It's more than just a snack; it's a connection to something ancient and deeply spiritual.
Peri Etz Hadar, a profound work, delves into the mystical significance of the natural world. It reminds us, drawing on Ezekiel 47:12, that "Its fruit is food and its leaves a source of healing." On Tu Bishvat, the New Year for Trees, when we celebrate the budding and renewal of life, we remember that "a person will earn with its fruit..." as it says in Song of Songs 8:11, "producing fruit after its kind," like Genesis 1:11 tells us. It's a time when the days of budding are full for the fruit of the supernal tree, "the tree of life which is in the midst of the garden" (Genesis 2:9), making fruit above.
But what does it all mean? It's about the interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual realms. The fruit we eat isn't just sustenance; it's a conduit to a higher plane.
There's a beautiful prayer that encapsulates this idea. It asks that "through the sacred power of our eating fruit, which we are now eating and blessing, while reflecting on the secret of their supernal roots upon which they depend, their supernal sap will be aroused..."
Now, here's where it gets really interesting. Some versions of this prayer, as noted by R’ David Seidenberg, include the words “יתעוררו שרפיהן” (yitoreru sarafeyhen). The word saraf can mean both "angel" and "sap," like syrup. Given the style of the author, it's likely intended to mean both! So, are we asking for the sap to be aroused? Or are we asking for the angels to be stirred? Perhaps both! How cool is that?
This prayer continues, asking that shefa – favor, blessing, and bounty – be bestowed upon them. May the angels appointed over them also be filled by the powerful shefa of their glory, may it return and cause them to grow a second time, from the beginning of the year and until its end, for bounty and blessing, for good life and peace.
It’s a powerful reminder that when we eat, especially when we eat consciously and with intention, we're not just nourishing our bodies. We're engaging with the divine, awakening the spiritual energies that sustain the world. We're participating in a cycle of growth, renewal, and blessing that extends from the roots of the trees to the highest heavens.
So, the next time you bite into a juicy piece of fruit, take a moment. Reflect on the supernal roots, the flow of shefa, and maybe even the angels dancing in the sap. You might just find that you're tasting something far more profound than just sweetness.