The Kabbalists defined the world of Atzilut as the world of pure spirit, so its symbolic food is no food at all, only what sustains us spiritually. We all have relationships with both the physical and the intangible. The fourth world is about our highest selves, when we are not eating, when we are not thinking of our bodies, when we have all the tools to bring in pure holiness in each moment. To be sure, we can be holy while eating and while grounded in our bodies. However, the fourth world, according to the Kabbalists, is the world that is floating above our earthly desires; a world in which we nourish our hearts and our souls. In an attempt to gain an understanding of the divine implications of this realm, we do as our ancestors did and look to the tree as a symbol of life – a life of ecological symbiosis, a life of replenishment, and a life of balance and equilibrium. May we be blessed this Tu B’Shvat, and throughout the coming year, to cultivate a sense of balance and calm, a sense of resilience, and a sense of higher purpose.


Service Section: Readings & Activities
Source: Hazon 2021 Tu B'Shvat Haggadah