In the “Eco Bible” I introduced yesterday, each discussion of the weekly parsha (Torah portion) culminates with action items. Rabbis Neril and Dee guide us through relevant verses of Torah, they provide insights from Jewish scholars across the generations, and then they present concrete steps that each of us can take to reduce our environmental footprint and take real efforts towards more sustainable living.
The first chapter of the book explores the many layers of the creation story that is found in the book of Genesis. A cross-generational dialogue ensues where medieval and ancient scholars provide their insights, and the modern authors respond with theirs. When Rav David Kimchi (13th century, France) interprets Genesis 1:22—where God instructs the fish and birds to be fertile and multiply—Kimchi adds that it is their role to increase in numbers and give rise to many future generations. The authors of the “Eco Bible” respond by noting that it is only in the few generations leading to ours that humanity has actually reversed that vision for the natural world. Our expansion into all the regions of the earth has compromised the ability of creatures vital to the earth’s ecosystem to thrive.
The chapter concludes with its action challenges: sustainable eating, reducing our own waste stream, and acting in ways that benefit our own future generations. All credit to these modern rabbis for finding inspiration in our most sacred text for modern climate action.
As we anticipate the arrival of 2023, we are acutely aware of the climate challenges that confront all of us. Climate change is only part of the problem. The choices we make for non-sustainable living impact the capacity of the earth to fulfill the most basic imperative in Genesis: for living organisms to reproduce. Now is the time for each of us to make the incremental changes that will benefit future generations. Take a look at this page of meaningful actions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and make the commitment to adjust your own lifestyle for the good of our world.
Please, take a moment to email me about your own sustainable efforts, so that we can learn about the actions of our Wise community towards sustainability.
—Rabbi Ron Stern