Adam Griff
adam@adamahadventures.org
Judaism & the Environment
Text 1: Deuteronomy Chapter 12
(à)1 אֵלֶּה הַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְרוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֶיךָ לְךָ לְרִשְׁתָּהּ | כָּל-הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר-אַתֶּם חַיִּים עַל-הָאֲדָמָה: | (1) These are the statutes and the ordinances, which ye shall observe to do in the land which YHWH, the God of thy fathers, hath given thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. |
(á)2 אַבֵּד תְּאַבְּדוּן אֶת-כָּל-הַמְּקֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָבְדוּ-שָׁם הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יֹרְשִׁים אֹתָם אֶת-אֱלֹהֵיהֶם | עַל-הֶהָרִים הָרָמִים וְעַל-הַגְּבָעוֹת וְתַחַת כָּל-עֵץ רַעֲנָן: | (2) Ye shall surely destroy all the places, wherein the nations that ye are to dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy tree. |
(â)3 וְנִתַּצְתֶּם אֶת-מִזְבְּחֹתָם וְשִׁבַּרְתֶּם אֶת-מַצֵּבֹתָם וַאֲשֵׁרֵיהֶם תִּשְׂרְפוּן בָּאֵשׁ וּפְסִילֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם תְּגַדֵּעוּן | וְאִבַּדְתֶּם אֶת-שְׁמָם מִן-הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא: | (3) And ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods; and ye shall destroy their name out of that place. |
(ã)4 לֹא-תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם: | (4) Ye shall not do so unto YHWH your God. |
(ä)5 כִּי אִם-אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר-יִבְחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מִכָּל-שִׁבְטֵיכֶם לָשׂוּם אֶת-שְׁמוֹ שָׁם | לְשִׁכְנוֹ תִדְרְשׁוּ וּבָאתָ שָׁמָּה: | (5) But unto the place which YHWH your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come; |
(å)6 וַהֲבֵאתֶם שָׁמָּה עֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְזִבְחֵיכֶם וְאֵת מַעְשְׂרֹתֵיכֶם וְאֵת תְּרוּמַת יֶדְכֶם | וְנִדְרֵיכֶם וְנִדְבֹתֵיכֶם וּבְכֹרֹת בְּקַרְכֶם וְצֹאנְכֶם: | (6) and thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock; |
Q1. Where did the other nations worship? In contrast, where are the Israelites told to worship?
Q2. Why do you think God wants the Israelites to only serve Adonai in ONE place?
Q3. How does our modern system of worship fit into this idea of worshiping in one place? Do you agree with this system?
Text 2: Rabbi Jamie Korngold’s Personal Statement
I am the rabbi who will take your students to the top of the mountain to pray shacharit. As they climb the steep mountain they will feel how capable they truly are. When they reach a hand to help someone behind them, they will learn how strong community allows them to be. When they stand on the summit and daven Yotzer Or, they will finally understand what it means to praise the Creator.
-Rabbi Jamie Korngold, aka the Adventure Rabbi
Q1. Where is the “place” for Rabbi Korngold and her students?
Q2. Is this in conflict with the directions given in Deuteronomy 12?
Q3. Where is your place? Where do you feel closest to God?
Text 3: Pirke Avot, 3:7
Q1. What is Rabbi Ya’akov afraid of?
Q2. Many believe that this text teaches a rejection of the natural world in favor of Torah study. Do you agree?
Q3. Do Torah study and nature appreciation need to take place separately? Is nature a distraction, or could it be something else?
Text 4: Henry David Thoreau Quote
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Q1. How is this text different than the Pirke Avot text?
Q2. Which of texts 3 & 4 resonate with you?
Text 5: Ha’maspik L’avodat Hashem
In order to serve G-d, one needs access to the enjoyment of the beauties of nature, such as the contemplation of flower-decorated meadows, majestic mountains, flowing rivers, and so forth. For all these are essential to the spiritual development of even the holiest of people.
- Rabbi Abraham Ben Maimonides
Q1. Why does Rabbi Abraham think that enjoyment on nature is necessary for spiritual development?
Q2. Why do you think he adds the phrase “even the holiest of”? How does that change the meaning of the text?
Q3. Is this text in conflict with Text 3?
Q4. Do you think Jews today spend enough time “contemplating meadows”?
Judaism & the Environment, Atlanta Community Beit Midrash October 6, 2009