This ebook is the most comprehensive study in English of how Jewish traditional sources teach us to protect our natural resources and preserve the environment. From food to trees, energy to water, wealth to biodiversity, the book studies eighteen topics where Jewish tradition has a relevant lesson for today's environmental challenges. All materials were comprehensively studied and reviewed by scientists and rabbis before printing.

These materials were originally created for the Canfei Nesharim/Jewcology Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment in 2012, and were released between Tu b'Shevat 5772 and Tu b'Shevat 5773. The materials were shared widely throughout the Jewish community, reaching more than 50,000 people. Source sheets, podcasts and videos are also available separately for each topic.

The ebook can now be ordered for your Kindle or Ebook device.

Podcasts now available: Another exciting release from the Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment: all podcasts from our series are now available on iTunes! To see the full series, simply search “Canfei Nesharim” in the itunes store, or go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/canfei-nesharim/id646475293?mt=2. You can listen to the podcasts right there, or click "view in iTunes " and then click subscribe to have them appear in your iTunes podcast library.

Don’t have itunes? All items are also available for listening or downloading at http://canfeinesharim.podbean.com/.

Check out all the materials, including source sheets and videos, at www.canfeinesharim.org/learning or www.jewcology.com/learning.

• Clean out your closets and recycle: De-clutter your house and help the environment at the same time. Clothes you don’t wear can be donated to Goodwill or to other charitable organizations (such as the National Council of Jewish Women’s Resale Shops, located in Saint Louis and elsewhere around the country). Recycling your clothes saves room in landfills and can help charitable organizations raise funds at the same time.
• Switch to low-tech lawn care: It may seem counter intuitive to turn in your electric or gas powered lawn items for manual ones. But doing so can mean meaningful reductions in carbon pollution. For instance, switching from a gas-powered lawn mower to a reel (manually powered) lawn mower means you will not be polluting the air with fumes and exhaust every time you mow. Manual mowers also have come a long way since first introduced decades ago. In the same vein, consider replacing your leaf blower with simple rakes. You will reduce your carbon footprint and get a better workout as you clear out your leaves.
• Plant a tree: One of the best things individuals can do to help the environment is to plant a tree. Trees alter the environment in which people live by moderating climate, improving air quality, conserving water and harboring wildlife. Planting trees is also a Jewish imperative. It is one way that we as Jews can help repair and restore the Earth, tilling it and tending it as commanded in the Torah. The Jewish Environmental Initiative, a program of the Jewish Community Relations Council, invites you to plant a tree with us on Sunday October 20 at 2PM. More details are at http://www.jcrcstl.org/jei.php#two.

These are just a few simple ways you can make a difference for Project Noah week and beyond.

by Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein

“Red and yellow and pink and blue, purple and orange and green. I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow tune.” There are many songs about rainbows. This is one that I learned at Girl Scout Camp many years ago. Since that summer rainbows have had a special place in my heart.

Learning the story of Noah in a parshat hashavua class in college was one of those moments. In order for there to be a rainbow, there has to be a perfect balance between sun and rain. Without that balance, no rainbow. Without G-d and a certain balance, no world. For me, in that instant G-d was perfection. So what would be more appropriate that G-d would choose a rainbow as the sign that G-d would never destroy the world again by flood. Rain is good. Too much rain leads to flooding and destruction.

Rainbows have appeared at my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, my daughter’s high school graduation, my installation as rabbi. They are often a quiet, private reminder that the world is good and G-d is in charge. An almost private blessing, usually when I need that reassurance the most. What I have discovered is that you can’t go chasing them. You need to be surprised by them.

On Rosh Hodesh Av, a day when we begin to feel the sadness of the impending Tisha B’av, I was surprised by a rainbow. It was particularly surprising because the night before I had gone looking for one and didn’t find it. Remember it is about that perfect balance. This one was beautiful, exquisite, full, double rainbow over Lake Charlevoix, in northern Michigan. You could actually see both ends reflecting in the water. Now the slogan for Charlevoix is “Once in a blue moon there is a Charlevoix”. This was not a blue moon. This was even rarer. Cars stopped on both sides of the road to take pictures. Everyone said, “Wow.”

Sometimes you can capture such images on your camera. Other times you cannot. Each time they are a reminder of G-d’s covenant with us. Each time they are an opportunity to recite the blessing, “zocher habrit”, that G-d also remembers the covenant with us, is faithful and keeps G-d’s promise. Each time, I wonder how I keep my end of that covenant. How do I make good on the promise to be a partner in G-d’s creation, to never destroy the world. How do I leave this world better for my children and my children’s children? The rainbow while offering that reassurance of G-d’s love and promise also demands an answer to that essential question.

Baruch ata Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech ha'olam zocher ha'brit v'ne'eman bivrito v'kayam b'ma'amaro. Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Ruler of the universe, who remembers in faithfulness the covenant and the promise to keep the covenant forever.

==========

Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein is the rabbi of Congregation Kneseth Israel in Elgin IL. She blogs as the Energizer Rabbi, www.theenergizerrabbi.org and enjoys chasing rainbows in northern Michigan, in Ogunquit, Maine or wherever she can find them.

Rabbi David has been researching Shmita since 1986 and teaching about Shmita since 1993. He is also the organizer of Rainbow Day (May 6-7 this year–see jewcology.com/resource/Rainbow-Day for details). David's writings about ecology include the following d'var Torah about Shmita for this year's Shabbat Behar campaign, hosted also at shmitaproject.org, where you can get lots more resources on Shmita. Read the d'var here, read it in the Huffington Post if you like, or download the pdf (link on right column).

Go to shmitaproject.com for more resources on Shmita and Shabbat Behar. Also, within the Shmita Project site, you can find core Shmita texts, core Shmita principles and core Shmita values/ethics. Go to jewcology.com for Rainbow Day resources.

_______________

"Shmita: The Purpose of Sinai"

Rabbi David Seidenberg, neohasid.org

What does Shmita, the Sabbatical year, have to do with Mt. Sinai? מה עניין שמיטה אצל הר סיני

This question was famously asked by one of the oldest midrashim, Sifra (Behar 1) and it has been pondered over for centuries. The question arises from the way the portion about the Sabbatical year is introduced in the Torah: "YHVH spoke to Moshe in Mount Sinai saying: Speak to Israel’s children and say unto them: When you come to the land which I give you, the land will rest, a shabbat for YHVH…In the seventh year, it will be the Sabbath of sabbaths for the land, a Sabbath for YHVH." (Lev. 25:2-4) If all the commandments were given at Sinai, the midrash wonders, why is Mt. Sinai only mentioned here?

And the answer that we can give today is deceptively simple: the whole purpose of the covenant at Sinai is to create a society that observed Shmita. It is in a land where Shmita is observed that human beings will learn to respect the Earth herself, by remembering that none of us can own her. "For the land is mine," God declares, “and you are strangers and settlers with me.” (Lev. 25:23)

And if none of us can own the land, cannot sell it and buy it, then what we do own is ultimately not ours, then the difference between rich and poor is not "just the way things are," then a person cannot be owned and the difference between slave and master is not real and not loved by God. In the Sabbatical year debts are canceled, and the land is ownerless. In the seventh sabbatical year, the Jubilee, all slaves are freed (including those who did not exercise their right to go free after the sixth year of their own service) and every family returns to its achuzato, its original landholding, becoming equal to every other family.

Only in such a society, where "property" does not designate the right to use up what one owns, but rather a kind of fleeting relationship to what one cares for, can people learn the true meaning of justice. Only in such a society can people learn to share their wealth, nurture the poor alongside everyone else, relieve debts, end hunger, and respect the fundamental human right to be free. The Sabbatical year was the guarantor and the ultimate fulfillment of the justice that Torah teaches us to practice in everyday life, and it was a justice that embraced not just fellow human beings, but the land and all life. The Sabbatical year was the ultimate meaning of rest, which we practice every week in the observance of shabbat. It was the Sabbath of sabbaths, Shabbat shabbaton.

After telling us outright that Sinai is about Shmita, the Torah also gives us other pointers to Shmita’s ultimate significance. Failure to let the land rest is one of only two mitzvot that are described as being the cause of exile from the land (the other being idolatry), while the purpose of exile itself is described as a way to force human beings to let the Earth rest. If we do not observe Shmita, still "the land will enjoy her Sabbaths…All the days of her being emptied she will rest what she didn't rest during your Sabbaths, when you were dwelling on her." (Lev. 26:34) The Torah is clear: It is possible for us to have shabbat without giving the land rest, but doing shabbat just for ourselves, even just for God, is not enough. Exile happens because the land’s right to rest comes before our rest.

