903. Concerning the Fifteenth of Shevat

What is the reason that on the 15^th of Shevat, which is Rosh Hashanah [beginning of the year] for the trees, we eat fruits? Baal HaSulam said that the whole difference between Kedusha [holiness] and Klipa [shell/peel] is in the fruits, as it is written in The Zohar, “Another God is sterile and does not bear fruit.” For this reason, we eat fruits and imply that our joy is in the fruits.

The verse says, “And God said, ‘Let the earth put forth grass, plants yielding seed, fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind.”

RASHI interpreted “fruit tree, that the taste of the tree will be as that of the fruit. But she [the earth] did not do so. Rather, ‘And the earth put forth… fruit bearing tree,’ and not a ‘fruit tree.’ For this reason, when Adam was cursed for his iniquity, she, too was mentioned for hers, as it is written, ‘Cursed is the earth because of you,’” and RASHI interpreted, “It will produce for you cursed things, such as flies and fleas and ants, and thorns and thistles will it grow for you, by the sweat of your brow you will eat bread.”

Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi said, “When the Creator said to Adam, ‘Thorns and thistles will it grow for you,’ his eyes teared. He said to Him: ‘Master of the world, will I and my donkey eat off the same manger?’ When He told him ‘By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread,’ his mind was eased” (Pesachim 118a).

We should ask, 1) How can we say that the earth changed the commandment of the Creator to the point that it was punished for it? Does it have free choice? 2) If the earth should be punished for its iniquity, why was it not punished right away, and He waited for the man to sin so he would be punished together with the earth?

In ethics, it is said that “man is the tree of the field.” Man was created from the ground to show him the ways of his work, how man behaves in the world. The Creator said that there would be a fruit tree, meaning that the taste of the tree and that of the fruit will be the same. The tree is the cause of the fruit, meaning that an apple tree will not yield almonds but apples, for the tree is the cause of the act.

This means that if a person does something, there should be a thought that makes him act. When a person performs a Mitzva [commandment], while performing the Mitzva, there is no telling whether it is Lishma [for Her sake] or to the contrary, since there is no difference in the action, but only in the thought. But the Creator wants that if a person makes a Mitzva, which is the fruit, the taste of the tree and that of its fruit will be the same, meaning that the aim will be Lishma, as well.

Just as while performing a Mitzva it is apparent to all that he is performing an act for the sake of the Creator, so the tree, meaning the intention, should be Lishma. If this is not so, it is considered that the tree is Lo Lishma [not for Her sake] and the fruit is Lishma, and this is what the Creator wants. However, the earth did not do so, showing that the man will not do so, but will engage Lo Lishma.

Hence, when Adam sinned and was cursed, she, too, had to suffer the curse, as well, since she must show the man the example so he will see what form he has in the work.

In other words, if his work is inappropriate, the earth is also inappropriate. For this reason, the earth was not punished right away but after Adam’s sin. This matter followed the order that first he had to sin according to Adam’s example that the taste of the tree and that of its fruit are not the same, and then he will be punished, and the form of the punishment that he suffered was imprinted in the earth.

It is explained that the earth did not change, meaning that she has no free choice but rather emerges in the way that the man will behave.

According to what is written about “One, Unique, and Unified,” how can man and the earth be cursed by the Creator? The thing is that since the taste of the tree and that of its fruit are not the same, meaning that the aim is Lo Lishma, a person might stay in that state. For this reason, there was a correction of growing thorns and thistles, meaning bearing no fruits, namely that he will find no flavor in the Mitzvot [commandments] he performs.

This is the meaning of “The ground is cursed because of you.” In other words, the earth, this foundation where he stands, will be flies to him, as it is written, “Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink,” namely foreign thoughts. And ants, which are ill wills that eat one’s flesh like ants, by this he will be forced to notice and correct the intention of Lo Lishma, for otherwise he will suffer.

This is the meaning of the words “Will I and my donkey eat off the same manger?” meaning that his donkey and his spirituality will be of the same form—that of reception for oneself. When he was told “By the sweat of your brow,” meaning through labor, “you will eat bread,” which is faith, his mind was eased.