One of the first things God does after creating Adam and Eve is to place them in a garden.
(ח) וַיִּטַּ֞ע יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים גַּן־בְעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר׃ (ט) וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כָּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃
(8) The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the man whom He had formed. (9) And from the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad.
Why do you think God placed humanity in a garden surrounded by trees?
The next source describes God taking the first human around the Garden of Eden. It is from Ecclesiastes Rabbah, a collection of midrashim on Ecclesiastes.
בשעה שברא הקב“ה את אדם הראשון, נטלוֹ והחזירוֹ על כל אילני גן עדן ואמר לו: ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחין הן וכל מה
שבראתי בשבילך בראתי; תן דעתך שלא תקלקל ותחריב את עולמי, שאם קלקלת, אין מי שיתקן אחריך.
Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13.
When God created the first human, God led him around all the trees in the Garden of Eden. God said to him, “See My works, how beautiful and praiseworthy they are. Everything I have created has been created for your sake. Think of this, and do not corrupt or destroy My world; for if you corrupt it, there will be no one to set it right after you.”
God is proud to show Adam the trees in the Garden of Eden. God even calls them “beautiful”. Think of a time you’ve created something that you’ve been proud of. What message is God trying to give to humanity?
Looking at Earth today, do you think God would be proud of how we treat the planet?
Is it our responsibility to look after Earth? What are some ways we could take better care of our planet? What is Baal Taschit בל תשחית?
In our next texts, we learn about blessing trees.
The Gemara relates: When they were taking leave of one another, Rav Naḥman said to Rabbi Yitzḥak: Master, give me a blessing. Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him: I will tell you a parable. To what is this matter comparable? It is comparable to one who was walking through a desert and who was hungry, tired, and thirsty. And he found a tree whose fruits were sweet and whose shade was pleasant, and a stream of water flowed beneath it. He ate from the fruits of the tree, drank from the water in the stream, and sat in the shade of the tree. And when he wished to leave, he said: Tree, tree, with what shall I bless you? If I say to you that your fruits should be sweet, your fruits are already sweet; if I say that your shade should be pleasant, your shade is already pleasant; if I say that a stream of water should flow beneath you, a stream of water already flows beneath you. Rather, I will bless you as follows: May it be God’s will that all saplings which they plant from you be like you. So it is with you. With what shall I bless you? If I bless you with Torah, you already have Torah; if I bless you with wealth, you already have wealth; if I bless you with children, you already have children. Rather, may it be God’s will that your offspring shall be like you.
אמר רב יהודה האי מאן דנפיק ביומי ניסן וחזי אילני דקא מלבלבי אומר ברוך שלא חיסר בעולמו כלום וברא בו בריות טובות ואילנות טובות להתנאות בהן בני אדם
On a related topic, the Gemara cites that Rav Yehuda said: One who goes out during Nisan and sees trees that are blossoming recites: Blessed…who has withheld nothing from His world, and has created in it beautiful creatures and trees for human beings to enjoy.
When is the last time you were surrounded by nature? How did it feel?
What is the value in appreciating and blessing your surroundings?
What do you think it means that the Sages established a blessing to thank trees, or to say when seeing trees blossom?
Today people still say a blessing over the blossoming trees. It is an amazing sight to see — parents and children walking around searching for a newly blossoming tree in order to say a blessing.
On Tu B'Shevat, many trees will be planted in Israel. Write a prayer you think you would want to say to bless the trees.