There’s another clue to the importance of Shmita, a more subtle one. During the Shmita year, we are commanded to let the wild animals eat freely from our fields. "The shabbat of the land (what the land grows while it is resting) will be for you for eating: for you and for your servants and hired-workers and for your settler living as a stranger with you, and for your beast, and for the wild animal which is in your land, all of her produce will be for eating." (Lev. 25:6-7) The rabbis further expanded the meaning of this law, so that everyone was required to leave any gates to their fields open, and one could not eat in one's house food that was not also growing in the fields—in other words, so that human beings and wild (and domestic) animals were eating the same food.

Think about the only other time when humans and all the animals ate alongside each other in peace according to the Torah. When, and where, did it happen? It was in the Garden of Eden, before so many tragedies befell humanity. Before the flood. Before the relationship between humans and animals was torn asunder; before humans exiled themselves from the Earth. After the flood, the animals live in mortal terror of human beings. After the flood, God makes a covenant—not with the human beings, but with all the animals—a covenant to not destroy the Earth because of humanity.

It is the Sinai covenant which is meant to bring back into harmony a world twisted by human greed and violence. It is the Sinai covenant that is meant to restore the fellowship of human and animal, and to reorder our values, so that the well-being of the land and the community of life takes precedence over our own perceived needs. This is what it means to "choose life so you may live, you and your seed after you." (Deut. 30:19) This is what it means to “increase your days and your children’s days on the ground for as long as the skies are over the land.” (Deut. 11:21)

In modern parlance we call it "sustainability," but that’s just today’s buzzword. It’s called Shmita in the holy tongue, "release"—releasing each other from debts, releasing the land from work, releasing ourselves from our illusions of selfhood into the freedom of living with others and living for the sake of all life.

How is it, then, that our generation is the one that can answer the question, "Mah inyan Shmita etzel Har Sinai? How does Shmita emanate from Mt. Sinai?" It is because it is only now, when we see that human beings can really "ruin My world" and that there may be "no one who will come after you to repair it," (Kohelet Rabbah 7:13) only now can we understand what Shmita means. Only now can we see that the meaning of Mt. Sinai is Shmita. May it be Hashem’s will that we are seeing this in time to fulfill the vision, to "proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all her inhabitants," (Lev. 25:10) to all those souls traveling together with us on this planet.

Click here to continue reading this article.

In celebration of Parshat Noach this coming Shabbat, Jewcology is proud to share a wealth of resources on the topic of Noach.

Please enjoy and share these resources from many of our partners and participants so we can all benefit from the lessons of Parshat Noach.

Explore all of our Parshat Noach resources

Here’s a sampling:

Countering Destruction – Lessons from Noah

Although the flood and the life of Noah occurred thousands of years ago, the story of Noah offers important lessons about how our actions affect the world. The Torah teaches that ten generations after Creation, all life on the planet had “corrupted its way on the earth”(Genesis 6:12). G-d gave humans 120 years to improve their ways, using Noah and his ark as messengers. Yet the people ignored the message and missed the boat. Noah built the ark, brought the animals into it, and lived on it with his family for the duration of the flood. After Noah left the ark, G-d made a covenant with Noah, designating the rainbow as the sign of the Creator’s commitment not to destroy the world.

Rainbow Day!

You can find Torah, prayers and liturgies, midrashim about rainbows, lesson plans about seed-saving, learning from Hoshea and Ezekiel, Kabbalah and midrash, and project ideas-39 in all-that you can use to celebrate the Rainbow covenant on Rainbow Day (May 7-8 in 2013), Shabbat Noach (Oct 19-20 in 2012), Shabbat Behar (May 3-4 in 2013) and every week. The Rainbow covenant with all life is the first covenant of the Torah. In 2013, Rainbow Day, when the covenant was made, comes the week after Shabbat Behar-Behukotai.

Environmental Responsibility at School

Noah lived in a period in which he was required to assume responsibility, listen to the voice of God and save the various species. Each of us should assume Noah’s role. Each of us is responsible for the environment in which he lives. In this lesson, we will learn about man’s responsibility for the world’s existence and how each of us can reduce our negative impact on the environment at school.

Have a green week!

The Jewcology Team

Countering Destruction: Lessons from Noah

By Rabbi Yonatan Neril [1]

“And God saw the earth and behold it was corrupt (Genesis 6:11). R’ Hiyya adduced the following text: And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way (Jonah 3:10). See now, he said, when the sons of men are righteous and observe the commands of the Torah, the earth becomes invigorated, and a fullness of joy pervades it, because then the Shechinah rests upon the earth, and there is thus gladness above as well as below. But when men corrupt their way and do not observe the commands of the Torah, and sin before their Master, they, as it were, thrust the Shechinah out of the world, and the earth is thus left in a corrupt state. For the Shechinah being thrust out, another spirit comes and hovers over the world, bringing with it corruption.[2]

-The Zohar, 1:61a

The story of the flood teaches of an important connection between human action and planetary health. Ten generations after Creation, all life on the planet had “corrupted (hishchit) its way on the earth.”[3] In response, G-d told Noah to build an ark to save species from the impending flood that would wipe out all terrestrial life. Noah built the ark, brought the animals into it, and lived on it for the duration of the flood. He then sent a raven and afterward a dove to see whether the floodwater had subsided. After Noah left the ark, G-d made a covenant with Noah,[4] designating the rainbow as the sign of the Creator's commitment not to destroy the world.

Although the flood and the life of Noah occurred thousands of years ago, these stories offer relevant and profound lessons for the world in which we live. When we take a deeper look at Noah, seeing him through the eyes of some of the various rabbinic commentaries, we can discover a portrait of a man who spent his life innovating a lifestyle of what today would be called environmental concern. Noah lived in a generation of corruption (hashchata), the same root as the word for destruction (thus, the mitzvah of “Bal Tashchit”– do not destroy). The commentator Bet Yaakov notes that this “hashchata” (corruption or destruction) caused G-d to respond measure for measure with hashchata (destruction) of living beings.[5] Noah, the one man who had not corrupted (hishchit) the world, worked to prevent the total destruction (hashchata) of human and animal life when he built the ark, the vessel that would preserve the planet's animal life. A fresh look at the life of Noah can provide us many lessons as we strive to bring our world back to a state of holy balance.

Warning Signs: Before the Flood

According to the Midrash, a compilation of teachings from the Jewish oral tradition, before the Flood, G-d gave humans 120 years to improve their ways. The Creator did not warn people Himself, but chose Noah as his messenger. G-d told Noah to build the ark during this period as a sign to the people that the flood would come unless they changed their actions.[6] The Midrash continues that during these 120 years, Noah planted, watered, and cut down trees to make the ark.[7] Noah said to the people of his generation, “return from your evil ways and deeds, in order that the waters of the flood may not come upon you and wipe out all human offspring.”[8] This vision of the Midrash portrays Noah as a messenger of the Divine imploring them to repent.

How did people miss the message? We can see parallels in modern times. For example, since the 1970s scientists have articulated a theory of why the planet is warming—due to human combustion of fossil fuels.[9] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was created in 1988, as an effort by the United Nations “to provide the governments of the world with a clear scientific view of what is happening to the world's climate.”[10] Their warnings, however, have been largely unheeded. Even those who take the problem seriously have struggled to significantly change their actions.

The natural world has buffered the effects of climate change,[11] an apparent indication of G-d's mercy towards us. Yet we are starting to witness the effects of our actions. The 2010 heat wave in Russia and floods in Pakistan, and 2011 drought in China and massive grain losses that resulted from all three events point to what scientists have been warning us about for decades. As in Noah’s time, the climate crisis poses a religious question: will we change our actions and live in a way that does not bring on destruction?

What provoked God to carry out the most serious environmental catastrophe in human history and wipe away virtually all living creatures? The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that the judgment was sealed because of the sin of robbery (chamas). Rabbi Samphson Rafael teaches that “Chamas [wrongdoing] is a wrong that is too petty to be caught by human justice, but if committed continuously can gradually ruin your fellow man.” With no one being tried for stealing miniscule amounts, store owners suffer significant losses and may have to shut down. No one desires or intends to cause such an outcome. It simply occurs due to the small-scale misconduct of many individuals put together. Yet in response to this human wickedness, the Master of the World intentionally destroyed almost all terrestrial life by flooding the earth.

Today, perhaps the greatest risk of humans destroying the world comes not from those with the intent to do so but rather from the collective, unintentional actions of billions of people. Seemingly inconsequential actions are having a dramatic effect. Small acts by billions of people aggregate to global changes: turning on the car’s ignition, buying the plane ticket, eating the food that comes from far away. We are little by little compromising the ecological balance on which we and future generations will depend for our survival. For the first time in human history, we now have the ability to destroy or radically alter virtually all life on earth.

