Evergreen:
Many of the most well-known symbols of Freemasonry are human-made objects, such as the square and compasses or the cornerstone. However, Freemasons have also long turned to nature to help create and contextualize our philosophies.Acacia,an evergreen tree that can be found throughout Africa and the middle east, is a prime example. Given its rich history and significance withinJudaism,this tree is an interesting symbol worthy of closer examination…
Known in Hebrew as “shittim,” God commanded Moses to use this tree to build theArk of the Covenant,into which he placed the stone tablets carrying the Ten Commandments. Exodus 37 describes the Ark’s creation out of shittim, which was put into the Holy of Holies (Sanctum Sanctorum) inSolomon’s Templeafter it was built.
The acacia’s significance throughout history is not just specific to the Bible. Both the ancient Hebrews and the Egyptians considered the tree to be asymbol of immortalitybecause of its hardness, durability, and evergreen nature. Long ago, the Israelites would plant an acacia sprig at the head of graves to reflect this belief (and to mark the burial site).
Masonic Significance
Given that God chose the acacia as the tree for building the Ark of the Covenant, the Jewish people have long considered it more sacred than other trees. It is understandable then that early Freemasons emphasized the sanctity and symbolism of this plant by using it to teach a divine truth from the start.
Like the ancient Egyptians and Israelites, the sprig of acacia primarilysymbolizes the immortality of the soulwhen it is presented to a Master Mason. The evergreen quality of the tree reflects the human spirit, the immortal part of us which can never die. This notion is presented towards the close of the monitorial lecture of the Third Degree. During which it is explained that we are strengthened by “the evergreen and ever-living emblem of immortality, the acacia.”
https://www.freemason.com/acacia-tree/