Sunday, January 2, 2011

A quick preview To Tu Bishvat from a Chinese medical perspective

Rav Zevin, ZT"L has a lovely exposition in Moadim b'halacha on the controversy as to when the Rosh Hashana l'ailanos (new year of trees) should be. We paskan like Bais Hillel that it is Tu Bishvat (15th of the month of Shvat), but what he points out which is so very interesting is that if you look at the calendar, Tu Bishvat is the exact middle point between Tekufas Teves, (as mentioned in previous blog, and Rosh Chodesh Nissan, which is the beginning of Aviv or spring. From a Chinese medical perspective, this would be the time of the greatest potential for energetic heat or light being manifested. Though the Chinese teach that the season which is the most Yin (as manifesting in cold, dark, physical and material) is winter, the season which is the most Yang, rather than being Summer, is actually Spring, for Yang (being the manifestation of light, heat, movement, and energy). is viewed as energetic potential rather than the actual heat. So, in their brilliance, Bais Hillel recognized the energetic power of the day of Tu Bishvat!

Happy new year(s)!

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