Tu bishvat songs
“The Creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Tu B’Shvat is the New Year for trees. In Israel, Jews plant trees on Tu B’Shvat.
Traditions include: eating nuts and fruits, donating funds to plant trees in Israel, focusing on environmental issues, and holding a Tu B’Shvat seder. Tu B’Shvat literally means the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shvat.
Tu B’Shvat began as a tax day of sorts, when Jews determined which fruits would be included in the tithe brought to the Temple.
Tu B’Shvat has taken on the character of a Jewish Earth Day or Arbor Day.
Snow upon my town, resting all night long.
Onto warmer lands my beloved went.
Snow upon my town, and the night is cold.
From the warmer lands he shall bring a date to me.
Snow upon my town, and the night is cold.
From the warmer lands he shall bring a date to me.
The honey of the fig, the sweetness of the carob.
And a caravan of camels carrying goods.
He shall be back, the sun of my heart.
And from there he shall bring me an orange.
He shall be back, the sun of my heart.
And from there he shall bring me an orange.
Snow upon my town, resting like a tallit.
From the warmer lands, what have you brought to me.
Snow upon my town, snow upon my face.
And all of my longing are inside the fruit.
Snow upon my town, snow upon my face.
And all of my longing are inside the fruit.
Versions: #1#2
Over the honey and the stinger
Over the bitter and the sweet
And over our baby girl
Please guard my good lord
Over the burning fire
Over the crystal clear water
And over the man who is coming home
From afar
Over all these things, over all these things
Please stand guard for me my good g-d
Over the honey and the stinger
Over the bitter and the sweet
Don’t uproot a sapling
Don’t forget the hope
May you return me, and may I return
To the good land
Save the houses that we live in
The small fences and the wall
From the sudden war-like thunder
May you save them all.
Guard what little I’ve been given
Guard the hill my child might climb
Let the fruit that’s yet to ripen
Not be plucked before its time.
(Chorus)
As the wind makes rustling night sounds
And a star falls in its arc
All my dreams and my desires
Form crystal shapes out of the dark.
Guard for me, oh Lord, these treasures
All my friends keep safe and strong,
Guard the stillness, guard the weeping,
And above all, guard this song.
When mother came here, young and beautiful
so father built her a house on a hill
springs passed by, half a century has passed
and the curls became white in the meantime
But on the shores of the Jordan river, like nothing has occurred
the same silence and the same scenery
the eucalyptus grove, the boat, the bridge
and the smell of salt on the water
Over the Jordan, the artillery thundered
and the peace returned at the end of the summer
and all the babies have grown into adults
and again on the hill homes were built
But on the shores of the Jordan river, like nothing has occurred
the same silence and the same scenery
the eucalyptus grove, the boat, the bridge
and the smell of salt on the water
For man is the tree of the field
Like the man, the tree also grows
Like the tree, the man gets cut down
And I know not
Where I was or where would I be
Like the tree of the field
For man is the tree of the field
Like the tree, (the man) aspires to great heights
Like the man, (the tree) catches fire
And I know not
Where I was or where would I be
Like the tree of the field
I have loved and I have hated
I have tasted of this and that
I was buried in a plot of earth
And bitter, bitter is my mouth
Like the tree of the field
Like the tree of the field
For man is the tree of the field
Like the tree, (the man is) thirsty for water
Like the man, (the tree) remains thirsty
And I know not
Where I was or where would I be
Like the tree of the field
I have loved and I have hated
I have tasted of this and that
I was buried in a plot of earth
And bitter, bitter is my mouth
Like the tree of the field
Like the tree of the field
For man is the tree of the field
For man is the tree of the field
The tree of the field
Daffodils are already blooming in the nature reserves
Flowerbeds spread all through the coastal plains
Poppies and Saffrons, a thousand hues and colors
And the law that says: “Picking is forbidden here!”
Only I am not protected by the law
Only I have no one guarding me
If I had sepals
Then, my situation would have been different.
Rare birds are already nesting in the rocks
Rare trees are kept separately
Frightened deer look at the sign
That clearly states that hunting is forbbiden!
Only I don’t have a sign put up for me
Only I don’t have any fence around me
If I were, say, a doe
Then my situation would have been different!
Sir, be careful, do not touch the Iris!
The Tulip is not an option!
Every tall hill in the outskirts of town is
A fenced out and registered wildlife area!
So I sometimes think
That perhaps it would have been best
If I were a Daffodil or a Cyclamen
Or even a common Squill
Look at what happens to me on the road:
Everyone passes by, grabs, picks, makes a bouquet
If I were an animal or a flower
Then my situation would have been different!
Etz harimon natan reicho
Bein yam hamelach ad yericho,
Shav, chomati, g’dudech min’dod,
Shav, tamati, dodech midod.
Otzrot ofir utzri Gile’ad,
Rechev mitzrayim shalalti lach, bat.
Elef hazemer etleh lach magen
Min haye’or ad hayarden.
At kelula mikol kalot,
At degulah kanidgalot.
Shtayim eynayich kishtayim yonim
Vekol kolech pa’amonim.
Lach hatru’ot, lach hazerim,
Lach kol shiltey hagiborim,
Ma li cheyl elef, uma li revava?
Levavi met me’ahava.
Shav el hakeshet, shav hachetz,
Shav harimon el rosh ha’etz,
Lach ve’elayich hachayil yochel,
Bo’i kala, ki rad haleyl.