As the centuries passed, the Jewish people’s longing for Israel increased. Tu B'Shevat became a date on which fruit from the land of Israel was eaten as a reminder of the land that was once ours.
Kabbalists, the Jewish mystics of Safed, established the observance of a Tu B'Shevat seder some 400 years ago. The kabbalists saw Tu B'Shevat as a holiday that connected two ideas: the revival of nature after the long winter and the revival of the Jewish nation. They created a seder to commemorate this New Year of the Trees, which was similar in structure to the Passover seder. The Tu B'Shevat seder includes readings about trees, planting and nature, as well as the ingathering of the Jewish exiles and the covenant of the people of Israel with God.
At the Tu B'Shevat seder we drink four cups of wine or juice. But unlike the Passover seder, the color of the wine in each cup is important: First cup—white wine or juice to represent winter Second cup—white wine mixed with a bit of red for spring. Third cup—red wine mixed with a bit of white to represent summer Fourth cup—all red wine for autumn.
Additionally, three categories of fruits are eaten: fruits that are entirely edible, fruits with a pit and fruits with an inedible shell or peel.
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