Going Green on the Judaic Path
click for more discussions fromThe Judaic View thru the eyes of Rabbi Mark Strauss-Cohn
Writing about the Jewish connection to the earth may well be one of the easiest assignments for me, as I was once dubbed “The Eco-Rabbi”. To me, Jewish ethics and laws are about protecting and respecting people, the planet, and God. A sage from the second century, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said three things are of equal importance: Earth, Humans, and Rain. Rabbi Levi ben Hiyyata explained: These three (earth, humans & rain) are connected as follows: without earth, there is no rain, and without rain, the earth cannot endure, and without either, humans cannot exist (Genesis Rabbah, 13:3). While the teaching is nice, we may derive a very useful set of principles for living based on this ancient teaching: Collect rainwater, reduce our consumption of water, engineer our homes and buildings so they are efficient users of water.
One of the great rabbis of the 19th century, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch in Germany, explained that according to Jewish tradition, we do not own the earth. Rather, we see ourselves as belonging to the earth. Our challenge is to respect the earth as Divine soil and to deem every one of its creatures as a creature of God. God has lent them to us for wise use only and we should never forget that God has LENT them to us. As soon as you use them unwisely, be it the greatest or the smallest, you commit treachery against God’s world. Indeed, by using creation unwisely, we commit murder and robbery against Divine property, thus sinning against God!
The Eternal One placed the Human Being in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it (Genesis 2:15). Clearly we are permitted to work the land and even derive benefit from it. However, we must protect it or as another Jewish teaching warns: there will be nothing left for you to enjoy.
We have a responsibility to the earth and all who live here. This is evident in the laws of how we build our homes. In Deuteronomy, we are commanded to make a parapet for the roof, so that you do not bring blood-guilt on your house if anyone should fall from it (Deut. 22). In modern parlance, is it responsible for a corporation to dump toxic chemicals in local streams, knowing that people (let alone wildlife and plants) use that water and will be exposed to the chemicals?
In the Talmud, we read: “Whoever breaks vessels, tears garments, destroys a building, clogs a well, or does away with food in a destructive manner violates the commandment to not destroy God’s creation.” (Kiddushin 32a) From this dictum derives a critical concept in Jewish law known as “Bal Tashchit” which causes us to be aware not to destroy our world around us. Humans are very self-serving and seem to feel free to destroy the world around us. Otherwise, why would laws like this have been in a document that dates to the early Middle Ages? The Torah commands us to save the fruit trees of a village, even if we are waging a war against the town? After all, the trees are necessary for everyone’s health, and what did they do to deserve a battle?
One of the greatest sages from the first century, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, a sage attributed with preserving Judaism at a time when the Roman Empire would have had us crushed once said: if you have a sapling in your hand, and someone should say to you that the Messiah has come, stay and complete the planting, and then go to greet the Messiah (Avot de Rabbi Nathan, 31b).
This teaching has long stood as a great example of Jewish sensibility and even concern for the planet. First off, we may hope and pray for a Messiah but truth be told, we have far more important things to worry about: trees, eating, care of the earth, care of future generations. The Messiah (or messianic age) can only come about when we take care of the very real earthly problems we have.
The earth is a gift from God. It is remarkably sad to me how much wanton destruction of the earth we are witnessing in our generation and I hope, pray and act toward using our sensibilities, our shared interests, and available technology to make the world a safer and healthier place for us all.
One of the great rabbis of the 19th century, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch in Germany, explained that according to Jewish tradition, we do not own the earth. Rather, we see ourselves as belonging to the earth. Our challenge is to respect the earth as Divine soil and to deem every one of its creatures as a creature of God. God has lent them to us for wise use only and we should never forget that God has LENT them to us. As soon as you use them unwisely, be it the greatest or the smallest, you commit treachery against God’s world. Indeed, by using creation unwisely, we commit murder and robbery against Divine property, thus sinning against God!
The Eternal One placed the Human Being in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it (Genesis 2:15). Clearly we are permitted to work the land and even derive benefit from it. However, we must protect it or as another Jewish teaching warns: there will be nothing left for you to enjoy.
We have a responsibility to the earth and all who live here. This is evident in the laws of how we build our homes. In Deuteronomy, we are commanded to make a parapet for the roof, so that you do not bring blood-guilt on your house if anyone should fall from it (Deut. 22). In modern parlance, is it responsible for a corporation to dump toxic chemicals in local streams, knowing that people (let alone wildlife and plants) use that water and will be exposed to the chemicals?
In the Talmud, we read: “Whoever breaks vessels, tears garments, destroys a building, clogs a well, or does away with food in a destructive manner violates the commandment to not destroy God’s creation.” (Kiddushin 32a) From this dictum derives a critical concept in Jewish law known as “Bal Tashchit” which causes us to be aware not to destroy our world around us. Humans are very self-serving and seem to feel free to destroy the world around us. Otherwise, why would laws like this have been in a document that dates to the early Middle Ages? The Torah commands us to save the fruit trees of a village, even if we are waging a war against the town? After all, the trees are necessary for everyone’s health, and what did they do to deserve a battle?
One of the greatest sages from the first century, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, a sage attributed with preserving Judaism at a time when the Roman Empire would have had us crushed once said: if you have a sapling in your hand, and someone should say to you that the Messiah has come, stay and complete the planting, and then go to greet the Messiah (Avot de Rabbi Nathan, 31b).
This teaching has long stood as a great example of Jewish sensibility and even concern for the planet. First off, we may hope and pray for a Messiah but truth be told, we have far more important things to worry about: trees, eating, care of the earth, care of future generations. The Messiah (or messianic age) can only come about when we take care of the very real earthly problems we have.
The earth is a gift from God. It is remarkably sad to me how much wanton destruction of the earth we are witnessing in our generation and I hope, pray and act toward using our sensibilities, our shared interests, and available technology to make the world a safer and healthier place for us all.
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