Now how should we address a tree?
Perhaps as you, perhaps as thee,
suggesting there鈥檚 a parity
between us. Familiarity

is clear in French if we use 鈥渢u鈥�
to any tree that鈥檚 in our view,
as with it on our tongue we trip
creating a relationship

that Buber would have called 鈥淚-Thou,鈥�
while with it willing to endow
the tree with 鈥淭u鈥� that in Shevat
shares our own image, as woodcut.

When the first lady shared her fruit
with Adam, innocent, no suit,
she did not know that this attempt
to tempt him might breed great contempt,

because familiarity
does this, when there鈥檚 disparity
between two people, with a sequel
that鈥檚 bad when they aren鈥檛 truly equal.

Eve鈥檚 offer of this caused her trouble,
and Adam too, but in the rubble
we need to till, plant, plough, and must
in one another place our trust,

as we do, in what鈥檚 most delicious,
fresh fruit we鈥檝e blessed with an auspicious
Shehehyanu!聽– kept alive
like it, each year allowed to thrive.

Gershon Hepner 1/24/21 Tu B鈥橲hvat 5781
Pomegranates, grapes, dates, figs, olives – wheat and barley!