Judaism and the Environment:
A Compilation of Thoughts

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The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.                                                                                  -- Anne Frank

Judaism is rooted in the environment. Helping the environment, taking care of the Earth, which is God’s creation, IS Judaism. Planting a tree IS a religious act. Environmentalism is, or should be, as much a part of being Jewish today as supporting Israel or being an advocate for social justice.

The beginnings of a Jewish environmental ethic emerge literally from the beginning-- out of Bereishit, - Genesis - through creation, which set up models of our relationship as human beings with the rest of creation, and which obligate us to tend and to protect the world, and the story of the great flood and Noah. Our agricultural roots, celebrated on holidays and in sacred texts, are intended to connect us to the land.

STEWARDSHIP

Earth and God’s creations do not belong to us. They belong to God.
We are obligated to take care of them and pass them on in good shape and healthy condition for future generations to enjoy.

Adapted from Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies:
Stewardship is the notion that humanity is the caretaker of the earth and of all living things. Rooted in a religious view of the world, stewardship asserts that the purpose of all creation, humanity included, is to sing God’s praises, through deeds of goodness, through establishing a just and righteous society, by cultivating gratitude to our Creator for the marvel of being alive . . .

Our task is to act responsibly, to assure that the beauty and majesty of the world not be lessened by our deeds, to see that all of God’s creatures can know, at whatever level, the goodness of Creation, to make visible the unity of God through the solidarity of all created things, and to justify the assertion that humanity uniquely reflects God’s image by our unique responsibility for caring for God’s world . . .

Our distinction as people, our very claim to preeminence in the world, rests on our ability to distinguish good from evil, to restrain our desires, to consider the whole and the holy. In caring for creation, in acting as God’s stewards, we vindicate God’s judgement in the goodness of creation, we reveal the divine image within the human heart, and we assure a rich future four our children and for our children’s children.

Midrash Rabbah on Ecclesiastes 7:13, describes God taking Adam around the Garden of Eden for an orientation, as it were, to the realm of nature. "See how beautiful all My creations are", says God in this legend, adding that "all has been created for your sake. So reflect on this, and take care not to foul or destroy my world. For if you do, there will be none to repair it after you. And what is worse, you will bring death even to righteous people in the future.

So how have we done? We are a society that is much more readily distressed by an affront to the nation's flag than by an offense against its rivers. We know what the record is: Unrenewable resources wasted and depleted; forests that support whole life systems destroyed or removed in order to make possible everything from development to the raising of beef; species which for all we know were long ago painstakingly and lovingly spared by God from the Flood have finally been made to disappear; waterways and air have been fouled; and critical elements of the atmosphere have been destroyed. The second paragraph of the Shema has a new meaning to us: "if you obey the rules of tenancy in this world, then you will have lifegiving rain; if you do not obey those rules, but behave as if you were the creators and landlords, then the rain will turn acidic and no longer give life."

Protecting G!d's creation is a theme throughout subsequent Jewish philosophy, literature, liturgy and law. Scholars and rabbis from Maimonides to Reb Nachman of Bratzlav and from Rav Kook to Abraham Joshua Heschel have taught and written about this relationship. Our liturgy is rich in natural imagery, from blessings that give us a framework for awareness and appreciation for the wonders and sanctity of creation to the image of the Torah itself as a tree of life. The cycles and lifestyles and practices of Jewish life are grounded in the natural world and our connection to it:

§ Shabbat - stopping and resting on the Sabbath - teaches that there are higher values than production and consumption. Resting on Shabbat - one day in seven - lies at the heart of a healthy relationship with oneself, one's friends and one's family. A sacred day of rest that sustains and renews by bringing measured balance to human activity.

Shabbat is the day each week that recalls for us maaseh bereshit--the wondrous work of creation. How incredible it is that there IS existence, that there is a world, and people, and everything in nature (what are the odds of that happening?).

§ Shmitta - having the land rest on its seventh year – jubilee-- provides an equivalent model of rest for the land itself.

§ Peah - leaving the corner of the field unharvested for the poor to pick themselves - connects ecological issues with the need for people to live free of hunger, and with their basic needs met.

§ B’rachot - Giving thanks for of the many wonders of creation that reflect the infinite wisdom of the One that creates. The experience of the natural world, as well as interactions between people and nature, became sanctified. Not only the tasting of foods, but the fragrance of blossoms, the sight of mountains, the renewal of the moon, and the sound of thunder were to be blessed.

