The Jewish concept of bal tashchit, "do not destroy," forbids needless destruction.
What texts and teachings should guide our relation to the physical world? Is there a foundational Jewish law that encompasses a broad environmental ethic that would guide our engagement with the world and if so, what is it?
G-d created the universe, does that leave us with the responsibility of keeping it intact? Rabbi Ari Sollish explains our responsibility for climate change and global warming through the teaching of kabbalah and the Zohar.
The environmental group Hazon (the Hebrew word for “vision”) sponsors a fellowship for young Jews who want to learn about sustainable farming practices while also focusing on spirituality and community life. For the group’s leaders, agriculture and concern for the environment has always been a part of Jewish tradition, and they hope young Jews will play an important role in building a healthier and more sustainable world. R&E went to a community-supported Jewish agriculture project in Falls Village, Connecticut to see how Jewish twenty-somethings are learning “to cultivate the soil and their soul.”
Looking for fun and engaging learning resources? Visit our Stan store – covering all subjects for all ages.- How do Judaism and Islam approach climate change and environmental care? Learn how faith shapes green actions.
The commandment of bal tashchit—do not destroy or waste—has long been considered central to a Jewish environmental ethic. What is the basis for the commandment?
From Bereshit (Genesis 1:28), the first chapter in the Torah, we see that God wants human beings to both use the natural world for their needs but at the same time to preserve the world and prevent its destruction.