16 Jan THE REBBE’S TISH

An inspiring story is related about the
Spinka Rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac
Weiss (1875-1944), who was holding his
annual Tu B’Shevat tish. The table was
set royally, laden with beautiful platters
of fresh fruits and fine wines. The
chassidim surrounded the Rebbe,
listening attentively, holding on to each
of the Rebbe’s words.
They may have been sitting in Spinka,
but the Rebbe’s words transported the
chassidim to Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh,
to Kever Rochel, to Meron, and other
holy places.
All eyes were on the Rebbe as he picked
up a new fruit, ready to say the bracha of
Shehecheyanu.
Suddenly, Bang… Bam… Crash. Shards
of glass came flying all over. Local
hoodlums hurled large rocks through the
window, shattering the glass.
Miraculously, no one was injured.
The incident was a cruel reminder to the
chassidim that they were still in galus,

living amongst people who had no need
for them. People who actually detested
them, and the beautiful community they
had built.
The Rebbe maintained his composure,
held the fruit high, ready to recite a
bracha, ready to thank HaShem.
The chassidim looked at their leader in
wonder. How can he just continue on at a
time like this. The Rebbe observed their
puzzled expressions, put down the fruit
and explained. “For every mitzva there is
a special time, when its inner meaning
can be revealed. The day of Tu B’Shevat
reminds us of the future geula,
redemption. Even though we are now in
galus, in exile, the geula is very much a
real thing. On Tu B’Shevat, a ray of light
shines in the darkness. But if we would
not be aware of the bleakness of galus
and be enveloped in its darkness, we
would not see the light.”
The Rebbe’s words uplifted the chassidim,
and together, with much simcha, they all
said Shehecheyanu.
The Talmud teaches that the 15th of
Shevat (mid-winter) is when the sap

within the tree starts flowing,
giving the tree potential to produce
fruits. Rabbi Samson Raphael
Hirsch, zt”l wrote regarding Tu
B’Shevat, “Behold, today they are
celebrating the birthday of the
coming of spring. Under the torn,
dark, cold bark, fresh life pulsates.”
While all may seem dark to us,
HaShem is preparing the trees to
give forth fruit in the months
ahead. On Tu B’Shevat, trees
emerge from their winter sleep and
begin a new fruit-bearing cycle.
Tu B’Shevat comes to remind us that the
branches will be full of leaves once again.
The fruit trees will bud and blossom. The
grass will grow anew. Spring is on its
way.
The Hebrew month Shevat is spelled
shin, beis, tes. It is an acronym for a
message of hope. Shin – Shenishma, we
should hear; Beis – Besuros, news; Tes –
Tovos, that is good. The month of Shevat
heralds good tidings. As winter becomes
spring, blessing comes our way.
Tu B’Shevat is a time to take a lesson
from nature. Just as the sap begins to
rise and flow within the tree, so too, we
must work on our “personal sap” – our
inner potential. As the tree sprouts
buds, and eventually fruits, we too, we
have the ability to grow our own
“fruits” – our accomplishments. As the
tree is given the gift of renewal after the
dark winter, we are given the
opportunity for a new beginning and
fresh start.
On Tu B’Shevat, there is a custom to
make brachos and enjoy multiple fruits.
Some even partake of fifteen different
fruits in honor of the 15th of Shevat.
Another custom is to taste from each of
the shivas haminim – the seven species
that Eretz Yisroel is praised for. “A land
of wheat and barley, of grapevines, figs
and pomegranates, a land of olive trees
and honey from dates.” (Devarim 8:8)
A man in need of a major refuah
approached HaRav Shlomo Zalman
Auerbach, zt”l, seeking advice on how
to beseech HaShem to have mercy
upon him.
“I will tell you what I would do in such
a situation”, said Rav Shlomo Zalman.
“I would strengthen myself in the
reciting of brachos, making sure to
enunciate each word carefully and
clearly and with the proper

concentration. If I were to succeed in
that, that would be for me a great
accomplishment.”
(Meah Berachos K’Hilchasa, Ner L’Elef
Resources)
This Tu B’Shevat, as we say our brachos,
let’s try to concentrate a little harder on
the words, to really thank HaShem for
His kindness, thereby nourishing
ourselves both physically and spiritually.
Tu B’Shevat always falls around the time
in which we read about the Exodus. What
is the connection between Tu B’Shevat
and the Exodus?
As the sap brings new life to the tree, so
too, did the Exodus give new faith and
hope to Am Yisroel. The sap enables the
tree to grow, flourish and bear fruit. The
Jewish nation sang shira – songs of praise
to HaShem as they crossed the sea. They
were infused with a new spirit, to thrive
and produce their own “personal trees” of
mitzvos and good deeds.
This year it isn’t just the winter sky that
looks grey and gloomy. We are a nation at
war. We are crying for our people. For the
lives lost, the families in pain, the
communities devastated. For the hostages
and for the injured. Even though rocks
came crashing upon the Rebbe’s tish, he
did not allow the spirit of the moment to
be destroyed. He used the incident to
convey a life lesson. We may be in galus,
he told his chassidim, but Tu B’Shevat
teaches us that we can only appreciate
light when we experience darkness. And
b’ezras HaShem, we have emunah that
the light will come soon.
Let us take the Rebbe’s words to heart.
While we are experiencing dark and
difficult days, Tu B’Shevat’s message is
that the sun will once again shine, the
trees will once again bear fruit, and the
flowers will blossom, ushering in a period
of light, bringing our galus to an end.