We are continuing with Hashem’s help our Project of taking photos from time to time to reflect the beauty and the history of the ancient and renewed city of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel and to reveal the message within each captured moment.
TODAY’S PICTURE
A Towering Date Tree
We read the following regarding the gifts that we are to bring before Hashem during this upcoming Sukkot festival;”Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. ,( Leviticus 23:40-42)
There is much to be learned from each one of those “gifts”.
In this study we will focus on the palm tree.The Date Palm tree is unique among the trees.
They can exceed 20 meters in height as you can see from the tree in the photograph towering out of a small garden and reaching the heights of the buildings next to it. They can survive over a hundred years and use their leaves to protect the tree so that in fact old leaves need to be removed manually.Even their cell structure allows for more flexibility and adaptability. They will sway in strong winds but almost always stay upright.
Their dates were both succulent and nutritious. In fact the largest dates in the world are grown in this land of promise.
The dates were eaten ,the tree juices were used for wine; the trunk used as construction timber; the palm leaves were woven into household vessels and utensils.
In Deuteronomy we read of the land of milk and honey and the honey referred to is date honey ( Deuteronomy 8:8)
When describing righteous men King David uses the metaphor of the Date Palm tree;
The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree,(Psalm 92:12)
A man who is righteous has deep roots, creates protective shields around him and achieves much wisdom in his long life.He is adaptable and will not bow to foreign threatening winds. Yet his major accomplishment is what he can do for others. Sustain, support, offer shade and comfort and nourish both spiritually and physically.
something we all must aspire to