וְלָזוּן אֶת הַגּוּף, ”[וְהָיָ֤ה] פִרְיוֹ֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל וְעָלֵ֖הוּ לִתְרוּפָֽה׃“ (יחזקאל מז:יב). | |
וְזֶה הַיּוֹם תְּחִילַּת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ לְהַחְנִיטָהּ וּלְחַדְּשָה, ”…אִ֛ישׁ יָבִ֥א בְּפִרְי֖וֹ…“ (שיר השירים ח:יא) ”…עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי…לְמִינֵהוּ…“ (בראשית א:יב); כִּי כֵן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי הַחֲנוּטִים לְפֵירוֹת הָאִילָן הָעֶלְיוֹן ”…עֵץ (החיים) אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן…“ (בראשית ג:ג), וְעָשָׂה פְּרִי לְמָעְלָה. |
And this day of Tu biShvat (or: this moon of Sh’vat) is the beginning of Your works [from now until Shavuot], to ripen [the fruit] and make her new [so that] “a person will bring his fruit”[9] Song of Songs 8:11 “making fruit by their kinds”[10] See Genesis 1:12. Also see Rashi on Hulin 60a: “באילנות – נאמר למינהו עושה פרי למינו אבל בזרעים לא נאמר בצוואתם למינו אבל ביציאתם נאמר מזריע זרע למינהו.“ ; for thus the days of ripening for the higher tree will be fulfilled, “the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden,”[11] Genesis 3:3 and “he will make fruit above”.[12] Isaiah 37:31 |
וִיהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁבְּכֹחַ סְגוּלַּת אֲכִילַת הַפֵּירוֹת שֶׁנֹּאכַל וּנְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶן עַתָּה וַאֲשֶׁר נֶהָגֶה בְּסוֹד שׁוֹרְשֵהֶן יתְעוֹרְרוּ 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 willed by You, our God and God of our ancestors, by the power of the merit of eating the fruit which we now eat and bless, and our meditating upon the secret of their roots above upon which they hang (depend), their supernal sap will be aroused,[13] Our girsah is a derivative of the 1731 Vienna printing of Pri Ets Hadar in Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim.) 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 You will make the flow of desire and blessing and free energy (shefa, שֶׁפָע) flow over them, to return again to make them grow and bloom, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year, for good and for blessing, for good life and for peace. |
וְקיֵּים לָנוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר שֶהִבְטַחְתָּנוּ עַל יְדֵי מַלְאָכִי חוֹזָךְ: “וְגָעַרְתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ בָּֽאֹכֵ֔ל וְלֹֽא־יַשְׁחִ֥ת לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־פְּרִ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֑ה וְלֹא־תְשַׁכֵּ֨ל לָכֶ֤ם הַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת” (מלאכי ג:יא). |
And may You sustain the word which you promised us by the hands of Malachi your seer: “…and the fruit of the earth will not be destroyed for/because of you, and no vine in the field will be barren for you, said YHVH of hosts.”[14] Malachi 3:11 |
”הַשְׁקִיפָה֩ מִמְּע֨וֹן קָדְשְׁךָ֜ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם…” (דברים כו:טו), בָרֵךְ עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַשָׁנָה הַזֹּאת לְטוֹבָה וְלִבְרָכָה, “…תְשִׁיתֵ֣הוּ בְרָכ֣וֹת לָעַ֑ד תְּחַדֵּ֥הוּ בְ֝שִׂמְחָ֗ה אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ” (תהלים כא:ז), “…וְנָתְנָ֤ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ יְבוּלָ֔הּ וְעֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִתֵּ֥ן פִּרְיֽוֹ” (ויקרא כו:ד), וְעֲלֵיהֶם תָּבֹא בִּרְכַּת טוֹב לְהִתְבָּרֵךְ פֵּירוֹתֶיהָ בְּמֵעֵינוּ אֶחָד הַמַּרְבֶּה וְאֶחָד הַמַּמְעִיט גַּם בְּרָכוֹת יַעְטֶה בִבְרִיאוּת הַגּוּף שָם יְצַוֶּה ה׳ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה חַיִּים עַד הָעוֹלָם. |
