Chamisha Asar B'Shvat: The 15th of Shvat

00:00 The chamed shaser b'Shvat, the fifteenth of Shvat, will discuss a letter that the Rebbe wrote in Tuv Shin Daled, nineteen forty-four, to a person who helped sponsor various aspects of the organization, Mirkes Linyoni Chinuch. The Rebbe elaborates on the different factors of a tree and its lessons. And the Rebbe writes as follows, this is translated in English, "The new year of the trees has its own customs which our rabbis associate with the phrase, 'Is man a tree of the field?' Because a tree metaphor is so fundamental to our divine service, we celebrate the new year of the trees. A tree may be divided into three parts. One, the roots. Two, the trunk, branches, and leaves. And three, the fruit. Though the roots of a tree are not visible, they serve two vital functions. They support the tree, enabling it to withstand strong winds, and they deliver most of its nourishment. The trunk, branches, and leaves constitute the bulk of the tree's body, reflect its growth, and make the tree attractive to the onlooker, but they are not its ultimate purpose. It is the fruit that benefits others and contains the seeds which bear the species' promise for posterity. These components of the tree symbolize aspects of our personalities. The roots represent faith, the spiritual quality which connects man to Hashem, the source of his nourishment. As a person develops spiritually, he learns to rely on his strong foundations of faith for support. The trunk, branches, and leaves represent our study of Torah, observance of the

02:12 mitzvahs, and the expression of Jewish values in our daily conduct. These enable a person to develop himself, and they generate an inner beauty which makes him attractive to others. The ultimate fulfillment of a person, however, is his fruits. These are his involvements, first with his own family, the seeds he has planted, but also with people around him. Through his efforts to become involved with others, one tree can bring another into being. For example, a person might inspire a colleague to emulate his example and establish a foundation of faith, grow in the study of Torah and observance of mitzvahs, and ultimately take his turn at reaching out to others with sincere concern. Men and trees are linked by more than merely structural parallels. The Hebrew word describing the plant kingdom, tzemach, also means growth. On one hand, this name reflects a deficiency. It is given to the plant kingdom because growth is one of the few signs of life that plants exhibit. On the other hand, there is something unique about the growth of plants. As opposed to animals or humans whose physical growth ceases at a particular age, plants continually grow. Their life and growth are intrinsically related. This is particularly true of trees which rise heavenward to great heights. This should likewise be true of us. Though our physical growth may cease, we should strive to continue growing intellectually and spiritually, never ceasing to develop. Though a plant continually grows upwards, in contrast to animals and humans which move freely, it must remain firmly

04:18 rooted in its source of nourishment, the earth. As a Jew is continually growing, he too must remain connected to his roots, his Torah heritage. Most people need to spend most of their time in occupations and concerns that are beyond the immediate sphere of Torah. Under these circumstances, we can only flourish if our faith keeps us firmly rooted to our Torah heritage." The hemsek to the earlier installment, Benigiet HaChamisha Asar B'Shvat, we're continuing now with installment number two, discussing various sichas where the Rebbe elaborates on the contents and the concept of Chamisha Asar B'Shvat. In a sicha, Chamisha Asar B'Shvat, Tuv Shin Lamed He, nineteen seventy-five, the Rebbe states that also Chamisha Asar B'Shvat is a day which pertains to Minag Yisroel or Jewish custom. Till even the Alter Rebbe mentions in his siddur the Minag of Svardim that we do not say Tachnan on this day. And this also includes and begins from the Mincha prior to the day, the Mincha of the earlier day that we do not say Tachnan. A Minag Yisroel Torah he, therefore this becomes a part of Torah. In another sicha, the Rebbe mentions that in many communities there's a special order of prayers for Chamisha Asar B'Shvat, especially Vayachenu Bnei Yisroel HaSvardim. Chabad has not adopted this custom, but these and those are the living words of Hashem, referring to the Maimon Chazal, In Chabad, it is customary to say over the teachings of our revered Rabbayim, or at least to s- learn something special in the written and

06:25 the oral Torah. The Rebbe continues, there is also the custom on Chamishas HaShvat of eating the fruits of trees, which we find by the Sefardim and Ashkenazim, a minim poshet. This is quite astonishing, for the fruits are far from in season. Fruit takes a long time to ripen. Wheat, as the Gemara states, takes fifty-two days, while the date palm, compared to a man in the service of Hashem, Tzaddik HaTamir Yifrach takes seventy years from planting to fruit time, as in the well-known story of China Magal. Why then do we eat the fruits now before their season has come? So the Rebbe explains, the answer is that on this day of Chamishas HaShvat, we really do have the whole perfection of the tree's yearly cycle in potential. It may take time and care to realize that potential, f-fifty-two days for a grain of wheat, seventy years for a date palm, but the potential is here now. The Rebbe derives from this a lesson that therefore, as soon as the sap begins to flow in the tree, a person is reminded about all that lies ahead and shown the wonderful fruits his labors will bear if he will carry out faithfully all that is incumbent upon him. The Rebbe focuses on the custom which consists of eating fruit, especially fruit which Eretz Yisroel was praised with. So the Rebbe says this shows even a greater unique quality and connects the Chamishas HaShvat with a ma'aseh b'pe'al in our days. In the time of the Beis Hamikdash, there

