ויאמר אני יוסף אחיכם אשר מכרתם אותי מצרימה (בראשית מה:ד)
.(I am Yosef your brother, whom you sold down to Egypt” (45:4
The month of Shevat has many interesting elements to it. Let us discuss some of them and hope to obtain a deeper understanding and appreciation of its’ lessons.
-In this month the trees begin to develop as their sap permeates throughout them.
-The Zodiac symbol for the month is דלי, Aquarius, the drawing of water through a bucket. What does this mean?
-The Torah tells us that on the first day of Shevat Moshe began to teach Sefer Devarim to the Jews, why specifically in this specific month?
-Shevat means two things in Hebrew, stick and tribe. What is the connection between a pain-inflicting devise and a gathering of people?! Even in English we find that these two words come together. A “club” can be a stick (which cavemen carried as weapons) or a group of people (as in clubhouse)! Amazingly, we find this in the words “staff” and “branch” as well!
-Shevat is the 11th of the calendar and thus corresponds to Yosef the 11th counted tribe. Why him?
What does it all mean? Please allow me to present my thoughts on the matter.
Whenever one desires to accomplish something, many obstacles stand in his way. In the course of one’s pursuit sometimes people wonder why Hashem is making it so hard for them? But in retrospect, very often, at least partially, the clarity and insight are then gained. Hindsight is 20/20! One looks back and sees how all of his struggles and troubles were each necessary for the development and acquiring of his new level. Greatness is to know that all of the pain and suffering is really good and that Hashem gives us what is necessary for our growth. Although many times this will not be completely seen until Moshiach’s time, it remains an axiom of our faith that we believe and live by daily.
The original creation of the trees by Hashem intended that the branches themselves would taste like the fruit. Because of Adam’s sin this was changed. This signifies a very deep concept regarding instant results and gratification. Originally, whatever one did was supposed to yield fruit (literally!) instantaneously. Thus man would never have challenges to hold strong to his goal, rather the results would be tasted immediately. After the sin, man was given the task of not tasting success right away, rather only by the sweat of his brow and much toil would the tasteless bark (effort) reveal its’ fruit that had been developing all along! Thus, Tu B’Shevat represents the celebration of recognizing that within the darkness of the yet unseen accomplishments, the seeds of happiness have been planted and will come out soon. Shevat is the unrelenting dedication to the pursuit of a goal even though much effort and strain is necessary! It is, put simply, to see Hashem even in the darkness of challenge, knowing that He is the light at the end of the dark tunnel. Every step in the tunnel brings one closer towards the ultimate end of achievement!
Chazal tell us that every blade of grass has an administering angel that hits it and tells it “grow”! Why is the hit necessary, could not it command growth without a blow? This is to teach us that growth only comes through hardships and extraneous effort!
Yosef HaTzaddik realized that all of the pain, trials and tribulations he had been through, his abandonment by his brothers and his pain in Egypt, had all been to help make him great! Thus, at the time that he revealed his identity to his brothers he said to them, “do not be upset and blame yourself for putting me through all of this pain, rather,אני יוסף , I have brought out my potential and developed myself into Yosef, אשר מכרתם אותי, because you sold me!” Hashem hits us, but it is all for the good and eventually we will fully realized to have been for our best interest and ultimate benefit!
In October 2007, Fred slipped on a patch of ice and fell while climbing into his friend’s car in Michigan, breaking his right wrist. Coach Bowman recalled that Fred was in despair over the injury. Indeed a similar injury had forever ended his sister’s promising swimming career. But he was determined to prevail. For a few weeks after undergoing surgery, he was confined to kicking in the pool with a kickboard while everyone else swam. However, this allowed Michael Fred Phelps to strengthen his legs, which may have allowed him to edge out Milorad Cavic in the 100 butterfly final for his seventh gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. In the last five meters, an exhausted Cavic was dragging his legs while Phelps used his powerful kick to get his hands to the wall first, by a hundredth of a second. Now it all made sense!
This can explain everything questioned above. The name Shevat signifies that by the hitting of the club, life’s challenges, one becomes a well founded club, organization. A club has different diverse elements but that is what allows it to thrive, each varied contribution, similar to life’s different challenges! This is how man is built! Aquarius draws from the deep and dark well of challenges and brings water, life, to the world! This month is the exact theme of planting. The seed goes into the ground, rots, and is plowed over. This seems to be terrible darkness and loss, right? No, this the beginning of life! Finally, at the end of all these tribulations a beautiful fruit emerges! Yosef is the representative of this month in that he understood how to make lemonade out of his lemons! He took a terribly tragic situation and built himself! Moshe began teaching Devarim to the nation. It is a book of rebuke, a last plea on Moshe’s behalf recapping all of their sins throughout their time together and imploring them to use their lives properly. His strong words are meant to inspire and build the nation. This is the exact theme of the month of Shevat, the stick.
How encouraging it is to know that whatever situation we find ourselves in, Hashem has determined that this is our opportunity to achieve true greatness! With Shevat we succeed!
Hashkafah, Tu B'Shevat Growth Through Challenge
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