Taking Responsibility: On the Ark

Unlike the other people in his generation, Noah took responsibility by building the ark, bringing the animals into it, and taking care of them during the flood. According to the Midrash, “throughout those twelve months, Noah and his sons did not sleep, because they had to feed the animals, beasts and birds.”[12] The Midrash also notes how Noah brought a grape vine and fig clipping into the ark in order to replant them after the flood.[13] These teachings imply that Noah was committed to restoring life on a devastated planet.

Feeding thousands of animals was only part of the work. As the Talmud explains, the ark had three levels, one for Noah and his family, one for the animals, and one for the waste– tons upon tons of animal droppings.[14] The rabbinic sources debate the layout of the ark and the design of Noah's waste-management system, but it seems likely that Noah and his family spent a lot of their time shoveling manure.[15] Whether they systematically removed it from the ark, stored it in a designated waste facility or found practical use for it, the Talmud implies that Noah and his family toiled to maintain cleanliness, health and safety on the ark.

Today we also have a problem with overwhelming animal waste – and we are not handling it with the responsibility demonstrated by Noah. The US Environmental Protection Agency has coined the phrase Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) to describe large-scale factory farms with tens of thousands of animals in each facility.[16] The waste from these facilities far eclipses that on Noah's ark, and pollution of water sources from the waste has been a persistent problem stemming from these operations.

The Midrash teaches that Noah first sent a raven out of the ark to see if the floodwater had subsided. Being one of two ravens in the world, it argued with him, fearing it would die and then its species would be lost forever. In response, G-d told Noah to take the raven back into the ark.[17] Noah then sent the dove, of which seven were in existence. Thus the Midrash portrays Noah as preserving the diversity of life on earth.

Rabbi Sampson Rafael Hirsch explains that this value of preserving diversity is a deeper meaning of the rainbow. He teaches that the colors of the rainbow emerge from white– “one pure complete ray of light, broken up into seven degrees of seven colors.” These colors are symbolic of different types of living beings—the 'red' ones seemingly closer to the light, the darker ones more distant. Yet “G-d unites them all together in one common bond of peace, all fragments of one life, all refracted rays of the one spirit of G-d, even the lowest, darkest, most distant one, still a son of the light.”[18]

Partnership: After the Flood

Following the flood, G-d said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I give between Me and you, and every living being that is with you, to generations forever; I have set My rainbow in the cloud…And it shall happen, when I place a cloud over the earth, and the bow will be seen in the cloud, I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living being among all flesh, and the water shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”[19] What is the meaning of this covenant?

The Ramban (Nahmanides, 12^th century Spain) teaches that the rainbow signifies an upside-down bow and serves as “a reminder of peace.” The feet of the rainbow are bent downward to show that the Heavenly 'shooting'–a.k.a the torrential rains—have ceased.[20] Rabbi Shlomo Riskin explains the meaning of the Ramban's teaching: “ancient cultures fought their wars with the bow and arrow, and the side which surrendered, pursuing peace instead of war, would express their will to do so by raising an inverted bow that the enemy could see. Similarly, G-d places an inverted bow in the heavens as a sign that He is no longer warring against humanity.”[21]

The mystical tradition teaches that before creating this world, G-d created seven worlds and destroyed them.[22] On many occasions the Creator destroyed the world He created. But not so this world. The rainbow testifies to the Creator's intention for life on our planet to continue to exist. It is a sign that G-d desires the existence of the world and not its destruction.

Rabbi Riskin continues that the symbolism of the rainbow extends beyond G-d's commitment to encompass humans as well: “The rainbow is a half-picture, lacking a second half to complete the circle of wholeness. G-d can pledge not to destroy humanity, but since He created humanity with freedom of choice, He cannot guarantee that humanity will not destroy itself.”[23] Yet the rabbis make clear that G-d does not want us to destroy His Creation either. The Midrash teaches that “When G-d created Adam, He took him and showed him all the trees of the Garden of Eden and said to him…Be careful not to spoil or destroy my world—for if you do, there will be nobody after you to repair it.”[24]

According to the Perush Ziv Zohar, the rainbow as a whole reminds us to turn our hearts to improve our actions.[25] Salvation from environmental destruction may ultimately lie with individuals taking responsibility for how they live and how that impacts others.

In Israel, rainbows can first be seen soon after the end of the Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur/Sukkot holidays, when the winter rains begin to fall. Perhaps the timing of the appearance of the rainbow, soon after the long period of tshuva/return, can motivate us to keep improving ourselves: to direct our energies to being better servants of the Creator and stewards of Creation.

Rabbi Yonatan Neril is founder and director of Jewish Eco Seminars, which engages and educates the Jewish community with Jewish environmental wisdom. He has worked with Canfei Nesharim for the past six years in developing educational resources relating to Judaism and the environment.

These materials are posted as part of Jewcology’s Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment, in partnership with Canfei Nesharim. Jewcology thanks the Shedlin Outreach Foundation and the ROI community for their generous support, which made the Jewcology project possible.

See all Core Teaching Countering Destruction – Lessons from Noah Materials!

Learn more about the Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment!

[1] Several small sections of this article have been included here with permission from Shimshon Stuart Siegel's “Noah: A Paradigm for Environmental Consciousness,” available at www.canfeinesharim.org The author would like to thank Evonne Marzouk for her editorial assistance in developing this article.

[2] The Zohar, volume 1, p 61a, translation by Harry Spering and Maurice Simon, Soncino Press: London, 1934, p. 198-9

[3] Genesis 6:12. Translation by JPS.

[4] The rainbow covenant was actually a second covenant G-d established with Noah. In the first, G-d told him to reproduce, and gave him permission to eat meat.

[5] Genesis 6:11 reads “And the earth was corrupted”—va-tishaheth, root shaheth. The use of this particular root, which is the same as that used for the destruction by the flood in verse 14, brings home the fact that this punishment was measure for measure. Beit Yaakov commentary to this verse, cited in Torah Shlema and translated by Rabbi Dr. Harry Freedman

[6] Eitz Yosef commentary to Tanhuma, Parshat Noah, section five

[7] Midrash Tanchuma, Parshat Noah, section five

[8] Pirke D’Rebi Eliezer chapter 32. Translation by the author. This dvar Torah explores the Rabbinic approach that views Noah as acting righteously and taking responsibility. A different Midrash in Midrash Tanchuma sees Noah as not caring about the destruction of his generation and not protesting when G-d tells him that He will destroy them.

[9] From Maslin, M., Global Warming, A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004

[10] Online at http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization_history.shtml

[11] For example, the oceans are believed to have absorbed between 20-35% of the carbon industrial society has put into the atmosphere. But now the oceans appear to be becoming saturated and less effective at absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide See the study, “Reconstruction of the history of anthropogenic CO₂ concentrations in the ocean,” by S. Khatiwala et. Al, Nature 462, 346-349 (19 November 2009) Online at doi:10.1038/nature08526 A press resource is online at http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2586 There it says that the researchers estimate that today, the oceans hold about 150 billion tons of industrial carbon. “The more carbon dioxide you put in, the more acidic the ocean becomes, reducing its ability to hold CO2,” said the study’s lead author, Samar Khatiwala, an oceanographer at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. “Because of this chemical effect, over time, the ocean is expected to become a less efficient sink [i.e. storage source] of manmade carbon.”

[12] Midrash Tanhuma 58:9

[13] Genesis Rabba 36:3, cited by Rashi to Genesis 9:20

[14] Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin 108b

[15] This understanding fits with the Ibn Ezra’s general understanding of the ark, that it existed within natural law. The Ramban, by contrast, sees the ark as a miracle and supernatural occurrence.

[16] See http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=7for regulatory information on CAFOs.

[17] Midrash Rabbah – Genesis 38:4. See also Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 108b

[18] The Pentateuch, vol. 1: Genesis, translated and explained by Samson Raphael Hirsch. Rendered into English by Isaac Levy from the original German, Judaica Press, Gateshead, England, 1989. To Genesis 9:15, p. 182

[19] Genesis 9:12-15, Artscroll Translation

[20] Commentary to 9:12. He also explains that the rainbow shows that the bow has no rope upon which to bend the arrows. See also commentary of Rabbi Samphson Rafael Hirsch to 9:15.

[21] Commentary on Parshat Noah, 5769. Rabbi Riskin is the Chief Rabbi of Efrat. Available online at http://www.ohrtorahstone.org.il/parsha/5769/noah69.htm

[22] Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (the Arizal), Etz Chaim, Sha'ar Shevirat HaM'lachim, cited by Rabbi Erez Gazit in a class at Yeshivat Bat Ayin, spring 2008

[23] Ibid. A similar point is made by Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth, in his Address to The Lambeth Conference, July 28th ,2008 : available online at http://www.chiefrabbi.org/UploadedFiles/Articals/lambethconference28july08.pdf: “The covenant of Noah is not a covenant of faith but a covenant of fate. G-d says: Never again will I destroy the world. But I cannot promise that you will never destroy the world — because I have given you free will. All I can do is teach you how not to destroy the world.”