§ Tikkun Olam - To heal and repair the world. To restore the natural flow that we disturb at our own risk.

§ Tz’ar Ba’alei Chayim - The pain of living things. For as we do to the web of life, so do we do to ourselves.

§ Ba’al Taschit - Do not wantonly destroy, waste or consume the earth’s resources.

§ Shomrei Adamah - Keepers of the Earth who till and tend, who use and replenish

§ Eco-Kashrut – An evolving concept combining common sense and compassion with a range of ancient Jewish teachings that are incorporated into a set of simple, daily practices to properly respect the earth, ourselves and all other life. The goal is to live Jewishly and “sustainably”—using renewable items and not using products or practices that harm or diminish the quality of life for current or future generations.

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What Can Individuals Do?

Respect Nature (God’s Creation) – Be a Responsible Consumer – Invest Wisely -
Become and Advocate

The first thing you should do is plant. Keep these words in mind:

How can a person of flesh and blood follow God? ... God, from the very beginning of creation, was occupied before all else with planting, as it is written, "And first of all, the Eternal God planted a Garden in Eden [Genesis 2:8] Therefore ... occupy yourselves first and foremost with planting (Leviticus Rabbah 25:3).

Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai ... used to say: 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).

Come to our treeplanting. If you can’t plant, at least be more considerate of nature! Protect a tree and appreciate a flower . . . But while you are tilling and tending to your garden, do it in an environmentally friendly way! Reduce or eliminate the use of fertilizers, weed killers, and pesticides, or at least use organic and environmentally friendly products.

Secondly, be a responsible consumer. Not only keep in mind the old environmental adage of reduce, reuse, and recycle, but once you’ve decided to make a purchase, THINK! What is the environmental impact of this item? Sometimes there is no clear good choice—paper or plastic bags, cloth or disposable diapers—but other times the difference in impact is clear: with automobiles or appliances, for example. I am not an SUV basher, but the fact remains that SUV’s have a terrible environmental impact—for right now. Maybe soon when hybrid SUV’s come out it will be different. With appliances, definitely look for the EnergyStar which shows improved energy efficiency. As your light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact flourescent lights (CFL’s). More expensive to purchase, but will save you money in the long-run because they last much longer.

Remember turn on, tune in, drop out? Now, the thing to do is:

TUNE UP, TURN OFF, TAKE OUT, PUT IN

Tune up your car and your furnace. The more efficiently things run, the less their impact on the environment. Turn off appliances when you aren’t using them, and leave your car at home more often. Walk, carpool, take the Metro. Take out harmful chemicals in your yard and home and substitute organic, natural, safe, non-toxic efficient pesticides and cleansers. There are excellent safe substitutes for everything from furniture polish to window cleaner to roach control. And put in insulation and energy efficient products—from light bulbs to washers to refrigerators to furnaces-- at every opportunity.

In case you don’t think these things really make a difference, here are just a few examples of how they do:

• Leaving your car at home one day a week reduces your carbon dioxide emissions by about 800 pounds a year.

• A high-efficiency refrigerator will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 200 pounds a year.

• Insulating your home and tuning up your furnace can save up to 2,480 pounds of CO2 a year.

• Any using CFLs and buying EnergyStar heating and cooling systems can reduce energy use by as much as 40 percent.

A corollary to being a wise consumer is to invest wisely. By this, I mean not just purchasing environmentally friendly products, but also being aware of where you put your money. What are the practices of the corporation you are supporting with your purchases? Do you buy your coffee from a company that supports shade-grown, environmentally-responsible cultivation of coffee? Do you stop to think when you buy your car about the environmental policies of that car company? And do you invest in mutual funds and stocks that follow sound environmental practices? Socially responsible investing is a growing field and has been shown to be able to make nice profits while helping the Earth at the same time. (Not to mention other considerations like treatment of workers and workplace practices.)

Become an advocate! Speak up to manufacturers and corporations. Follow legislation in Jefferson City and Washington. Let your elected representatives know you care about the environment and you want your government to, also. Whether it’s protecting wilderness areas or taking steps to stop global warming by requiring more fuel-efficient vehicles or stopping the threatened weakening of air and water quality laws, your voice is critical.
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It should not be believed that all the beings exist for the sake of the existence of humanity. On the contrary, all the other beings too have been intended for their own sakes, and not for the sake of something else (Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed, 456).

But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you; the fish of the sea, they will inform you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Eternal has done this? (Job 12:7-9)

Steve Sorkin
Jewish Environmental Initiative

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