What is a Tu B'Shevat Seder ?
A Tu BiShvat Seder or Tu B'Shevat Seder is a festive meal that is held on the 15th day of the 11th Hebrew/Jewish month of Shevat or Shvat in the Hebrew/Jewish calendar, that is, on the day of Tu BiShvat or Tu B'Shevat, which, depending on the year, occurs in either January or February in the Gregorian calendar. The Tu BiShvat Seder or Tu B'Shevat Seder is called a Seder because it is conducted according to a specific set of prescribed steps that are necessary in order to properly conduct and complete the festive meal.
What is a Tu BiShvat Haggadah or Tu B'Shevat Haggadah ?
A Tu BiShvat Haggadah or Tu B'Shevat Haggadah is the "instruction manual" that consists of text which describes the prescribed steps for the Tu BiShvat Seder or Tu B'Shevat Seder. As mentioned, these steps are arranged in a specific order for the purpose of teaching participants in the Seder about the holiday of Tu BiShvat or Tu B'Shevat. The word "Haggadah" means either "telling" or "narration" in Hebrew, referring to the text which tells or narrates to the Seder participants the history and customs associated with the holiday of Tu BiShvat or Tu B'Shevat as well as the specific order that is followed for a given Tu BiShvat Seder or Tu B'Shevat Seder concerning the blessing and eating of fruits that were grown from fruit trees, especially the fruits that are grown in Israel. When I say "for a given Tu BiShvat Seder or Tu B'Shevat Seder", I am referring to the fact that the specific order of steps that are followed are not fixed for all Tu BiShvat Seders or Tu B'Shevat Seders worldwide because there is no specified liturgy for the holiday of Tu BiShevat or Tu B'Shevat; therefore there can be many different and creative types of Tu BiShvat Haggadahs or Tu B'Shevat Haggadahs ("Haggadot" in Hebrew) that are created, arranged, and interpretated according to different Jewish denominations and hence, Jewish philosophies, but all center around the main Tu BiShvat theme or Tu B'Shevat theme of celebrating the New Year For Trees or the New Year of the Trees. For instance, there are many Tu BiShvat Haggadahs or Tu B'Shevat Haggadahs that focus on the environmental and Jewish mystical (Kabbalistic) theme of healing the wounded earth.
What are Tu BiShvat Seder Foods / Tu B'Shevat Seder Foods ?
The basic Tu BiShvat Seder or Tu B'Shevat Seder will consist of the "seven species" of fruits that are grown in Israel. These "seven species" of fruits are based on a passage in the Torah, in the biblical Book of Devarim or Deuteronomy, in Deuteronomy 8:8 - "It (Israel) is a land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates - a land of oil - olives and honey - (dates)". Therefore, these seven species will comprise a basic Tu BiShvat Seder or Tu B'Shevat Seder.
If one prefers to use additional fruits beyond the seven species, then one should use fruits from fruit trees that are grown in Israel. For the Tu BiShvat Seder or Tu B'Shevat Seder, it is a Kabbalistic custom to eat many different types of fruits, for the belief is that since we offer a blessing over each fruit prior to eating it and every blessing helps to heal the earth, then eating many different types of fruit will result in offering many blessings and hence, more healing for the earth.
History of Tu Bishvat - History of Tu B'Shevat
Tu Bishvat Customs - Tu B'Shevat Customs
Tu Bishvat Seder - Tu B'Shevat Seder
Tu Bishvat Dates - Tu B'Shevat Dates
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