When you beat down the fruit of your olive trees, do not go over them again; that shall go to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widowDeuteronomy 24:20 (The Israel Bible™)כִּי תַחְבֹּט זֵיתְךָ לֹא תְפָאֵר אַחֲרֶיךָ לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה יִהְיֶהHear the verse in HebrewKEE takh-BOT zay-t’-KHA LO t’-fa-AYR a-kha-RE-kha la-GAYR la-ya-TOM v’-la-al-ma-NAH yih-YEH
This week marks the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat: The New Year of the Trees
Divine Promises of Produce
In ancient times, olive trees were harvested with a stick, causing the olives to fall to the ground. The commandment in Deuteronomy 24:20 hints to the blessing of abundance in the Land of Israel. Hashem (God) promises that the Land will yield so much produce that the farmers will only need to harvest what falls off with the beating of the branches; they will not be bothered to use a ladder to reach the fruit at the top of the tree. As pictured above, the Land of Israel is ripe with countless groves of hearty olive trees demonstrating the fulfillment of Hashem’s promise.
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