[24] Midrash Kohelet Raba, 7:13. The Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yona Metzger, said that a literal reading of this Midrash is possible, that it is referring to not destroying the environment. Dvar Torah given at Conference on Torah and the Environment at Jerusalem City Hall, July 2008.

[25] Footnote 43 to Zohar Noah 72b. In a similar light, the Sefat Emet teaches based on the Zohar that everything depends on the groundswell from below [of people] to reveal the colors in Heaven, referring to a Supernal rainbow that will appear at a time when the Divine Presence is more fully manifested. The Seforno to 9:17 understands the double rainbow as a wakeup call for Noah and his family “to [spiritually] wake up in seeing it, and to awaken the people of the generation to repent, to be wise, and to do good.” The Sages in several places caution against staring at the rainbow, based on a mystical understanding of the rainbow's significance.

Enjoy this Hebrew/English source sheet and study guide on the topic of Countering Destruction – Lessons from Noah. Discussion questions provided!

These materials are posted as part of Jewcology’s Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment, in partnership with Canfei Nesharim. Jewcology thanks the Shedlin Outreach Foundation and the ROI community for their generous support, which made the Jewcology project possible.

See all Core Teaching Countering Destruction – Lessons from Noah Materials!

Learn more about the Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment!

Countering Destruction: Lessons from Noah

By Rabbi Yonatan Neril [1]

Although the flood and the life of Noah occurred thousands of years ago, the story of Noah offers important lessons about how our actions affect the world. The Torah teaches that ten generations after Creation, all life on the planet had “corrupted its way on the earth”(Genesis 6:12). G-d gave humans 120 years to improve their ways, using Noah and his ark as messengers. Yet the people ignored the message and missed the boat. Noah built the ark, brought the animals into it, and lived on it with his family for the duration of the flood. After Noah left the ark, G-d made a covenant with Noah,[2] designating the rainbow as the sign of the Creator's commitment not to destroy the world.

What provoked God to carry out the most serious environmental catastrophe in human history and wipe away virtually all terrestrial creatures? The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that the judgment was sealed because of the sin of robbery (chamas). Rabbi Samphson Rafael teaches that “Chamas [wrongdoing] is a wrong that is too petty to be caught by human justice, but if committed continuously can gradually ruin your fellow man.” Apparently, people in Noah's generation went to the market and stole a peanut here, a raisin there. With no one being tried for stealing miniscule amounts, store owners suffer significant losses and may have to shut down. No one desires or intends to cause such an outcome. It occurs due to the small-scale misconduct of many individuals put together. In response to this human wickedness, the Master of the World intentionally destroyed almost all terrestrial life by flooding the earth.

Today, perhaps the greatest risk of humans destroying the world comes not from those with the intent to do so but rather from the collective, unintentional actions of billions of people. Seemingly inconsequential actions are having a dramatic effect. We are little by little compromising the ecological balance on which we and future generations will depend for our survival. For the first time in human history, we now have the ability to destroy or radically alter all terrestrial life.

Unlike the other people in his generation, Noah took responsibility by building the ark, bringing the animals into it, and taking care of them during the flood. According to the Midrash, a compilation of teachings from the Jewish oral tradition, “throughout those twelve months, Noah and his sons did not sleep, because they had to feed the animals, beasts and birds” (Midrash Tanhuma 58:9). The Midrash also notes how Noah brought a grape vine and fig clipping into the ark in order to replant them after the flood (Genesis Rabba 36:3). These teachings imply that Noah was committed to restoring life on a devastated planet.

The Midrash also teaches that Noah first sent a raven out of the ark to see if the floodwater had subsided. Being one of two ravens in the world, the raven argued with Noah, fearing it would die and then its species would be lost forever. In response, G-d told Noah to take the raven back into the ark (Genesis Raba 38:4). Noah then sent the dove, of which seven were in existence. Thus, the Midrash portrays Noah as preserving the diversity of life on earth.

Rabbi Sampson Rafael Hirsch explains that this value of preserving diversity is a deeper meaning of the rainbow. The colors are symbolic of different types of living beings—the 'red' ones seemingly closer to the light, the darker ones more distant. Yet “G-d unites them all together in one common bond of peace, all fragments of one life, all refracted rays of the one spirit of G-d…”[3] The rainbow, therefore, testifies to the diversity of life that G-d created.

Following the flood, G-d included the rainbow as the sign of a covenant, saying “I have set My rainbow in the cloud… the water shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh”(Genesis 9:12-15). Nahmanides (12^th century Spain) writes that the rainbow signifies an upside-down bow and serves as “a reminder of peace.” The feet of the rainbow are bent downward to show that the Heavenly 'shooting'–a.k.a the torrential rains—have ceased.[4] Rabbi Shlomo Riskin comments that the symbolism of the rainbow extends beyond G-d's commitment and encompasses humans as well: “The rainbow is a half-picture, lacking a second half to complete the circle of wholeness. G-d can pledge not to destroy humanity, but since He created humanity with freedom of choice, He cannot guarantee that humanity will not destroy itself.”[5]

The mystical tradition teaches that before creating this world, G-d created seven worlds and destroyed them.[6] On many occasions the Creator destroyed the world He created. But not so this world. The rainbow testifies to the Creator's intention for life on our planet to continue to exist. By emulating Noah, we can take responsibility for our actions and for all of creation, and help sustain life on planet Earth.

Rabbi Yonatan Neril is founder and director of Jewish Eco Seminars, which engages and educates the Jewish community with Jewish environmental wisdom. He has worked with Canfei Nesharim for the past six years in developing educational resources relating to Judaism and the environment.

These materials are posted as part of Jewcology’s Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment, in partnership with Canfei Nesharim. Jewcology thanks the Shedlin Outreach Foundation and the ROI community for their generous support, which made the Jewcology project possible.

See all Core Teaching Countering Destruction – Lessons from Noah Materials!

Learn more about the Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment!

[1] The author would like to thank Evonne Marzouk for her editorial assistance in developing this article.

[2] The rainbow covenant was actually a second covenant G-d established with Noah. In the first, G-d told him to reproduce, and gave him permission to eat meat.

[3] The Pentateuch, vol. 1: Genesis, translated and explained by Samson Raphael Hirsch. Rendered into English by Isaac Levy from the original German, Judaica Press, Gateshead, England, 1989. To Genesis 9:15, p. 182

[4] Commentary to 9:12. He also explains that the rainbow shows that the bow has no rope upon which to bend the arrows. See also commentary of Rabbi Samphson Rafael Hirsch to 9:15.

[5] Ibid. A similar point is made by Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth, in his Address to The Lambeth Conference, July 28th ,2008 : available online at http://www.chiefrabbi.org/UploadedFiles/Articals/lambethconference28july08.pdf: “The covenant of Noah is not a covenant of faith but a covenant of fate. G-d says: Never again will I destroy the world. But I cannot promise that you will never destroy the world — because I have given you free will. All I can do is teach you how not to destroy the world.”

[6] Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (the Arizal), Etz Chaim, Sha'ar Shevirat HaM'lachim, cited by Rabbi Erez Gazit in a class at Yeshivat Bat Ayin, spring 2008

Click here to hear Jewcology's podcast on Countering Destruction – Lessons from Noah.

These materials are posted as part of Jewcology’s Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment, in partnership with Canfei Nesharim. Jewcology thanks the Shedlin Outreach Foundation and the ROI community for their generous support, which made the Jewcology project possible.

See all Core Teaching Countering Destruction – Lessons from Noah Materials!

Learn more about the Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment!

In this video, Rabbi Yonatan Neril speaks about the lessons we can learn from Noah and the flood.

These materials are posted as part of Jewcology’s Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment, in partnership with Canfei Nesharim. Jewcology thanks the Shedlin Outreach Foundation and the ROI community for their generous support, which made the Jewcology project possible.

See all Core Teaching Countering Destruction – Lessons from Noah Materials!

Learn more about the Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment!

What role should a synagogue play in helping its members live a more sustainable existence? Should a synagogue lead by example or just respond to the requirements of their boards and their members. Are we dealing with a business decision or a spiritual imperative?

Rabbi Voss-Altman of Temple B’nai Tikvah in Calgary was one of the first in the Canadian Reform movement to dedicate one of his Shabbat talks to putting a green spin on Parshat Noach. His talk focused on the responsibility mankind was given to have stewardship over the earth and to take care of the planet. The Reform movement has even dedicated time and resources to helping its congregations become more sustainable. [http://bit.ly/tsj1102-01]

The rabbi brought an interesting proposition to his congregation in 2007 after visiting the local Ikea, and finding out that it was powered by renewable energy from southern Alberta wind farms. The synagogue board agreed to the spiritual value of renewable energy and agreed to pay the premium for this power once the Rabbi secured a synagogue member willing to sponsor the effort. The Rabbi succeeded in finding a member connected with the oil industry, willing to be that sponsor. Today, the Temple is “Bullfrog Powered” and draws renewable energy from the Alberta power grid. [http://bit.ly/tsj1102-02]

Alan Levine and Michael Charendoff of the Reconstructionist Egalitarian Congregation Darchei Noam, recently took me on a tour of their building on Sheppard west of Wilmington. The former Adath Shalom Congregation building was bought by Darchei Noam in 2004 and was re-skinned with a new exterior and a third floor addition and reopened in January 2008.

