Almendro en flor, ante el alcázar de Toledo.

https://eu.zonerama.com/Link/Photo/518675939/4757734

Bonjour Mastodon!
#Photography #Nature #AlmondTree #BitterOrange #Mimosa

ALMOND TREE FLOWERING

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ט”ו בשבט שמח! Today, we celebrate the New Year of the Trees, and no tree is more symbolic than the almond tree—עֵץ שָׁקֵד /ets sha-’ked/.

Its early bloom marks the arrival of spring in Israel and has deep roots in tradition, poetry, and even modern Hebrew names! The word שָׁקֵד /sha-’ked/ comes from the root ש.ק.ד., meaning to invest effort—just like we do in learning and growth.

A true symbol of renewal, resilience, and new beginnings!

As we celebrate ט”ו בִּשְׁבָט /too bee-sh-’vat/, the Jewish New Year of the Trees, the עֵץ שָׁקֵד /ets sha-’ked/ (almond tree) holds special significance.

Poet Levin Kipnis coined שְׁקֵדִיָּה /sh-ke-dee-’yah/ for the almond tree in his 1919 poem, and the beloved song “הַשְּׁקֵדִיָּה פּוֹרַחַת” (“The Almond Tree is Blooming”) cemented its connection to ט”ו בשבט.

The almond tree, first to bloom after winter, symbolizes renewal and effort—rooted in ש.ק.ד., meaning dedication, as in לִשְׁקֹד /leesh-’kod/ (to study hard). Its name also appears in Israeli first and last names.

Regions like Galilee, Carmel, Samaria, and Judea are known for almond orchards, and today, all but cultivated varieties are protected in Israel.

#Fotvorschlag "Im Verborgenen" ...wachsen die Mandeln.

As we celebrate ט"ו בִּשְׁבָט /too bee-sh-'vat/ tomorrow, the Jewish New Year of the Trees, the almond tree, known in Hebrew as עֵץ שָׁקֵד /ets sha-'ked/, takes on a special significance. Almond is שָׁקֵד /sha-'ked/, and Tree is עֵץ /ets/.

This tree's unique place in Israeli culture and tradition is deeply rooted in its history and symbolism.