Q: Should Noahides celebrate Tu B’Shevat – and if so, how?

Q: I want to ask you about Tu B’Shevat (the Fifteenth of Shevat). Should Noahides celebrate this holiday, and if so, what should they do? My point is that this holiday is very closely linked to the Land of Israel. How should Noahides celebrate the holiday, what prayers should they recite? In addition: Ashkenazim and Sephardim have different customs about the number of fruits that they eat on this day. What should a Noahide eat to mark this day?

A: Eating various fruits on Tu B’Shevat is a good practice but it is not even an obligation for Jews. But it provides a good opportunity to have an encounter with the Creator who gave human beings the possibility to eat the fruits. For a broad view of this matter, I recommend reading my booklet, “The Good of the Land” (in Hebrew). This has been reprinted in my book, “Zayit Raanan.” It also appears at http://ravsharki.org/content/view/13/629/