Q. Is it very important to eat fruits of Eretz Yisrael on Tu Bishvat, since you have to separate truma umaaser, and not everyone is familiar to do it correctly?
A. The tradition to eat tree fruits in Tu Bishvat is mentioned in many Poiskim in (O.H. 131), however there is generally no special mention of a requirement to eat fruits from Eretz Yisroel, although some of the Sifrei Chasidus do mentioned it. Sdey Yaar (quoted in Koveitz Maamorim p. 28) mentions that the custom may originate from the fact that Tu Bishvat is the cut-off date in the Jewish calendar for calculating the age of a fruit-bearing tree, and it depends on when most of the rains of the year have already elapsed in Eretz Yisroel. (Rosh Hashono 14a). Peroisecho Metukim narrates how in many Chasidic kehilos they made a special effort to obtain fruits grown in Israel. Nitey Gavriel (Purim 5 note 6) quotes extensive sources of different Chasidic dynasties and their vehement pursue on Tu Bishvat for fruits from Eretz Yisroel. (See Tur O.H. 208 and Bach ibid. in regards to the holiness of those fruits today and Talmud Sotah 14b in regards to Moshe Rabbenu wanting to eat from Eretz Yisroel fruits)
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that you do not have to acquire Israeli fruits for observing the Tu Bishvat traditions, especially if it involves questionable Halachic issues.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a.
Important Numbers
