The Blessing of the Almond Trees

Although it is not one of the special “seven species” of the Land of Israel, the almond tree has a special place in the hearts of everyone who lives here in the Land.

The almond tree is native to Israel and can be found in the wild, and in cultivated orchards. When our kids were little we used to go into the forest near our home in Jerusalem and pick wild almonds. Invariably they were too bitter to eat, but we would make an almond scrub from the pulp in the food processor.

Around Tu B’Shvat, as the winter is ending, the almond tree is the first species to bloom and brings cheer to the heart of everyone, especially the children.

In fact the children’s song for Tu B’Shvat begins “The Almond Tree is Blossoming, the golden sun is shining…”

The first appearance of the almond tree is in Genesis 43:11 where it is specifically mentioned as being one of the “choice products of the land.” When Jacob sends his sons back to Egypt, he asks them to include almonds in their gift to “the man.”

Aharon’s staff miraculously sprouts almond blossoms

Later on, when the tribes rebelled against Moses and Aharon claiming the perhaps Aaron should not be the High Priest, God instructed Moses to take a wooden staff from each of the tribal leaders as well as one from Aharon and place them in the Tent of the Pact.

Numbers 17:22-23 reports

“Moses deposited the staff before the Lord, in the Tent of the Pact.

The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Pact, and there the staff of Aaron of the house of Levi had sprouted: it has brought forth sprouts, produced blossoms and borne almonds.”

This miracle of the almond staff calmed the rebellion and firmly established Aharon in his position of Cohen Gadol (the High Priest)

Last week,  I drove from Yavne’el in the eastern Galilee to do some shopping in Migdal HaEmek in the western Galilee about a 45 minute drive from us. All along the way were the wonderful pinkish/white blossoms of the almond orchards signalling that spring is just around the corner.