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Take lessons from trees in these dispiriting times
The news is full of tragedy. Many are hurt economically or by war, or are fearful of the political future. Homelessness, bankruptcies, defaulting bonds and crashing stocks fill our minds.
A spiritual lesson is that "a person is like a tree of the field." When fortune has turned for someone, and they have lost all hope and are despairing, then they should ponder a tree in winter. Its leaves have fallen, its moisture has dried up, it is almost a dead stump in the ground. Then suddenly, it begins to revive and to draw moisture from the earth. Slowly it blossoms, then brings forth fruits. People should learn from this not to despair, but to take hope and have courage, for they, too, are like a tree.
Jan. 22 marked one of the four Jewish new years -- Tu B'Shvat, the New Year for Trees. It celebrates the rebirthing of trees in the midst of winter, the Kabbalistic reawakening of divine energy with God as the tree of life.
This holiday is the first Earth Day. The Talmud declares: "If you have a sapling, and someone says that the Messiah has come, complete the planting, and then go welcome the Messiah."
The idea of the importance of having faith and moving forward, as well as being stewards of the earth, is as old as Judaism itself.
Rabbi Arthur Segal
Hilton Head Island
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