Blessing on the Trees during the Month of Nisanby Rabbi Dr Abe Avrahami IntroductionThe blessing on the trees - Birkat Ha'ilanot - during the month of Nisan belongs to the category of the blessings we recite on seeing wondrous things, for example, the ocean, lightening, a rainbow, passing through a place where a miracle happened etc. SummaryThis article covers the following points, and provides background information on the following topics:
The Origin of the Blessing.Talmud Bavli, Berakhot, 33,2 What is the Talmud talking about, - what is RASHI telling us? Where is the connection? The Sages taught us that spring is the renewal period in nature. It is the season of reproduction for numerous creatures and plants. This is also a time when the mind is distracted and the evil inclination (Yetzer Harah) is awakened in mankind. Therefore, on one hand we thank and bless Hashem, the Almighty, for His wonderful creation, and its renewal, as symbolised by the fruit trees' blossom. On the other hand, we are reminded not to succumb to our evil inclination, as it awakens at the same time as Nature.
The Connection between Mankind and the Botanic Kingdom in this BlessingBlessing Hashem, in connection with seeing the blossom of at least 2 fruit trees together in blossom, is associated with the spring season and the renewal within nature, as decreed by the Almighty. There are several reasons:
As we can see, the complete yearly cycle of Judaism is very much
Deeper, Kabbalistic Meanings behind this BlessingThe ARIZAL (Rabbi Issac Luria, the righteous, of blessed memory) explains the reincarnation of Neshamot - souls. In his mystical writings, recorded mainly by his great disciple Rabbi Chayim Vital, in "The ARIZAL", he explains that certain souls which have not arrived to their destined resting place are trapped mainly in the kingship of trees and vegetation. Birkat Ha'ilanot helps to release these suffering souls and ease their travel to their final resting place. Reciting this Berakha is therefore considered a very great act of Chessed - Humankindness - with the whole of Yisrael. All Yisrael are One. All our souls that were, are, and will be, come from the same place - from under the Throne of Glory of Hashem. They are inter-linked beyond the physical limits of body, time and space, as we know them. Just as the Neshamot of the departed can intercede on our behalf 'upstairs', so should we help those souls who cannot be elevated without our help. The departed souls cannot fulfil any commandment, but we can. With the Mitzvah of Birkat Ha'ilanot - we are also rewarded and hasten the coming of the Mashiach. It is written (Isaiah - Yeshayahu, 1, 27): Zion shall be redeemed with judgement, and those who return to her, with righteousness. The redemption from Egypt, the Sages tell us, was brought about in part because our forefathers did KINDNESS with one another. The final redemption will be modelled in some aspects based on the redemption from Egypt. As the Second Temple was destroyed due to causeless hatred, the Third Temple will be built due to brotherly love, facilitated by KINDNESS.
Halakhot - Jewish Law - Concerning this BlessingBirkat Ha'ilanot is a positive commandment (Mitzvat Aseh) - Gantzfrid's Kitzur Shulchan Arukh, paragraph 60,1. Rabbi Chayim Phalagi (Mo'ed Lekhol Chai, pages 18-19) and Rav Ovadia Yosef (Yalkut Yosef, part 5, Mo'adim, pages 345-346) bring the following Halakhot:
Next of the BlesssingBlessed are You, G-d, our Lord, King of the universe, for nothing lacking in His universe, and He created in it good creatures and good trees, to cause mankind pleasure in them. Birkat Ha'ilanot is available in most Siddurim. However, only the Sepharadic and some Chassidic Siddurim have the extended style of the Berakha which includes the reading of Psalms, and a special prayer for the elevation of the Neshamot.
ConclusionThe Rabbis taught us that Hashem did not reveal the reward for each specific Mitzvah to us, so that we should try to keep all of them equally. We should therefore keep it as rigorously as we observe Biur Chametz before Pesach, eat the Afikoman, or use the Arbaah Minim during Succot. So, if you have not fulfilled this Mitzvah yet, get out to the groves or nearby gardens in your neighbourhood, spot at least 2 fruit trees in blossom and say the Berakha. The Sages taught us that at any moment in time the world should be considered 50% on the positive side and 50% on the other side. Therefore, the more Mitzvot we fulfil, the quicker we tip the scale onto the side of merit, and this hastens the arrival of the Mashiach, speedily in our days. Like a [fragrant, beautiful] apple tree among the [barren] forest trees, so is my Beloved ...(Song of Songs - Shir Hashirim, II, 3). |
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