Israeli-children-plant-trees-during-the-Jewish-holiday-of-Tu-Bishvat-in-the-western-Negev-
Lee Diamond – The Messiah and T’u Bishvat
If you’re planting a tree
And someone announces
That the messiah has arrived
Continue planting that tree
And only then go out to meet him״
אבות דרבי נתן
How arrogant of us!
Where is the faith
And the hope that Messiah
Will bring a better world?
How can a sapling precede
Meeting the anointed one?
Shocking? Would Maimonides agree?
Perhaps there’s a truth embedded
In this value concept.
“I believe with perfect faith
In the “coming of the messiah”
And though he may tarry
I believe .”
Perhaps It’s the “coming” of the Messiah
That we believe in?
Perhaps it’s the better day coming
That we believe in?
Perhaps it’s the commitment
That that better day will come
That makes us Jews.
Planting a sapling
In our land
Is an act of faith
A belief in tomorrow
A deep rooted
Commitment
To the power
In life to grow
To produce
To plant for our
Children
And coming generations
It’s the vision that keeps us
Believing
It’s the faith in a sapling
Reaching maturity
That is the implanted in the
Soul Of the Jew.
We believe in Hatikva
We live in ״hope״
And even If it tarry
We still plant saplings
And toil for שלום