Various congregational committees were involved in the selection of heating, cooling, and water systems, ensuring the building could operate in an environmentally respectful way. Sustainable materials were chosen to create a comfortable and inviting interior, minimizing environment impact.

Today, the congregation reduces its overall energy costs by selling electricity from 22 roof mounted solar panels back to the Ontario power grid. The energy consumption of the building, when normalized by square footage is significantly less than other institutional buildings. [http://bit.ly/tsj1102-03]

In Ontario, electricity rates are expected to increase by 46% in the next 5 years, independent of pre-election 10% rebates. Very shortly, time of use charging will extend from residential homes to institutional buildings such as synagogues and communal organizations funded by the UJA Federation.

Are lower 5 year fixed electricity rates being offered to these institutions really as attractive once you map energy consumption to the time it is consumed? Once you add the Global Adjustment cost into proposals currently in front of these institutions, do the expected savings still remain? [http://bit.ly/tsj1102-04]

“We believe that communal organizations should focus their budgets on providing services to their constituents. More funds are available for the Jewish mission when operational cost savings around energy consumption are put in place. ”, says Gary Siepser , Senior Vice President, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. “Organizations need to benchmark building energy consumption and make it visible to drive improvements. We are aware of energy efficiency efforts currently underway and will be calling together representatives of our stakeholder community to share best practices, identify programs and methodologies they can leverage and help them avoid known pitfalls”.

Environmental Responsibility at School *

by Hadas Yellinek, Coordinator of the Community and Nature Program at Teva Ivri

* Hebrew Version Produced by Teva Ivri – Jewish Nature

English Translation Courtesy of Jewish Agency for Israel – Partnership2Gether

Target Population: Elementary School

Noah lived in a period in which he was required to assume responsibility, listen to the voice of God and save the various species. Each of us should assume Noah’s role. Each of us is responsible for the environment in which he lives. In this lesson, we will learn about man’s responsibility for the world’s existence and how each of us can reduce our negative impact on the environment at school.

Part 1 – We’re All in the Same Boat – Story and Discussion

The teacher will open with the following story based on the Midrash in Vayikra Raba 4:

This is a tale of a group of people sitting on a ship. One of them took a drill and started drilling a hole in the bottom of the ship. His friends said to him: “What are you doing?” He said to them: “What does it matter to you! I’m only drilling under where I’m sitting.” They said to him: ‘The water is rising and flooding us all. We are all in the same boat!”

Comment: You can ‘add’ color to the story and lengthen the text and add descriptions. It can also be dramatized together with the students. The ship represents the planet Earth. The group of people represents all inhabitants of the Earth. The moment I understand that my actions have an impact on the entire world, my behavior will change.

Part 2 – You and I Will Change the World – Group Activity

The teacher will divide the class into 4 groups. Each group will discuss one of the following topics (2 groups will discuss each subject). Afterward, each smaller group will present its conclusions to the entire class.

The Way to School

Conduct a Class Survey – How do you get to school?

Walking

By bike

By public transportation

School bus

Carpool

My parents drive me to school

Points for discussion and activity

· What are the environmental consequences of driving one’s car rather than taking public transportation?

· What is better for the environment? Parents dropping the student off? Traveling by bus, bike, or walking? Which is healthier?

· How can we influence more students to get to school using healthy and environmentally friendly ways?

Trash at School

It is recommended to run this activity during the lesson that follows the morning recess.

Check the classroom trash can and fill in the attached table:

Type of Trash

Quantity (A lot, average, small amount)

There is a recycling can at school or in the area

Organic waste (leftover food)

Plastic (bags, bottles)

Paper

Cardboard

Styrofoam

Glass

Metal (cans)

Points for Discussion and Activity

· What is the source of the trash in the can?

· What could be reduced and how? (For example, reusable food boxes instead of bags, recycling paper instead of throwing into the can…)

· Which trash can be recycled at school?

· How can you encourage classmates to recycle?

To expand upon the subject: Study about the time span it takes for materials to decompose, how compost is made, and what happens to trash in the landfill.

Part 3: Who Knows Noah – A Call to Action

Do you know the story of Noah?

The teacher will tell the story of Noah in brief and will ask the children – “What is the connection between Noah and the process we learned about today?” “If Noah was alive today, what issues would he be required to deal with?”

Now after we understand the consequences of our various actions, there is a need to adopt responsible behavior for our world, our resources and the coming generations.

Teacher: There is an opportunity to leverage the activity into an annual project that the class will lead.

Now hold a vote regarding which subject the class wishes to focus on – and make a change.

The change can be for an individual class experience or for the entire school.

Select a committee to promote this subject, which will approach the principal, parents’ committee, etc. in order to involve the school’s decision makers in the process.

Good luck!

Appendix – Walking Together to School

In the not too distant past, walking was the common way of getting to school. Today, fewer and fewer children come to school on foot and they increasingly choose to travel to school by private car. This behavior has implications in many spheres – health, road safety, environmental protection, community life and quality of life in general. Walking to school contributes to the student’s health and welfare and improves the quality of life in the residential neighborhood, in the following ways:

Improves Health and Physical Fitness and Reduces the Risk of Chronic Diseases

Many studies have found evidence regarding the significant contribution of physical activity in preventing disease and promoting health. Among other things, physical activity helps prevent obesity, which is a global epidemic with far reaching health implications, primarily in children. Regular physical activity, such as walking to school on a regular basis, contributes to maintaining proper weight and protecting the health of the cardiovascular system and other body systems as well.

Adopting Physical Activity Practices During Leisure Time

As opposed to competitive sports, every student can enjoy and benefit from walking, because walking does not require athletic ability and it appeals to a wider range of students. Studies have found evidence that children who come to school on foot tend to take part in more physical activity in their leisure time. This is particularly significant in our time, in light of the spread of the sedentary behavior among children.

Increasing Pedestrian Safety in the School Vicinity

There is a good reason that pedestrians and cyclists in Israel are known as ‘vulnerable road users’. It is because they make up over two-thirds of all victims and fatalities in road accidents. In this regard, many studies indicate that the larger the number of pedestrians in a given place, the smaller the chances of them getting hurt in a road accident. Traffic hazards near the school are related to the large number of private vehicles that drive to the school in a short span of time. In most cases, the school vicinity is not prepared for the intake of the incoming vehicles, the children who are dropped off or parking spaces for this large number of vehicles. Therefore, encouraging walking instead of coming to school by private car will contribute to the safety of the school vicinity.

Improving Air Quality

The many vehicles starting up their engines and driving very slowly near the school, emit increased air pollutants. Driving a distance of 1 kilometer by car emits a half of a kilogram of pollutants from the vehicle (the amount of pollutants emitted when starting the engine is greater). Children are more vulnerable to the air emitted from vehicles because they are shorter. Replacing these car rides with walking to school will reduce the environmental hazards caused due to the traffic jams during peak hours at the school.

Conserving Energy and Returning the Urban Space to Pedestrians

In the short run, less cars arriving at the school’s vicinity each morning will reduce the burden and the traffic jams and allow for a great savings in energy. In the long run, the transition from transportation by car to walking to school will return the municipal space to pedestrians and protect open public areas.

Empowering the Student and Developing Social Relationships

Walking to school contributes to the development of social relationships, helps develop independence and improves self-image. Studies indicate that walking to school is a habit that creates and fosters social relationships, and the chances that the student will walk to school increases if other students are also walking. These findings stress the importance of organized walking groups which encourage walking to school.

The project encourages daily walking to and from school, with the cooperation of parents and people in the community. In participating countries, the activity begins at the start of the school year and includes a variety of lessons, such as integrating walking in subjects such as geography, arithmetic, art, social studies, mapping walking routes near the school and organizing walking groups.

1) Learn and teach the rainbow blessing: "Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha`olam ZOKHER ET HABRIT — Blessed be You, Hashem…who remembers the covenant!" And — you can remember that the first covenant in the Torah wasn't just for humanity. It was a convenant with all animals and with the land itself.

