Monday, August 20, 2012
Parshat
Shoftim
Dvarim 16:18-21:9
7 Elul 5772 / August 24-25, 2012
Dvarim 16:18-21:9
7 Elul 5772 / August 24-25, 2012
Precious
Human, Precious Tree, Precious Planet
by Laura W, MH London Alumnus
by Laura W, MH London Alumnus
Somewhere
in the lush green English country side is a Hindu temple donated by the late Beatle
George Harrison in 1973. On the far wall of the eco garden on their 70
acre estate lies a verse from this week’s Parsha "ki ha'adam etz hasadeh"
(כי האדם עץ השדה),‘ Every person
is a tree in the field’. Amongst the solar panels and wild life there are
quotes from a variety of the world’s holy books. This was the one chosen to
represent the Jewish view on environmental non-violence.
There
have been several interpretations of this verse which refers to the forbidden
destruction of fruit trees in a Jewish military siege.
The Jewish
legal tradition focuses on the practical reading of the verse which strongly
condemns the uprooting of fruit producing trees. The rabbis extended the
prohibition of the meaningless destruction of the trees to a generalized
prohibition against waste, known as ba’al tashchit, "Do not
destroy." According to Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings 6:10):
"This
is the law not only for trees, but anyone who breaks containers, tears clothes,
destroys a building, stops up a well, or wastes food violates the prohibition
of 'do not destroy.' "
As
master kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero of Safed ("RaMaK,"
1522-1570) teaches in the Holy text Tomar Devorah: "One's compassion
should extend to all creatures, and one should neither despise nor destroy
them; for the Supernal Wisdom extends to all of creation -- the
"silent" or mineral level, plants, animals, and humans. This is why
our sages have warned us against treating food disrespectfully. Just as the
Supernal Wisdom despises nothing, since everything is produced there -- as it
is written, 'You have formed them all with wisdom' (Psalms 104:24) -- a person
should show compassion to all of the works of the Holy One, blessed be
He."
My
blessing to the Moishe House community is higher awareness of the beauty of our
Torah and it’s teachings of how to consume with a social and ecological
conscience in light that we are all creations.
Shabbat
Shalom!
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