As the Jewish people enter the Three Weeks, the image of the almond tree emerges as a powerful symbol of both divine vigilance and the promise of renewal.
The most sorrowful chapter of the Jewish calendar carries within it a quiet, unwavering hope.
This coming Shabbat, we begin reading the opening chapter of the book of Jeremiah, aligning with the onset of the Three Weeks — a deeply mournful period spanning from Shiva Asar B’Tammuz to Tisha B’Av. Yet within this time of lament, there lies a message of comfort and resilience.
In the Haftara of Jeremiah, God turns to the young prophet with a profound question:
“Ma ata roeh?” – “What do you see?”
Jeremiah responds:
“Makel shaked ani roeh” – “I see the rod of an almond tree.”
But what is the deeper meaning of this vision?
Targum Yonatan interprets the almond rod ominously — likening it to the sceptre of a wicked king poised to bring calamity upon the Jewish people. However, Maimonides (the Rambam) offers a redemptive insight: the Hebrew word shaked (almond) echoes shoked, meaning to watch over. Thus, the almond becomes a symbol of God’s enduring guardianship over His people, even during times of hardship.
The Midrash in Eicha Rabba deepens this metaphor. It observes that an almond tree takes precisely 21 days from the first blossom to bear ripe fruit — perfectly mirroring the 21 days of the Three Weeks. This, the Midrash says, is no coincidence. It is a sign that just as the almond tree swiftly brings forth fruit, so too will these days of sorrow eventually yield the sweetness of peace and joy.
This imagery is well known to Jewish children through the beloved Tu Bishvat song, “Hashkediya Porachat” — “The almond tree is blooming.” Sung each year as winter wanes, it celebrates the almond tree’s blossoming as a herald of spring and renewal.
And so, even in the heart of our calendar’s darkest period, the almond offers a deeply poignant and relevant message. After months of national mourning and personal anguish, especially in the wake of October 7th, 2023, we are reminded that the winter of our suffering will not last forever.
The almond tree whispers to us: spring will come.
From the depths of our hearts, we turn to the Almighty with prayer.
May every hostage return home swiftly and safely.
May peace embrace our people once again.
And may we all be led from the shadows of despair into the enduring light of hope.