2) Say a prayer for the all living things. You can find a prayer based on the rainbow covenant and P'ri Eitz Hadar (the first Tu Bishvat seder) on jewcology.com/resource/Shabbat-Noach. (You'll also find other resources for Shabbat Noach.) The English text goes like this:

God full of compassion, remember Your covenant with all life, the
covenant of the waters of Noah. Spread a sukkah of compassion and
peace over all Life's species and over us. Surround all our relations
with Shekhinah's radiance; water them with Your river of delights in
all of their habitats. Then "the bow will appear in the cloud" joyful
and beautified with its colors, and the Tree of Life will return to
its original strength, so that we and our descendants may merit to
live many days on Earth, like the days of the Skies over the Land.
Blessed be the Life of the worlds!

3) Pick one other exercise or project from the Rainbow Day curriculum and do it /share it!

May we all be blessed to bring healing to the Earth and to all the species that share this planet with us.

Rabbi David Seidenberg
neohasid.org

Please share this video with others who should see it!

“And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.”

Genesis 9:16

Parshat Noach details a terrible ecological disaster, the Flood that immerses the world in water and brings an end to all life – all because of man’s despicable behavior. In this parsha we meet Noach, the first “environmental activist” who acted upon a divine commandment to keep every species of animal safe on his ark. The Biblical story ends with an eternal covenant between G-d and humanity, in which we are promised that the land will never be destroyed again at the hands of the Creator.

Today, we are once again experiencing widespread destruction of the earth – this time not as a divine punishment, but as a direct result of human actions. What is the connection between our generation and the generation of Noach? And what can we learn from Noach’s story? And how, with our collective strengths, can we prevent the next flood?

Do we control the world or are we dependent on God’s gifts?

The story of the flood begins with a description of the evil that has fallen upon the land:

And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. (Genesis 6:11)

Rashi, the great Biblical commentator, explains that the word “hamas” (violence) refers to “gezel” (stealing). But what did people steal in order to bring upon themselves such a punishment?

One interesting idea presented in the Midrashic anthology Yalkut Shimoni is that the generation of the Flood committed the sin of hubris – intense pride before nature and the order of the world. The “dor haflagah” – the generation that built the tower of Babel after the flood – is described as the generation that revealed how to control nature and its resources. With the help of technological developments and other means, the people of this generation reached a state in which they felt that they were without fear before the strengths of nature and no longer relied on divine intervention.

The Midrash (Sanhedrin 108, page 2) further emphasizes this point, describing the reactions of the people upon seeing Noach building the ark. If a flood of water should come from the land, say the generation of Noach, they will reinforce the land with poles of steel. Also a flood of fire will not scare them. They are apparently so perfected that they have no reason to fear anything – they are prepared for any kind of natural disaster.

The ability to act from within nature brings the generation of the flood to heightened pride before the world and before God. This pride brings them to “hamas” (stealing) – perhaps to stealing the world’s resources. All these together, led to the inevitable consequence – the flood that destroyed the world.

Noach Acts

In the arrogant, violent world of the generation of the Flood, Noach was chosen to save and perpetuate the existence of life. Why was Noach chosen to survive, while the rest of humanity was decimated?

The verses claim that Noach “found favor” in the eyes of God – “chen,” from the language of “chinam” (free). It is never clear to us why this man was saved from disaster while others were not.

But Noach was not saved alone – following G-d’s commandment, he places into his ark all the species of the world and cares for them for an entire year.

Our Sages describe Noach’s difficult work in the ark in detail – holy work done entirely from selflessness and kindness. According to the Midrash Tanchuma, “throughout those twelve months, Noach and his sons did not sleep, because they had to feed the animals, beasts and birds.” The Talmud also explains thatthe ark hadthree levels – one for Noach and his family, one for the animals, and one for the animals’ waste – revealing how much energy he put into their care. Another legend tells that Noach endangered his life, and was even wounded, when he went to feed the lion. According to Rashi, Noach worked so hard that he would groan and grow faint from the burden of the animals (Rashi, Genesis 7:23).

Noach’s concern extended beyond the animals of the world. He also considered the continuity of plant life, bringing with him onto the ark “good things to plant, fig shoots and olive saplings” (Midrash Rabba, Parshat Noach 1:14). Clearly, Noach, in the earliest known case of nature preservation, went out of his way to save animals and plants. There is only one species that Noach made no effort to save – humans.

The Zohar relates the following story:

What did God answer Noah when he left the Ark and saw the world destroyed? He [Noah] began to cry before God and he said, "Master of the universe, You are called compassionate. You should have been compassionate for Your creation." God responded and said, "You are a foolish shepherd. Now you say this?! Why did you not say this at the time I told you that I saw that you were righteous among your generation, or afterward when I said that I will bring a flood upon the people, or afterward when I said to build an ark? I constantly delayed and I said, 'When is he [Noah] going to ask for compassion for the world?'…And now that the world is destroyed, you open your mouth, to cry in front of me, and to ask for supplication?" [Zohar Hashmatot, Bereishit 254b]

We will never know why Noach did not fight to revoke the evil decree and spare the world from destruction. Perhaps, in his heart, Noach believed that the world, harsh and depraved as he knew it, was not suited for redemption. Only the “innocent” animals were meant to survive.

Or perhaps Noach was afraid that the essence of his generation would rub off on him, and he would also be destined for destruction. In this sense, Noach was essentially living in his own “ark” even before the flood and didn’t feel a connection or responsibility to the world that was to be decimated.

It is impossible to know what stopped Noach from requesting G-d’s mercy. Yet we do know that his descendent Avraham Avinu did not suffer from the same complacency regarding his fellow human beings. Ten generations later, we see Avraham pleading with G-d to exercise mercy on the people of Sedom. Avraham opens his eyes to the plight of the innocent and intercedes on their behalf.

After the Flood – Emulating Noach and Avraham

After the waters receded from the face of the earth, Noach sacrifices an offering to G-d. G-d, upon smelling the pleasing scent, makes a fundamental decision:

כא וַיָּרַח יְהוָה, אֶת-רֵיחַ הַנִּיחֹחַ, וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-לִבּוֹ לֹא-אֹסִף לְקַלֵּל עוֹד אֶת-הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּר הָאָדָם, כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְּעֻרָיו; וְלֹא-אֹסִף עוֹד לְהַכּוֹת אֶת-כָּל-חַי, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי

21And the LORD smelled the sweet scent; and the LORD said in His heart: 'I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done.

כב עֹד, כָּל-יְמֵי הָאָרֶץ: זֶרַע וְקָצִיר וְקֹר וָחֹם וְקַיִץ וָחֹרֶף, וְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה–לֹא יִשְׁבֹּתוּ

22While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.'

With Noach and the inhabitants of the ark – human, animal, and bird, G-d makes an eternal covenant:

8And God spoke unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying: 9 'As for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the fowl, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that go out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. 11 And I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.' 12 And God said: 'This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. 14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow is seen in the cloud, 15 that I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.' 17 And God said unto Noah: 'This is the token of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth.' (Genesis 9:8-17)

G-d decided not to further disrupt the order of the natural world because of man’s behavior, as he says: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) This declaration essentially cuts off the spiritual link between human behavior and natural phenomena.

But in this day and age, it appears that this connection has returned. Today, we are experiencing an ecological crisis that is characterized by phenomena such as glacial melting, extended drought (such as here in Israel), accelerated species migration, widespread disease, and more. Most of these problems originate from the unchecked utilization of natural resources by humans and the creation of excess waste and pollution. In many cases, it may be argued that the entire ecological crisis is a direct result of the very societal ills found in the generation of Noach – “and the land was filled with violence/thievery.”

This story does not need to repeat itself. We are all children of Noach, but we are also children of Avraham. From Noach, we received the ability to exercise responsibility for nature and the biodiversity of species, and the willingness to work hard to retain and repair our world. Unfortunately, we also resemble Noach in his ability to separate himself from others so that our righteousness should not be blemished. It is easy to stay secluded at home, ignoring the problems of the world. A bigger challenge is to face the world and embrace its needs as our own.

In this, we should see ourselves as children of Abraham, who calls upon us to be an integral part of the world – to sit at the opening of our tent and invite everyone to join in a life of faith in the good, love of man, and the willingness to fight for justice.

Shabbat Brit Olam

In the summer of 2009, Jewish environmental leaders in North America gathered together to formulate an invitation to the Jewish community at large: A Call to Observe Shabbat Noach, October 23-24, as Global Climate Healing Shabbat. Through targeted emails, website postings, and large-scale events, Jewish environmental leaders mobilized Jewish communities across North America to teach, celebrate, and act in honor of Shabbat Noach. In North American Jewish congregations, observance has included prayers, sermons, study sessions, and community action projects designed to encourage sustainability in the Jewish community.

Here in Israel, Teva Ivri is proud to join Jewish leaders around the world in the observance of Shabbat Noach as a time to raise awareness about environmental challenges and to inspire effective change in Jewish communities. Within the past several years, Shabbat Brit Olam has become an annual national tradition. As of 2010, over 200 communities from all denominations of Judaism observed Shabbat Noah from a Jewish-Environmental perspective, with study groups, lectures, articles in the media, endorsements from public figures, and grassroots action projects.

