Edible Garden: Waste

This source sheet is inspired by Big Green Jewish's Edible Garden resource (http://ow.ly/5Ex63), which links practical gardening with Jewish and environmental education.

This particular section explores our relationship with possesions and reousrces.

As you are reading the texts conisder how you may reduce wastefulness in your daily actions, and if you need ideas check out www.biggreenjewish.org. Why not make a Big Green Promise to reduce your wasteful consumption - http://ow.ly/5ODkG?

Maimonides, Mishneh Torah Laws of Kings 6:10

Translation	Original
Not only one who cuts down a fruit tree, but anyone who destroys household goods, tears clothing, demolishes a building stops up a spring, or ruins food deliberately, violates the prohibition of Bal Tashchit,‘do not destroy.' [Translation by Big Green Jewish]	ולא האילנות בלבד, אלא כל המשבר כלים, וקורע בגדים, והורס בניין, וסותם מעיין, ומאבד מאכלות דרך השחתה-- עובר ב”לא תשחית”

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. In what ways is each of these actions destructive? How are they different?
2. Why is there a prohibition to destroy? What types of behaviors can we learn from these prohibitions?

Talmud Bavli Shabbat 105b

שבת ק״ה ב:ח׳

המקרע בגדיו בחמתו והמשבר כליו בחמתו והמפזר מעותיו בחמתו יהא בעיניך כעובד עבודה זרה

Shabbat 105b:8

One who tears their clothing, breaks their utensils, or scatters one's money in anger should be in your eyes as if that person had served idols. [Translation by Big Green Jewish]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Why are these three actions problematic? What do they tell us about a person?
2. Why are these actions compared to idol worship? What does this teach us about how we are supposed regrad material possesions?

3. Is it fair to judge the behaviour of someone acting in anger in such harsh terms?

Talmud Bavli Yevamot 11b

יבמות י״א ב:ט״ז

לא ישפוך אדם מי בורו ואחרים צריכים להם

Yevamot 11b:16

One should not spill their well water as long as there are others who need it. [Translation by Big Green Jewish. Edited for gender neutrality]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Why can't someone who has a lot of water spill it?
2. Is this prohibition only in effect when the spilled water could have gone to the people who needed it? Does the prohibition apply if you could not get the water to those who needed it?
3. What does this text suggest about the behavior of those who experience an abundance of resources?

Blessings said before eating – from the prayerbook

Translation	Original
Blessed are you Lord God King of the World - who brings forth bread from the earth. Blessed are you Lord God King of the World - who creates the fruit of the tree. Blessed are you Lord God King of the World - who creates all kinds of food. [Translation by Big Green Jewish]	ברוך אתה ה’ אלקינו מלך העולם המוציא לחם מן הארץ. ברוך אתה ה’ אלקינו מלך העולם בורא פרי העץ. ברוך אתה ה’ אלקינו מלך העולם בורא מיני מזונות

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. These three blessings are said over bread, fruit, and grain, respectively. What does each reflect about the process of accessing that food?
2. Why do we have different blessings for different foods? Would it be easier to have the same blessing for all foods?
3. How does the inclusion of thanks and gratitude for food (and other resources) impact you personally? If more peope did it would it have an effect on society?

Deuteronomy 24:19-22

כִּי תִקְצֹר קְצִירְךָ בְשָׂדֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ עֹמֶר בַּשָּׂדֶה לֹא תָשׁוּב לְקַחְתּוֹ לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה יִהְיֶה לְמַעַן יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכֹל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ: כִּי תַחְבֹּט זֵיתְךָ לֹא תְפַאֵר אַחֲרֶיךָ לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה יִהְיֶה: כִּי תִבְצֹר כַּרְמְךָ לֹא תְעוֹלֵל אַחֲרֶיךָ לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה יִהְיֶה: וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם עַל כֵּן אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה:

Deuteronomy.24.19-22

When you reap the harvest in your field and overlook a sheaf in the field, do not turn back to get it; it shall go to the stranger, the orphan, and the widow -- in order that Adonai your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat down the fruit of your olive trees, do not go over them again; that shall go to the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not pick it over again; that shall go to the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. Always remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore do I enjoin you to observe this commandment. [JPS translation edited for gender-neutrality]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What does this text add to the discussion about the allocation of resources?

2. How can we apply the principles in the text to non-farming settings?

3. In what ways is this text in favour of private posessions? And in what ways does it challenge current understandings of ownership?