Tu Bishvat – Day 12

Deuteronomy 20:19: “When you besiege a city for many days to wage war against it to seize it, do not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them, for from it you will eat.”

The law against destroying a fruit bearing tree does not only apply during war; (Makot 22a): “It is always prohibited to destroy a productive tree.”

We must use the Tu Bishvat period to review our actions, potential, learning and prayer; we may not destroy or tear down anything that is productive. We may not criticize and damage those efforts that have, even just the potential, to bear fruit. (Machberes Avodas Hashem)