The annual central event, a lively street festival titled "Before the Flood," takes place in Jerusalem. In 2010, the festival included a parade, an organic market, live music, workshops, and lectures by rabbis and community leaders. To view a video of the festival, click here: Shabbat Noach 2010 in Jerusalem

May we all be as children of the devoted Noach and children of the faithful Avraham. May we all uphold the covenant of the world’s perpetual existence and act for our sakes and the sake of the world around us. And let’s not forget – in today’s reality, we are all in the same ark.

Teva Ivri – Jewish Nature – social-environmental regeneration in Israel

"After the Holydays, all will be renewed
Regular weekdays will return, renewed,
Air, soil, rain and fire,
You too, you too
Will be renewed".
(Naomi Shemer)

"After the Holydays, all will be renewed" – thus tells us the late Naomi Shemer, one of Israel's leading songwriters, and indeed the season of the High Holydays creates a vivid sense of a "transition period" leading to change and renewal.

Rosh Hashanah, the holiday that opens the High Holidays, marks, according to tradition, the completion of the creation of the world and of Man. On this day we crown the King of the World, and remind ourselves (again, maybe eventually we'll internalize this) that we are not masters of the universe and that we took upon ourselves the responsibility "to work the land and preserve it" – to build the world while maintaining balance and harmony within it.

It is impossible to fulfill the challenging role that we took on ourselves on Rosh Hashana alone. We can only realize our role of creation if we are part of a civilized society that lives in peace. It is for this reason that we confess on Yom Kippur in the plural (We are guilty, we have betrayed, etc.). From this we understand the saying that "Yom Kippur does not grant atonement for sins committed between a person and his or her friend until (s)he placates his/her friend." (from tractate Yoma, 8,7). Yom Kippur invites us to embark on a journey of self-healing within the community, society, nation and world in which we live.
Once we have understood our special role in this wonderful world,Once we have cleansed ourselves of our sins, such as haughtiness and baseless hatred,Once we have taken responsibility for being part of a community – whether it be a synagogue, community, nation, people.

Once we have chosen to make peace amongst ourselves, between us and our friends, us and our world,
Only then are we really ready for the holiday of Sukkot.
On Sukkot we experience true joy from the innermost place, joy that we are commanded to experience: "And you shall be joyous on this festival..and be truly happy". (Deutoronomy 16, 14-15).
On Sukkot we go back to nature from a place of humility, while we live in a temporary structure made of natural materials, bless the four species which grow naturally in our country, and spend our nights watching the stars. On Sukkot we "break down the barriers" between us and society, and bond with one another directly.

Therefore it is no wonder that by the end of Sukkot we are ready to begin the Torah anew …

May we keep up this mental state of the Sukkot holiday throughout the year, and gain renewed strength for positive action and Tikkun Olam.

And what are we in Teva Ivri renewing?

We welcome the Hebrew year תשע"ב with great happiness, looking forward to renewal and action.

Our annual conference, which took place recently, dealt with Jewish environmental education and opened up a real and meaningful discussion about the place of Judaism in education for sustainability in the country. For the conference movie.

Alongside the conference we are at the height of preparations for Shabbat Noah – a Shabbat of Jewish sustainability. To download content and materials (in Hebrew) for Shabbat Noah.

Watch the video of the street festival of Shabbat Noah, 2010

This year Teva Ivri has joined the team of writers of educational materials at the Ministry of Education, writing a workbook on the subject "Between a people and its country – connecting to our time and place". Together with this we are continuing to give teacher training sessions and workshops for parents and children.

In the field of leadership development, we are working in partnership with Bina, Ma'aglei Tzedek and the Green Environment Fund in the development of seminars for organizations who are interested in internalizing a broad view of the connection between Judaism, the environment, society and the economy.

As partners in discourse, a world Jewish leadership network, we are already thinking about the annual conference to be held in Israel, and about other initiatives to connect between Israel and the Diaspora around issues of environmental Tikun Olam.

In the community we are renewing our activities by bringing out a booklet called "Chagim U'Zmanim (Holydays) for the Environment" which is being used community centers across the country.
We invite all the members and friends of our organization to join us on our journey of implementation of Jewish sustainability. We wish ourselves a Shana Tova!

תהא שנת עשייה ברוכה

Best regards.
Einat Kramer
Founding Director,
Teva Ivri

Teach the Rainbow blessing

The Rainbow covenant in Genesis

Teach/learn a song to a verse from Hoshea about the future covenant with all life

A prayer for the Earth (Birkat Bereishit)

Study classical midrashim about Noah

Midrashim: interpretations of the rainbow sign: from Rabbis Arthur Waskow, Shlomo Riskin, Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, and Rav Avraham Yitzhak Kook

Learn about biodiversity

Pick a rainbow!

Study endangered species

Science, Art, and Culture

Council of All Beings

Hydrofracking

Climate change

Seed saving and Naamah, Noah’s wife

Read the children’s book The Story of Naamah

“L’Dor V’Dor” seed saving workshop

The Seven Noachide Laws and the seven colors of the rainbow

More study ideas:

Download any of the following for deeper study:

Neohasid.org’s one-page text study sheet from on midrash about Noah.

Canfei Nesharim’s study guide on “Countering Destruction: Lessons from Noach”.

Green Zionist Alliance’s guide on “Shabbat Noah: Global Climate-Healing Shabbat”.

Rabbi Everett Gendler’s brief essay on “The Sevenfold Rainbow Covenant” for study.

Or go to jewcology.com/resources/Rainbow-Day and get the ganze megillah (36 projects), which includes all of the Shabbat Noach resources along with lots of other stuff.

Rabbi David Seidenberg

neohasid.org

The Forward, the leading national Jewish weekly, on July 14, 2009, reported that four Jewish summer camps in Pennsylvania have signed leases with gas exploration companies to allow “fracking” –- the hydro-fracturing method of pouring tons of highly chemicalized water to smash shale rocks into releasing natural gas.

The four are Starlight’s Perlman Camp, which is owned and operated by B’nai B’rith; Camps Nesher and Shoshanim, which share a property in Lakewood and are owned and operated by the New Jersey Federation of YMHAand YWHA; and Camp Morasha, an independent camp in Lakewood.

The Forward reports that “Fracking of a single well creates more than 1 million gallons of wastewater awash in pollutants, including some radioactive materials. According to a February report in The New York Times, state and federal documents show that the wastewater is sometimes hauled to sewage plants not designed to treat it and then discharged into rivers that supply drinking water.”

The Shalom Center views it as a profound violation of Jewish wisdom and values for summer camps or other Jewish institutions to sell the rights to use their land in ways that will poison God’s and humanity’s earth, air, food, and water. See below for actions you can take to halt this.

Normal Federal protections for drinking water and clean air have been thwarted by the Halliburton Loophole pushed through Congress by former Vice-President Dick Cheney. It prevents application of these protective rules to drilling by the gas and oil industries. As a result, no one knows what chemicals are causing the dangers to water, food, and health that are appearing in fracking areas.

Fracking has turned the drinking water of farmers near well-heads into “water” that turns to flame when a match is lit at the kitchen faucets.

Fracking threatens the drinking water supply of the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas, and has been charged with raising cancer rates in communities near fracking sites.

Fracking is also a planetary threat. Scientists at Cornell University have analyzed fracking and report that it leaks methane, a planet-heating gas much more powerful than CO2, at such a rate that “if you do an integration of 20 years following the development of the gas, [fracking] shale gas is worse than conventional gas and is, in fact, worse than coal and worse than oil.”

On September 7-8, the national commercial association of companies that are fracking shale rock regions will gather for a national convention in Philadelphia.

So environmental organizations are planning to face the “Fracking Association” with major demonstrations on September 7-8. The goal is at least 2500 demonstrators, with a rally, a march, a counter-conference, a “Blessing of the Waters,” and a free outdoor concert.

The Shalom Center has taken the lead in bringing together an interfaith planning committee to put together a “Blessing of the Waters” as part of the Sept 7-8 arrangements.

We invite religious folk, clergy and lay, who want to take part in these events to get in touch with us by writing Rabbi Arthur Waskow at Awaskow@theshalomcenter.org with “Interfaith Blessing Waters” in the subject line.

The two-day anti-fracking event will include: a large rally at the Philadelphia Convention Center from 8 am to noon, Wednesday September 7; a march through Philadelphia to Gov Corbett’s office that day; interfaith “Blessing of the Waters” at Penn’s Treaty Park on the Delaware River at 5 pm; an open-air free concert at 6 pm there; and on Thursday, an all-day conference to plan strategy to stop fracking.

