What is the significance of the fifteenth day of Shevat?

The Mishna states that the fifteenth of Shevat is the “Rosh Hashana for trees,” marking the cutoff date that separates one year’s fruits from the next for certain agricultural halachos, including maaser, shemita, and orlah.¹

Over time, Jewish communities adopted a minhag to mark Chamisha Asar BiShvat² with joy, even though the day’s origin is seemingly technical and halachic. Shulchan Aruch records the practice of treating the day with a festive character, including avoiding fasting and omitting tachanun.³

A widespread minhag is to eat fruits, with particular emphasis on the shivas haminim — grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.⁴ The Rebbe also notes the custom of eating carobs, which are associated with miracles.⁵

The Rebbe encouraged including a new seasonal fruit, over which the blessing of Shehecheyanu is added (prior to ha’etz).⁶ Though some recite selections from Tanach and Zohar, the Rebbe writes that he hasn’t seen this practiced.⁷

The Rebbe often highlighted lessons we learn from trees, based on the passuk, “for a person is like a tree of the field.” We must constantly grow in our Yiddishkeit, and produce “fruit” of good deeds.⁸

The Rebbe explains that this festival is unique because its observance stems from a minhag Yisroel — something so lofty it could not be explicitly written in the Torah. Just as fruits provide delight beyond the basic sustenance of bread, Chamisha Asar BiShvat expresses a form of avodas Hashem motivated not by obligation, but by joy and love— simply because it gives Hashem pleasure. A Yid should always seek to go beyond the bare minimum in all areas of avodas Hashem — not done as a mere routine, but with warmth, enthusiasm, and initiative.⁹

See Sources (open PDF)