Tu biShvat

One of my favorite Jewish texts is called Perek Shira, which means “A Chapter of Song.” Nobody knows who wrote it or where it came from, but it’s at least 1,000 years old. It contains a list of 84 different types of animals, plants, and natural elements – rain and wind, trees and grasses, fruits and vegetables, mammals, birds, fish, and insects – each of which have their own song that they sing, with lyrics from the Bible.  

The palm tree sings, “The righteous flourish like the palm tree, they grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalms 92:13). The fig tree sings, “The one who guards the fig shall eat of its fruits” (Proverbs 27:13). The crocodile sings, “Praise God from the land, the sea monsters and all the depths” (Psalms 148:7). Even the lowly rat has a song: “Let every breath of life praise God, Hallelujah!” (Psalms 150:6). 

Although humans are meant to cultivate the land, we are also supposed to protect it and ensure it will be there for future generations. On this Tu Bishvat, the new year of the trees, we are called to listen to the songs of the natural world. What can you do to hear their music, and amplify their message? 

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