08:31 were four Rosh Chodeshes. Now the Rebbe says, davka the ingan of Chamishas HaShvat, which is in the middle of the month, not like Rosh Chodesh of Nisan, and not like Rosh Chodesh of Tishrei, which is Rosh Chodesh, which then there are many inyanim related not exclusively with a custom. But Chamishas HaShvat, as the halacha is that this is the new year for trees, is davka in middle of the month. And al derech harogal, it doesn't generally fall out on Shabbos, and still there are customs connected with this day. So the Rebbe brings out the unique quality of a custom. And as we see also that if Chamishas HaShvat is, as discussed in Chassidus, the unique quality of a minhag regarding inyanim of halacha, in regards to hakafes, et cetera. In another sikha, the Rebbe discusses the minhag Yisroel of eating the fruit. So bemeila this also adds merits and ma'asim tevim, good deeds, with the inyan of birchas hapeiros, making blessings on fruit which are good words. And together with that also the meaning of the words of the beracha and the kavana while eating the, the fruits, which they are good thoughts. The melech of all this brings us closer to the geulah, as the Rambam says that through one deed or word or thought, a person can accomplish a yeshua and atsala for the whole Jewish nation and for the whole world. In Tafshin Mem Beis nineteen eighty-two, the Rebbe said, "Especially it is a known custom that on the fifteenth of Shvat,

10:36 school ends earlier than usual and gatherings are held for children where fruit with which Eretz Yisroel is praised is given to them, so that with the blessings said on these fruits their connection with Eretz Yisroel is strengthened." Behemshech to the early installments, B'neguer to Chamishas Ar-B'shvat, we're continuing now with installment number three, discussing the various fabrengens of the Rebbe on Chamishas HaShvat, also when it fell out in the weekdays. Tafshin Lamed Alef nineteen seventy-one marked the beginning of an era by the Rebbe that he began fabrenging in middle of the week on Chamishas HaShvat, amongst other dates that the Rebbe chose to fabreng in middle of the week when he returned from the ayol. Tafshin Lamed Beis nineteen seventy-two was likewise, and then the Rebbe continued in the following years, Tafshin Lamed Daled and Tafshin Lamed He, nineteen seventy-four, nineteen seventy-five, Tafshin Lamed Zayin, Lamed Ches, and Lamed Tes, nineteen seventy-seven, nineteen seventy-eight, and nineteen seventy-nine, Tafshin Mem Alef, Tafshin Mem Beis, and Tafshin Daled Mem, nineteen eighty-one, nineteen eighty-two, and nineteen eighty-four. In 1982, the Rebbe at the Farbrengen stressed the Chidush, that it's something different in making a Farbrengen on Chamishas HaBeshavat. And the Rebbe said as follows, that although a Farbrengen Chamishas HaBeshavat was not customary in the Kviyus as other Farbrengens that take place in designated times, but it is Yodu unknown where it says in Shulchan Aruch that when a person conducted himself with a Min HaK'tev, with a good custom three times, he already cannot change it, it's considered

12:54 a vow. In Tafshin Mem Hei and Tafshin Mem Ches, the Rebbe Farbrenged 1985 and 1988. It was after Chavvei Shvat that the Farbrengens in the middle of the week stopped. So in Tafshin Mem Tes, the 1989, Chamishas HaBeshavat was Shabbos. But the Rebbe already began speaking about Chamishas HaBeshavat on Thursday night and the lessons we derive in Avodas Hashem. And the Rebbe continued in the course of the Shabbos Farbrengen, which was Chamishas HaBeshavat. In the year Tinose, 1991, there was a Yechidus that took place the night of Chamishas HaBeshavat. And during the course of the Yechidus, the Rebbe spoke about the unique quality of this day, in addition to what the Rebbe already spoke about Chamishas HaBeshavat on the Shabbos prior to this day. In Tafshin Nun Beis, 1992, the Rebbe spoke a short Sicha on the night of Chamishas HaBeshavat after Ma'arev upstairs in the shul. And the next evening, the Rebbe spoke a long Sicha explaining the lessons of the seven different fruits that we eat on Chamishas HaBeshavat. In the years Tafshin Lamad Vav, Tafshin Mem, Tafshin Mem Gimel, Tafshin Mem Vav, Tafshin Mem Zayin, Tafshin Mem Tes, and Tafshin Nun, which are respectively 1976, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, and 1990, Chamishas HaBeshavat was on Shabbos. And the Rebbe Farbrenged then as it was customary by the Rebbe to Farbreng on the Shabbos that followed after Yut Shvat. In these Farbrengens, the Rebbe would speak about the day of Chamishas HaBeshavat. When it gets to Maimarim discourses delivered during the Chamishas

15:24 HaBeshavat Farbrengens, if Chamishas HaBeshavat fell on Shabbos, the Rebbe would begin the Maimar with a Pasuk, a verse of the Parsha of that Shabbos. If it would be in the middle of the week, there were times that the Rebbe would also begin with a verse of the Parsha, and there were times that the Rebbe would begin with the Mishnah, the beginning of the tractate of Reish Ishanah, which speaks about the four new years, including also the 15th of Shvat, Chamishas HaBeshavat. Interesting to note that in Tafshin Lamad Beis and Tafshin Lamad Hei, 1972 and 1975, the Rebbe delivered a Maimar in the format of a Sicha, a Maimar Ke'ein Sicha, not with a Nigun before, but in the manner of a regular Sicha. But it did have a beginning, and it was published as a Maimar. In Tafshin Mem Alef, Mem Beis, and Mem Dalet, 1981, 1982, and 1984, the Rebbe did not deliver a Maimar at the Farbrengen. After 14 years since the Rebbe began Farbrengen on Chamishas HaBeshavat, which is from 1971 to 1985, so in 1985, the Rebbe again said a Maimar with a Nigun before it in a very formal manner, beginning with the Mishnah in the tractate of Reish Ishanah, as mentioned, Arbur Rosh Ishonim Heim, which also mentions the date of Chamishas HaBeshavat.