Q: What is Tu B’Shevat according to halachah?
A: At its core, Tu B’Shevat is the New Year for fruit trees—not in a symbolic sense, but in a very practical halachic one. The Torah obligates Jews to separate ma’aser (a tenth) from various forms of produce every year. However, each category—animals born to a flock, grain grown from the ground, and fruit grown on trees—has its own definition of what constitutes a “year.” For fruit grown on trees, Tu B’Shevat serves as the cutoff date. Fruit that begins developing before Tu B’Shevat belongs to the previous year’s tithing cycle; fruit that develops afterward belongs to the new one.
Q: Why does fruit have a different “New Year” than animals or crops?
A: The Torah doesn’t define agricultural years by the calendar alone; it also defines years by how growth actually happens. Animals are counted from Tishrei to Elul (the usual year counted from Rosh Hashanah), but grain is tied to harvest cycles, and fruit trees depend heavily on rainfall and sap flow.
The Gemara explains that by the middle of Shevat, most of the rain in Eretz Yisrael has already fallen. At that point, the trees have absorbed what they need, sap begins to rise, and fruit growth begins. Tu B’Shevat therefore marks a natural turning point, making it the logical boundary between years.
Q: Is Tu B’Shevat connected to judgment or Divine evaluation?
A: Contrary to popular belief, Tu B’Shevat is not a day of judgment. The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah teaches that agricultural judgment occurs on the Shalosh Regalim:
• Pesach for grain
• Shavuos for fruit
• Sukkos for water
On Shavuos, the Jewish people bring the Shtei Halechem, two loaves of bread, as part of the Temple service to symbolize the judgment of fruit. Tu B’Shevat, by contrast, has no such sacrificial system tied to it. It is simply a halachic demarcation point, not a spiritual reckoning.
Q: If it isn’t a day of judgment, why does Tu B’Shevat matter?
A: Milestones naturally invite reflection. Many sefarim encourage us to use this date to think beyond halachic accounting and consider our relationship to Eretz Yisrael.
Even Jews living far from the land—whether in New York, Europe or South America—are bound to its rhythms. Tu B’Shevat marks the moment when the land has absorbed its rains and is poised to provide sustenance. That readiness itself is a cause for celebration.
Q: Why do we eat fruit on Tu B’Shevat?
A: The Magen Avraham records the custom of eating fruit on Tu B’Shevat. This practice expresses gratitude—not just for food, but for the spiritual role of Eretz Yisrael.
Eretz Yisrael is the ideal place for us to serve Hakadosh Baruch Hu. When the land flourishes, it enables the Jewish people to serve Hashem more fully. Abundance, beauty and nourishment are not merely physical blessings; they are expressions of kiddush Hashem, reflecting the presence of the Shechinah in the land.
Q: How does Tu B’Shevat connect to the Shemitah cycle?
A: Tu B’Shevat also plays a role within the seven-year Shemitah cycle, which itself is divided into patterns of giving. Like usual, for the first two years of a crop’s growth, you take off terumah to give to a Kohen, then you take off ma’aser to give to a Levi. In years one, two, four and five of Shemitah, farmers separate ma’aser sheini, a second tenth that must be brought to Yerushalayim and eaten there. This requirement draws people into a holy environment, exposing them to holy people and spiritual growth.
In years three and six, however, ma’aser sheini is replaced by ma’aser ani, which is given directly to the poor. Tu B’Shevat determines when that transition takes effect for fruit, changing the basket the fruit goes into—from the one you take to Yerushalayim for yourself to the one you give as tzedakah to the poor.
Q: What lesson does ma’aser ani teach us about tzedakah?
A: Ma’aser ani is not meant to replace everyday charity. The poor require support year-round. Instead, the Torah introduces a powerful idea: periodic extra generosity that offers dignity and hope.
Every third and sixth year, the poor receive an additional infusion—something extra, something special, something to look forward to on a schedule. Tu B’Shevat marks the moment when fruit that once would have been enjoyed in Yerushalayim is redirected to uplift those in need.
This teaches that tzedakah is not only about helping people survive; it’s also about giving people a boost, a sense of relief, and hope.
Rabbi Ezra Sarna is OU director of Torah and Halacha Initiatives.