大象传媒

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Rabbi Julia Neuberger

Good morning.

I was given a great honour this past New Year鈥檚 Day. A Roman Catholic friend was celebrating her 50th birthday in Ireland, and she asked me to plant a tree that day, shortly before dusk, to mark the occasion and to be there long after she, and I, have departed this life. We Jews have a special New Year for Trees, Tu Bishvat, which occurs in the middle of February this year. So it was a bit early for us, but the same principle applies. We plant trees, think about environmental issues, check any trees we already have growing for disease or infestation, and celebrate nature. And when we plant the trees, we say a blessing. Some Jews say this: Blessed are you, our God, ruler of the universe, whose world lacks nothing and who made wonderful creations and beautiful trees for human beings to enjoy.鈥� But, typically amongst Jews, others disagree, and say: 鈥淏lessed are you, God, ruler of the universe, who makes all the works of creation,鈥� a sort of catch all.

Everyone agrees that you finish with the blessing known as the shehecheyanu, which we say whenever reaching any special occasion. It goes like this. Baruch attah Adonai, eloheinu melech haolam, shehecheyanu, ve-kiyemanu ve-higianu lazman hazeh. 鈥淏lessed are you, O God, ruler of the universe, who has kept us alive, preserved us and allowed us to reach this season.鈥� I love that blessing. It expresses both gratitude and hope, it celebrates something new- a birthday, a special occasion, a tree planting- and it echoes down the generations for us Jews, and it can be shared by everyone, of whatever faith. For we can all say thankyou to God, for allowing to reach this season.

Thankyou.

Amen.