Peri Etz Hadar

Explanation for the Tikkun of Fruit

Although the 15th of Shevat occurs during the “days of the Shovavim,” it is not a fast day, since it is the New Year’s Day for the fruit of the tree. Through the tikkun that is performed on this day with fruit, the sefirah,”Tsaddik, Life of the Worlds,” is aroused. This mystery is mentioned in the Zohar, Bereshit, “on the third day, the earth made fruit from the potency of that [supernal] Tsaddik. As it is written, ‘And God said, let the earth bring forth… fruit trees that produce fruit…‘ ‘Fruit trees‘ refers to ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil‘ that bears fruit. ‘That produce fruit‘ alludes to Tsaddik, the foundation of the world….”

It is a good custom for the faithful to eat many fruits on this day and to celebrate them with words of praise, just as I have instructed my companions.

Even though this custom is not mentioned in the Lurianic writings, it is nevertheless a wondrous tikkun, on both exoteric and esoteric levels. For in the Palestinian Talmud, Asarah Yuhasin, the following appears.”‘Listen, humble ones, and rejoice‘ R. Hizkiyah R. Kohen said in the name of Rav, ‘In the future a person will have to account for everything that his eyes saw and he did not eat. R. Elazar was concerned about this teaching and used to save poor man’s gleanings. He would eat them, each one at its time.’”