"Whoever goes out during the month of Nissan and sees trees blossoming should recite the full blessing, praising G-d for 'withholding nothing from His world, and for having created beautiful creatures and goodly trees for the enjoyment of mankind.'" (Orach Chaim 226)
Pondering the trees' blossoming serves to teach us an important principle. Our lives may be likened to a tree. During the winter, a tree loses its leaves and appears to have died. Yet during Nissan, the springtime, it produces flowers and leaves once more, and ultimately yields its sweet fruit.
It is the same with man. When we look at life from a broad, all-encompassing perspective, it is true that we sometimes resemble a tree in winter. Yet, ultimately, all works out for the best.
As the Torah states, "G-d saw all that He had made, and it was very good." (Genesis 1:31) When we look at the world as a whole, and not just at the parts, everything is good.
Just as in the lives of the individual there are ups and downs, periods in which G-d reveals Himself and other times when He conceals Himself, periods of winter and periods of blossoming, so too in the lives of the Jewish People. For thousands of years, we were in the Exile and we had the appearance of the dead, as in Ezekiel's vision about the dry bones. Now, finally, we have returned home; Israel is rising to rebirth in the Land of Israel.
Even now, when we are hearing harsh words about uprooting Jews and settlements from Eretz Yisrael, we must strengthen ourselves and recognize and know and believe that while many are the thoughts in a man's heart, it is the counsel of G-d, who thinks well of Israel, that shall endure. As it says, "For the L-rd will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance." (Psalm 94:14)
It is true that we are only at the beginning of our people's blossoming in our land. Yet the day is not far off when we shall merit to see with our own eyes the sweet fruits of the People of Israel in the Land of Israel. The purpose of those fruits is to bring goodness and light to the whole world.
When that occurs, there will be great joy in the world. As it says, "Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice?. Let the field exult, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy, before the L-rd." (I Chronicles 16:31-33) For all is well that ends well.
Pondering the trees' blossoming serves to teach us an important principle. Our lives may be likened to a tree. During the winter, a tree loses its leaves and appears to have died. Yet during Nissan, the springtime, it produces flowers and leaves once more, and ultimately yields its sweet fruit.
It is the same with man. When we look at life from a broad, all-encompassing perspective, it is true that we sometimes resemble a tree in winter. Yet, ultimately, all works out for the best.
As the Torah states, "G-d saw all that He had made, and it was very good." (Genesis 1:31) When we look at the world as a whole, and not just at the parts, everything is good.
Just as in the lives of the individual there are ups and downs, periods in which G-d reveals Himself and other times when He conceals Himself, periods of winter and periods of blossoming, so too in the lives of the Jewish People. For thousands of years, we were in the Exile and we had the appearance of the dead, as in Ezekiel's vision about the dry bones. Now, finally, we have returned home; Israel is rising to rebirth in the Land of Israel.
Even now, when we are hearing harsh words about uprooting Jews and settlements from Eretz Yisrael, we must strengthen ourselves and recognize and know and believe that while many are the thoughts in a man's heart, it is the counsel of G-d, who thinks well of Israel, that shall endure. As it says, "For the L-rd will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance." (Psalm 94:14)
It is true that we are only at the beginning of our people's blossoming in our land. Yet the day is not far off when we shall merit to see with our own eyes the sweet fruits of the People of Israel in the Land of Israel. The purpose of those fruits is to bring goodness and light to the whole world.
When that occurs, there will be great joy in the world. As it says, "Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice?. Let the field exult, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy, before the L-rd." (I Chronicles 16:31-33) For all is well that ends well.