“Look out from Your holy habitation (m’on ḳodshekha, מעון קדשך), from the heavens”[15] Deuteronomy 26:15 and bless for us this year for good and for blessing, “let them drink blessings forever, let them celebrate in joy Your presence,”[16] Psalms 21:6 “and [so] the earth will give her produce and the tree of the field his fruit”[17] Leviticus 26:4 – bring on them a blessing of goodness; |
וְעוֹז הֲדַר הַבְּרָכוֹת בַּאֲכִילַת הַפֵּירוֹת יִהְיוּ לִמְאוֹרוֹת בְמַעְיַין הַבְּרָכוֹת צַדִּיק חַי הָעוֹלָמִים וְנִרְאֲתָה הַקֶשֶׁת שָׂשׂ וּמִתְפָּאֵר בְּגוָֺונִים 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 (תהלים ה:יג). |
And may the might and majesty of the blessings for eating the fruits “become lights”[18] Genesis 1:15 in the wellspring of blessings, the Righteous One צדיק [the Cosmic Tree], life of the worlds, and may the [rain]bow appear,[19] Genesis 9:14 joyful and beautified with his colors;[20] 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. and from there may the flow of desire and mercy flow over us, for pardoning and forgiving our sins and errors; and may the Whole (haKol הכל) return now to His/his original strength, and may His/his bow reside in strength” (Gen 49:24), “for You are the one who will bless the Righteous One, YHVH, desire will crown him like a rampart.”[21] Psalms 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, |
And may all the sparks, scattered by our hands, or by the hands of our ancestors, or by the sin of the first human against the fruit of the tree, return now [to be] included in the majestic might of the Tree of Life. |
“אָ֥ז יְרַנְּנ֖וּ עֲצֵ֣י הַיָּ֑עַר…” (דברי הימים א טז׃לג),וְעֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה נָשָׂא עָנָף וְעָשָׂה פֶרִי דְבַר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ, “וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה…” (דברים כו:ב), לְהָבִיא בִּכּוּרִים לִפְנֵי מִזְבֵּחַ ה׳ בְּהַלֵּל וְתוֹדוֹת לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, |
“Then the trees of the forest will sing out”[22] Psalms 96:12 and the tree of the field will raise a branch and make fruit, day by day; “And [then] you will take from the first of all the fruits of the ground [on Shavuot]”[23] Deuteronomy 26:12 to bring the first-fruit offering (bikurim בכורים) before the altar of YHVH”[24] Deuteronomy 26:2,4 with praise and thanks.[25] after Ezra 3:11 |
Rabbi Seidenberg adds:
Here’s an abridged version of the prayer you can easily incorporate into your seder – just copy and paste (or use this PDF):
TOGGLE COLUMNS (on/off):ADJUST COLUMN POSITIONS: select the column header cell and drag it where you want. show me!COPY INDIVIDUAL COLUMN(S): use CopyTables, a browser extension.
Source (Hebrew) Translation (English)
וְאִילָנִין וּדְשָׁאִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה הִצְמַחְתָּ
בְּקוֹמָתָם וּבְצִבְיוֹנָם שֶׁל מַעְלָה.
וְזֶה הַיּרֵחַ תְּחִילַּת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ לְהַחְנִיטָם וּלְחַדְּשָם
כִּי כֵן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי הַחֲנוּטִים לְפֵירוֹת הָאִילָן הָעֶלְיוֹן,
עֵץ הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן.
You made the trees and grasses grow from the ground
in the shape and pattern of these highest worlds.
And this full moon is the beginning of Your work to renew and ripen the fruit trees,
for so will be ripened the fruit of the highest tree,
“the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden.”
