Tu B'Shevat, the Rosh Hashana of the Trees, is a holiday replete with praises - praise of the Land of Israel and her celebrated fruits, and praise of G-d, Who gave His chosen land from which his eyes never turn, to His children for an eternal inheritance. Israel, the focus of the Jewish people's longing and desire, is "a land of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates, and a land of olive trees and [date] honey."
On this day, when the land is renewed in its ability to produce, the Jewish people rejoice. And when the land yields its treasures to her children, they eat and praise their Father in Heaven Who bequeathed them such delicacies.
It is related by Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai that the Twelve Tribes were allotted parcels of land according to their own distinct attributes, to the extent that the fruits of one tribe differed in flavor from those of a brother tribe.
The Midrash relates the following story illustrating that teaching:
Once it happened that the people of the town of Ludkia were greatly in need of oil. They appointed one man to go and procure it for them, telling him: "Go and get for us oil in the amount of one hundred times ten thousand."
The man went on his way, inquiring of everyone he met where he could buy such a tremendous amount of oil.
His first stop was in Jerusalem, where he came into the market.
Amidst the noise of merchants hawking their wares and shoppers haggling over prices he announced boldly, "I need oil in the amount of one hundred times ten thousand." He was told to go to the town of Tzor, where someone might be able to help him.
Upon hearing of this promising location, the emissary of Ludkia gathered his humble provisions and set out in the direction of Tzor.
When he arrived there, the man went to the market and once more called out: "I need to buy oil in the amount of one hundred times ten thousand." But no one in Tzor had such a large quantity of oil.
They suggested, though, that he travel yet further, to the town of Gush Chalav.
Arriving in Gush Chalav, the man once more went to the market and made his announcement. He was told to go to the home of a certain resident of that town.
With praises to G-d and the hope that his mission would soon be completed, the man went to the address he had been given.
"The master of the house is not home now, he is tending to his olive trees," was the response the emissary from Ludkia received upon inquiring after the owner.
Undaunted, the emissary went out into the olive fields in search of the prospective oil merchant. Finally, he located the man and told him, "I am in need of oil in the amount of one hundred times ten thousand."
The man was not in the least bit fazed by the emissary's request for such a tremendous amount of oil. Calmly and evenly he answered the emissary, "Please wait for me until I am finished with my work in the olive groves."
When the man had finished with the olive trees, he carefully collected all of his tools and returned home together with the prospective buyer. Yet the man seemed so unassuming in appearance.
The emissary wondered, "Could it really be possible that this man with whom I am now walking, who was himself just tending the olive grove, could supply so vast an amount of oil? I fear I have made this trip for no reason, for surely I am the object of someone's joke."
The emissary's thoughts began to change, though, when the two men reached the home of the olive grove owner. For, when they entered the house, a maidservant brought pitchers of heated water for her master to wash his hands and feet. Then she brought out a solid gold container filled with oil into which he immersed his hands and feet, in keeping with the verse, "'And he dips his foot in oil."
In no time, deliciously prepared food was laid on the table and they ate and drank.
"If you will come with me," said the man to the emissary, "I will gladly measure out the oil for you now." The emissary followed and watched in amazement as he measured out oil worth one hundred times ten thousand.
Turning to the buyer, the grove-owner asked, "Do you want more oil?"
The man was astounded, and replied, "I have no more money."
"No matter," he was informed. "I will be happy to measure out the oil and accompany you to your town where I can collect the extra money." And with that, the man again measured oil, this time for another eighteen times ten thousand.
It is said that the buyer used every available mule and camel to transport the fabulous volume of oil to his home town, where he received an enthusiastic welcome from his fellow townspeople. His remarks to them were the following: "Give your praise only to this person, for all the credit is his. Also, I am in debt to him for the sum of eighteen times ten thousand! It is said, 'Some appear to be rich and are paupers, while others appear poor, yet are exceedingly rich.'"
