On Tu Bishvat, we customarily increase our consumption of the fruits of Eretz Yisrael. On that day, the strength of the soil of Eretz Yisrael is renewed to yield its crops and to produce its fruits and to display its praise.
And the praise of Eretz Yisrael is through its fruits, as it says: "The L-rd your G-d is bringing you to a good land?. It is a land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates, a land of oil-olives and honey-dates?. When you eat and are satisfied, you must therefore bless the L-rd your G-d for the good land that He has given you." (Deuteronomy 8:7-10)
"It is the day on which the soil of Eretz Israel renews its strength to produce its oil and honey. It is a day of joy for Israel who inherit it, love it and place their hopes in it." (Sefer HaToda'ah)
Our sages, in seeking to single out a phenomenon that will signify the end of the exile, mention the fruits of the Land, saying, "You have no more open sign than that, as it says , 'But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they shall soon come.'" (Sanhedrin 98a) Rashi comments, "When Eretz Yisrael bears its fruits in abundance, the end of days will be near. We have no more open sign of it than this."
Today, how fortunate we are that we have been privileged to see the open sign of redemption with our own eyes. Eretz Yisrael is bearing its sweet fruits, not just of the seven types, but almost all the fruits on earth, as it says, "You will not lack anything there." (Deuteronomy 8:9)
And all of this is occurring because "they shall soon come." Not just the fruits on the trees bear witness to the end of the exile, but the millions of Jews who are returning home after two thousand years of exile and are building a modern, glorious state, with a strong economy that markets its produce throughout the whole world.
All of this is preparation for the revelation of the spiritual fruits of Eretz Yisrael, which are the essence and goal of Eretz Yisrael, the State of Israel and the Jewish People.
As the prophets of Israel prophesied, "Then the nations left round you shall know that I, the L-rd, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I the L-rd have spoken it and I will do it." (Ezekiel 36:36)
And the praise of Eretz Yisrael is through its fruits, as it says: "The L-rd your G-d is bringing you to a good land?. It is a land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates, a land of oil-olives and honey-dates?. When you eat and are satisfied, you must therefore bless the L-rd your G-d for the good land that He has given you." (Deuteronomy 8:7-10)
"It is the day on which the soil of Eretz Israel renews its strength to produce its oil and honey. It is a day of joy for Israel who inherit it, love it and place their hopes in it." (Sefer HaToda'ah)
Our sages, in seeking to single out a phenomenon that will signify the end of the exile, mention the fruits of the Land, saying, "You have no more open sign than that, as it says , 'But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they shall soon come.'" (Sanhedrin 98a) Rashi comments, "When Eretz Yisrael bears its fruits in abundance, the end of days will be near. We have no more open sign of it than this."
Today, how fortunate we are that we have been privileged to see the open sign of redemption with our own eyes. Eretz Yisrael is bearing its sweet fruits, not just of the seven types, but almost all the fruits on earth, as it says, "You will not lack anything there." (Deuteronomy 8:9)
And all of this is occurring because "they shall soon come." Not just the fruits on the trees bear witness to the end of the exile, but the millions of Jews who are returning home after two thousand years of exile and are building a modern, glorious state, with a strong economy that markets its produce throughout the whole world.
All of this is preparation for the revelation of the spiritual fruits of Eretz Yisrael, which are the essence and goal of Eretz Yisrael, the State of Israel and the Jewish People.
As the prophets of Israel prophesied, "Then the nations left round you shall know that I, the L-rd, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I the L-rd have spoken it and I will do it." (Ezekiel 36:36)