שֶׁבְּכֹחַ סְגוּלַּת אֲכִילַת הַפֵּירוֹת שֶׁנֹּאכַל וּנְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶן עַתָּה
וַאֲשֶׁר נֶהָנֶה בְּסוֹד שָׁרְשֵהֶן
יִתְעוֹרֵר לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶן שֶׁפַע רָצוֹן בְּרָכָה וּנְדָבָה,
לְהַגְדִּילָם וּלְהַצְמִיחָם,
לְטוֹבָה וְלִבְרָכָה לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם.
that our eating and blessing these fruits,
and our meditating over their roots above,
will strengthen the flow of love and blessing and free gift over the trees,
to make them grow and bloom,
for good life, for blessing and for peace.
וְנִרְאֲתָה הַקֶשֶׁת שָׂשׂ וּמִתְפָּאֵר בְּגָווֹנִים.
and may the rainbow appear rejoicing and beautiful in its colors.
שֶׁנִּתְפַּזְּרוּ עַל יָדֵינוּ
אוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ
וּבְעָוֹן אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶר חָטָא בְפֵירוֹת הָאִילָן
עַתָּה יָשׁוּבוּ לְהִתְכַּלֵּל בְּעוֹז הֲדַר עֵץ הַחַיִים׃
scattered by our hands,
or by the hands of our ancestors,
or by the sin of the first human against the fruit of the tree,
be restored and included in the majestic might of the Tree of Life.
Rabbi David Seidenberg’s translation and adaptation of the Prayer for the Tu biShvat Seder found in the Pri Ets Hadar (Fruit of the Majestic Tree) the first ever published Tu biShvat Seder (circa 17th century), varies from the version found in Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim, by omitting certain phrases. Compare with the version found in the Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim, here. Rabbi Seidenberg’s translation of the prayer in the Pri Ets Hadar was first posted in 2006 at neohasid.org, here. Some additional thoughts on Pri Ets Hadar by Rabbi Seidenberg can be found here. All footnotes to the Pri Ets Hadar were added by Aharon Varady. This prayer was revised by Rabbi Seidenberg in 2016.
A list of all the Tu biShvat resources on neohasid.org can be found here. This includes a link to download all the versions of the haggadot and the text study sheets in a single file.
Notes
| 1 | See Exodus 36:18 and the ספר הפליאה: ד”ה ויקרא אלהים לאור יום. |
|---|---|
| 2 | Psalms 107:37 |
| 3 | Genesis 1:11 |
| 4 | Psalms 104:13 |
| 5 | From the Brakhah Aḥaronah (blessing after eating fruit), ‘Al Hamikhyah. see Talmud Bavli Berachot 44a. “Abaye asked R. Dimi: What is the one blessing which includes three [blessings]? — He replied: Over fruit of the tree… |
| 6 | From the from the blessing after eating all kinds of food, Borei Nefashot |
| 7 | after Hosea 14:9 |
| 8 | Ezekiel 47:12. cf. Midrash Rabbah on Deuteronomy 1:1 |
| 9 | Song of Songs 8:11 |
| 10 | See Genesis 1:12. Also see Rashi on Hulin 60a: “באילנות – נאמר למינהו עושה פרי למינו אבל בזרעים לא נאמר בצוואתם למינו אבל ביציאתם נאמר מזריע זרע למינהו.“ |
| 11 | Genesis 3:3 |
| 12 | Isaiah 37:31 |
| 13 | Our girsah is a derivative of the 1731 Vienna printing of Pri Ets Hadar in Sefer Ḥemdat Yamim.) 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). |
| 14 | Malachi 3:11 |
| 15 | Deuteronomy 26:15 |
| 16 | Psalms 21:6 |
| 17 | Leviticus 26:4 |
| 18 | Genesis 1:15 |
| 19 | Genesis 9:14 |
| 20 | 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. |
| 21 | Psalms 5:13 |
| 22 | Psalms 96:12 |
| 23 | Deuteronomy 26:12 |
| 24 | Deuteronomy 26:2,4 |
| 25 | after Ezra 3:11 |
“תְּפִילַּת ט״וּ בִּשְׁבָט | The Prayer for Tu biShvat from the Seder Pri Ets Hadar, adapted by Rabbi David Seidenberg (neohasid.org)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
David Seidenberg
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