Climate Change A Jewish Perspective (For 7th Graders)

ByNeil Tow

בראשית ב׳:ט״ו

(טו) וַיִּקַּ֛ח ה' אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן לְעָבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשָׁמְרָֽהּ׃

Genesis 2:15

(15) The LORD God took the human and placed it in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it.

What does God want the human (Adam) to do as far as 'tilling' and 'tending', or we could translate it as 'working' and 'guarding'?

ספורנו על בראשית ב׳:ט״ו:ב׳

(ב) ולשמרה שלא תפסד בהתכת הליחות השרשי הנתך בחום הטבעי וזה כי אותם הפירות הנכבדים היו מולידים תמיד תמורת מה שנתך בלתי עפוש:

Sforno on Genesis 2:15:2

(2) ולשמרה, eating the fruit of the garden would ensure that man’s natural fluids would not dry up. Humanity is equipped with natural heat, and if not supplied with the proper kind of nourishment may dehydrate. The excellent fruit of the trees of the garden would replenish loss of moisture through evaporation on the skin in the heat of the sun.

Sforno says we live in relationship to the world - food helps us to live and the energy we get from food enables us to do all the things we need to do.

אדרת אליהו, בראשית ב׳:ט״ו

(א) לעבדה ולשמרה: לעבדה הוא עבודת האדמה וההשקאה והשמירה שלא יעלה בה פריץ חיות.

Aderet Eliyahu, Genesis 2:15

'To work it' means working the land and watering it...

תהילים כ״ד:א׳

(א) לְדָוִ֗ד מִ֫זְמ֥וֹר לַֽ֭ה' הָאָ֣רֶץ וּמְלוֹאָ֑הּ תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃

Psalms 24:1

(1) Of David. A psalm. The earth is the LORD’s and all that it holds, the world and its inhabitants.

We believe the earth belongs to God -- so what's our part on earth? What's the difference for us between the idea 'The earth belongs to God' and 'The earth belongs to us.'?

ברכות ל״ה א:כ״א

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: כׇּל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה כְּאִילּוּ נֶהֱנָה מִקׇּדְשֵׁי שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לַה׳ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ״. רַבִּי לֵוִי רָמֵי: כְּתִיב ״לַה׳ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ״, וּכְתִיב ״הַשָּׁמַיִם שָׁמַיִם לַה׳ וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי אָדָם״! לָא קַשְׁיָא כָּאן קוֹדֶם בְּרָכָה,

Berakhot 35a:21

Similarly, Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: One who derives benefit from this world without a blessing, it is as if he enjoyed objects consecrated to the heavens, as it is stated: “The earth and all it contains is the Lord’s, the world and all those who live in it” (Psalms 24:1). Rabbi Levi expressed this concept differently. Rabbi Levi raised a contradiction: It is written: “The earth and all it contains is the Lord’s,” and it is written elsewhere: “The heavens are the Lord’s and the earth He has given over to mankind” (Psalms 115:16). There is clearly a contradiction with regard to whom the earth belongs. He himself resolves the contradiction: This is not difficult. Here, the verse that says that the earth is the Lord’s refers to the situation before a blessing is recited,

The Talmud teaches us about sharing and partnership between people and God. What are ways we can partner with others toward addressing climate change?

דברים ט״ז:כ׳

(כ) צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ (ס)

Deuteronomy 16:20

(20) Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you.