A Jewish Approach to the Environment

ByAJWS Staff

AJWS On1Foot

Leviticus 19:23-25

וְכִי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כָּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים לֹא יֵאָכֵל: וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִת יִהְיֶה כָּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַיקֹוָק: וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁת תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ אֲנִי יְקֹוָק אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

Leviticus.19.23-25

When you enter the land and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit shall be set aside for jubilation before the Lord; and only in its fifth year may you use its fruit- that its yield to you may be increased: I am the Lord your God. [JPS]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What does the biblical notion of jubilee imply about Jewish historical roots in environmentalism and ethical consumption?
2. Why maintain this law? What are modern day reasons for jubilee?

Deuteronomy 20:19-20

כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר יָמִים רַבִּים לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ לְתָפְשָׂהּ לֹא תַשְׁחִית אֶת עֵצָהּ לִנְדֹּחַ עָלָיו גַּרְזֶן כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תֹאכֵל וְאֹתוֹ לֹא תִכְרֹת כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה לָבֹא מִפָּנֶיךָ בַּמָּצוֹר: רַק עֵץ אֲשֶׁר תֵּדַע כִּי לֹא עֵץ מַאֲכָל הוּא אֹתוֹ תַשְׁחִית וְכָרָתָּ וּבָנִיתָ מָצוֹר עַל הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר הִוא עֹשָׂה עִמְּךָ מִלְחָמָה עַד רִדְתָּהּ

Deuteronomy.20.19-20

When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you may not cut them down. Are trees of the field human to withdraw before you into the besieged city? Only trees that you know do not yield food may be destroyed; you may cut them down for constructing siegeworks against the city that is waging war on you, until it has been reduced. [JPS]

Suggested Discussion Questions

What is the intention of this law? To what extent is it followed?
What does this text imply about environmentalism?

Rabbi Abraham ben Moses, On Nature

Original
In order to serve God, one needs access to the enjoyment of the beauties of nature, such as the contemplation of flower-decorated meadows, majestic mountains, flowing rivers… For all these are essential to the spiritual development of even the holiest people.

Suggested Discussion Questions

Why do you think one need's access to nature in order to serve God? What does this mean for those who live in urban settings?

How do you reconcile this texts and others that state that question the effectiveness of praying outside, since one might be tempted to worship nature rather than God?

Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, The Seven Beggers

Original
The wise men once had gathered- Each one was an expert in another shade. Shade is very important- Each living being needs a shade to rest in Each shade is different- One shade makes one living being rest And the very same shade, Causes another being unrest. So it is with birds, too- Each one likes another branch to rest on- These wise men thought, Is there anywhere a tree giving such shade? That all kinds of beings would find rest in it- All kinds of birds perch in its branches, and all is at peace? They calculated that somewhere there must be such a tree. They wanted to go to the tree, since near it there is wonderful delight that is beyond all imagination. All birds and animals are there, and none harms the other. They all live in harmony and frolic together, so it must be an extraordinary delight to be near that tree. They then probed to discover which direction they must travel to reach the tree. A dispute arose regarding this, and none of them could come to a conclusion. Some said that they should head east while others said that it was to the west. One determined that the tree must be in one place, while another said that it was elsewhere. Thus, they could not decide which way to go to come to the tree. Then a wise man came and said to them, “Why are you trying to discover in which direction the tree lies? Instead try to find out who will be able to approach the tree. Not everyone can come near it. In order to do son, one must have all the qualities of the tree. The tree has three roots. The first root is faith, the second reverence, and the third humility. The trunk of the tree is truth, and it is from there that its branches come forth. It is impossible to go to the tree unless one has these qualities

Original

The wise men once had gathered- Each one was an expert in another shade. Shade is very important- Each living being needs a shade to rest in Each shade is different- One shade makes one living being rest And the very same shade, Causes another being unrest. So it is with birds, too- Each one likes another branch to rest on- These wise men thought, Is there anywhere a tree giving such shade? That all kinds of beings would find rest in it- All kinds of birds perch in its branches, and all is at peace? They calculated that somewhere there must be such a tree. They wanted to go to the tree, since near it there is wonderful delight that is beyond all imagination. All birds and animals are there, and none harms the other. They all live in harmony and frolic together, so it must be an extraordinary delight to be near that tree. They then probed to discover which direction they must travel to reach the tree. A dispute arose regarding this, and none of them could come to a conclusion. Some said that they should head east while others said that it was to the west. One determined that the tree must be in one place, while another said that it was elsewhere. Thus, they could not decide which way to go to come to the tree. Then a wise man came and said to them, “Why are you trying to discover in which direction the tree lies? Instead try to find out who will be able to approach the tree. Not everyone can come near it. In order to do son, one must have all the qualities of the tree. The tree has three roots. The first root is faith, the second reverence, and the third humility. The trunk of the tree is truth, and it is from there that its branches come forth. It is impossible to go to the tree unless one has these qualities

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What is the environmental lesson of this story? What is the importance of shade, according to these rabbis?
2. What does it mean that "not everyone can come near it" [the tree]? Why do the rabbis have the notion that you must hold a certain humility in order to be in nature?
3. What are the qualities of the trees, according to this story? How do these qualities relate to human-kind?