We have now entered the month of Shevat, and with that are ready to begin learning about the letter for this month -- the letter Tzadi. When we take last month's letter (Ayin) and connect it with this month's letter (Tzadi), we create the word "Aitz" (Ayin-Tzadi) which is the word for "tree." This is very fitting since on the 15th of this month we will celebrate Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for trees.

Metaphorically trees represent three primary things: First, the Torah is called an "Aitz Chayim," a Tree of Life. Secondly, trees are compared to people --"Man is the tree of the field" (Deuteronomy 20:19). The third reference is a little more indirect. We are told that "the righteous will flower like a date palm tree." (Psalms 92:18) So, righteous people are also compared to trees, specifically connected to the date palm. The word for righteous is "tzadik," which is what the letter tzadi is commonly called. We could read that sentence, then, as " the tzadik (the letter) will flower like a date palm tree."

What is the essence of a tree that it represents Torah, human beings, and righteous people? Physical trees may themselves be the metaphor to help us grasp the meaning and essence of Torah, humanity, and righteousness. Even the word for "essence" "Aitzem" (Ayin-Tzadi-Mem) has the word Aitz in it!

Another interesting connection is the numerical value of Aitz [Ayin (70) + Tzadi (90) = 160] having the same value as the word Tzelem, which means image [Tzadi (90) + Lamed (30) + Mem (40) = 160]. The Torah tells us that human beings are created "b'tzelem Elokim," "in the image of G-d." How can we understand the connection between the word Aitz and Tzelem, between trees and the image of G-d?

As we have done in the past, looking at each of the component letters of the word Tzelem, can yield the following interpretation: being in the image of G-d is to be a tzadik (tzadi), a righteous person, who (lamed) learns and teaches by bringing down (as well as elevating), the Divine flow of water ( Mem=Mayim, spiritual water).

Also of interest is the Hebrew wrd for shadow, Tzel (Tzadi-Lamed). In the prayers during
Mussafon Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, following the Unatana Tokef, man is
described as a "fleeting shadow," a "Tzel." With a gematria of 120 [Tzadi (90)
+ Lamed (30) = 120] Tzel seems to be hinting at the life span of our physical
bodies. Our bodies, then, are but a shadow, a "Tzel" of our "Tzelem." But Tzelem
is something more. Our Tzelem is an exact image. Adding the Mem somehow adds
the "soul" to the shadow. This thought is striking when we consider that the
Hebrew word for an android is Golem (Gimel-Lamed-Mem) which literally means a
form and in the famous story of the Golem of Prague, a body without a soul.

So, we return to our original question: What is the connection to being created
"b'tzelem Elokim" in the image of G-d and the Aitz, the tree? ( recall that
humans are likened to the fruit bearing tree).

This entire month of Shevat we are occupied with trees. The name of this month also has a connection to trees. The word "Shevat" has the same spelling as the word "Shevet" which means Tribe ( as in the 12 Tribes of Israel). The Tribes are also considered branches of the trunk of Israel.

The Torah portions in the month of Shevat have references to
trees. In Parshat B'Shalach we are told that when the Children of Israel began
complaining about the bitter waters of Marah, their first stop after crossing
through the waters of Yam Suf. G-d shows Moshe a tree. Moshe "throws it into
the water and the water became sweet." (Exodus15:25)

In the following week's Torah portion, Parshat Yitro, the Jewish people stand at Sinai and receive the Torah. Even though we celebrate the giving of Torah at Shavuot, this is our first encounter in the reading cycle. As we said above, Torah is also called a tree -- an "Aitz Chayim," a Tree of Life. In Kabbalah, the primary metaphor is the Mystical Tree of Life,which is the template for understanding the spiritual structure of creation.

Receiving Torah is likened to the rectification for eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The antidote to the Aitz ha'Da'at (The Tree of Knowledge) was the Aitz ha'Chayim (the Tree of Life) which was also in the Garden of Eden. Being given Torah, an Aitz ha'Chayim, we had been given another opportunity to connect to the Tree of Life.