Fracking is currently under a moratorium in New York, but Gov. Cuomo has indicated he may end the ban. New Jersey has just outlawed it, Wells have been drilled in parts of Pennsylvania. The Delaware River Port Authority has imposed a moratorium that may expire in September.

What you can do to stop fracking:

• Call your child’s summer camp to urge they NOTOKany leases or plans that might allow fracking.

• Call Daniel S. Mariaschin, Executive Vice President of B’nai Brith International, at (888) 388-4224 (toll-free) or 202-857-6600, about Camp Perlman, and Leonard Robinson, exec of the New Jersey Y Camps, who has decision-making power over those camps, at (570) 296-8596..

• Sign a petition for a national ban on fracking here.

• If you live in NYState, call Gov Cuomo at 518/ 474-8390 and tell him to ban fracking throughout New York State. In Pennsylvania, call Gov. Corbett at 717/ 787-2500 with the same demand.

• Call your members of Congress and tell them to pass the FRACAct to repeal the “Cheney-Halliburton” exemption for hydrofracking from environmental laws.

• Show the documentary film Gasland in your community. It documents the dangers of fracking. To get a DVDcopy, click here.

• Save the dates of September 7-8 to attend the interfaith events on fracking in Philadelphia. Click here for more information.

• See our article here for background.

• For the full Forward article, click here. :

Prepare to use Shabbat Noach, October 28-29, when Jews read the biblical story of the Flood, the Ark, and the Rainbow, as a time to address fracking and other threats to our planet, and act to heal our Earth in the spirit of the Rainbow.

I talked with Leonard Robinson, director of the New Jersey YH-YWHAsummer camps (which are located in Pennsylvania). He gave four arguments for the leases:

1) The issue is ”bigger than we are,” he said. This meant that whether the Delaware Bay and River authorities clamp down on fracking will make a difference, and the camp is essentially helpless.

2) Moreover, the camp’s neighbors were leasing their land and since the gas drilling/fracking may do damage beneath the earth’s surface horizontally across ownership lines, better they should make their own deal that might protect the camp’s land better than not leasing.

3) The camp made a lot of money from the lease.

4) The lease was agreed to two years ago, when the camp had much less information than it does now about the dangers of fracking. “Now, we can’t just cancel the lease.”

I responded thus:

Of course the issue is bigger than the camp. When big institutions are attacking Jewish values, the question is whether to surrender because they are more powerful or organize to stop them –— including, in this case, to reach out to the neighbors and work with them against the fracking companies.

I mentioned the San Francisco case where some people are organizing a referendum to outlaw circumcision of children. The official Jewish community could have decided the issue was “bigger” than they were – too big to fight – and surrender (even maybe having mohelim make a deal for a buy-off to replace their lost income) or instead, choose to fight. They chose to fight, because circumcision was seen as a core Jewish value. Are clean water, air, and food, and the healing of our climate crisis, the protection of God’s Creation, a core Jewish value or not? In the “Jewish identity-building” of campers, what are they taught about Jewish values and the Earth?

As for the inviolability of leases agreed to two years ago, I pointed out to Mr. Robinson that it MIGHTbe argued that if the fracking companies withheld information they had two years ago about the poisonous chemicals they are adding to the fracking water, and in other ways misled the camps and other lessees, that the leases might be voidable.

So I encourage you to call Mr. Robinson at (570) 296-8596, and urge him to take all necessary steps to void the existing leases, to make no new ones, to make protection of the Earth and of human health a clear Jewish value taught in his camps, and to join with The Shalom Center and others in the Jewish and broader American communities to convince state governments to outlaw fracking, as the State of New Jersey has just done.

My conversation with Mr.Robinson makes clear that this issue goes beyond the four camps that have already leased land for fracking. It raises the basic question whether Jewish camping, which is widely said to be intended to strengthen Jewish knowledge, practice, and values among young people, can actually enhance – instead of betraying — its unusual opportunity of making connections between Jewish values and the healing of relationships between adam and adamah, the earthy human race and the Earth itself.

There are hundreds of such camps, sponsored by the Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and various Orthodox denominations, by Habonim Labor Zionists and by Young Judea, by many Federations and other Jewish organizations. There is even a Foundation for Jewish Camp, 15 West 36th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY10018 ; Phone: 646-278-4500, whose CEOis Jeremy J. Fingerman,, 646-278-4505 (Email: jeremy@jewishcamp.org)

Among these many camps, there is at least one, Eden Village Camp in Putnam Valley, NY(877) 397-EDEN(3336); http://edenvillagecamp.org/ which was founded explicitly to renew the Jewish connection with the Earth. Its program to do this is both extraordinary and exemplary.

The Shalom Center intends to pursue both our efforts to end any practices that subvert the Jewish value of healing God’s creation, and our efforts to strengthen those program that support that value as a core commitment of Judaism and the Jewish people. We will be in further touch with you about how to do this.

For a few years now I've been dreaming of making Rainbow Day a reality in the Jewish world. Rabbi Arthur Waskow first came up with the idea of using the dates of the flood story in 1981. But now I think we (the Jewish world) are ready to make it happen. I've been collecting prayers and rituals, lesson plans about seed-saving and hydrofracking, learning from Hoshea and Ezekiel, from Kabbalah and midrash, and project ideas that you can use to celebrate Rainbow Day and to remember God’s covenant with all creation. Many of the environmental groups that contribute to jewcology are contributing to the Rainbow Day project as well.

All of the material will end up in one PDF that you can download by the end of this week. Write to rebduvid86@gmail.com to contribute or to receive notices whenever there's an update.

Here are the essential goals: 1) To get Rainbow Day on everyone's spiritual maps. 2) To teach that the first and paradigmatic covenant in the Torah is not just with human beings, but with all animals and with the land. 3) To make sure everyone knows that there is a delightful blessing to say whenever we see a rainbow!

Go to http://jewcology.com/resource/Rainbow-Day to find out more about Rainbow Day and to access what we've put together.

What is Rainbow Day?

On the 27th day of the second month, Noah, his family, and all the animals that were with them left the ark (Genesis 8). Exactly one lunar year and ten days before—one complete solar year—the flood began on the 17th of the second month, the day before Lag B’Omer. When Noah and his entourage went out from the ark, God made a covenant, with the people, with all the animals and with the land, that there would never be again be a flood of water to destroy life on Earth. Rainbow Day is always the 42nd day of the Omer, the day after Yom Yerushalayim. This year Rainbow Day follows Memorial Day.

God Said to Noah: An Old/ New Song to Avert a New Flood

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow | 11/8/2007

• Noah

• Global Scorching

GOD SAID TO NOAH*

Melody and some words, traditional; remainder by Rabbi Arthur Waskow *

* Copyright (c) 2007 by Rabbi Arthur Waskow. All rights reserved.

God said to Noah, The earth’s getting hotter, hotter,
God said to Noah, The earth’s getting hotter, hotter,
Yet she is My (clap) beloved daughter, daughter -
Children of the Lord.

CHORUS: Rise and shine and give God the glory glory
Rise and shine and give God the glory glory
Rise and shine and (clap!) give God the glory glory
Children of the Lord!

People are making My air too smoky, smoky
People are making My air too smoky, smoky
Fix it now! (clap) and don’t be pokey, pokey —
Children of the Lord.

CHORUS

If you won’t cool down each auto and furnace, furnace,
If you won’t cool down each auto and furnace, furnace,
They will keep right on (clap) to burn us, burn us
Children of the Lord.

CHORUS

The ice it will melt so there’s gonna be a floody floody
Yes! — God said to Noah there’s gonna be a floody floody
Get My children (clap!) out of the muddy muddy
Children of the Lord

So Noah begged help, quick from Mama Naamah
So Noah begged help, quick from Mama Naamah
“Can you get (clap) these engines calmah calmah?”
Children of the Lord.

So Naamah rose up to call out a warning, warning
So Naamah rose up to call out a warning, warning
But most folks shrugged: (clap) “No sign of storming, storming!”
Children of the Lord.

So Noah, he built them, he built them an arky arky
Noah, he built them, he built them an arky arky
Built it out of (clap!) hickory barky barky
Children of the Lord

The animals, they came in, came in by twosie twosies
The animals, they came in, came in by twosie twosies
Elephants and (clap!) kangaroozie roozies
Children of the Lord

It rained and poured for forty dazy dazy
Rained and poured for forty dazy dazy
Drove those (clap!) animals nearly crazy crazy
Children of the Lord

Naamah soothed them and fed them some milky milky
Smoothed them and soothed them and fed them some milky milky,
Till their grunts (clap!) and whines grew silky silky,
Children of the Lord.

The sun came out and dried up the landy landy
Sun came out and dried up the landy landy
Everything was (clap!) fine and dandy dandy
Children of the Lord

So Noah he sent out, sent out a dovey dovey -
Noah he sent out, sent out a dovey dovey -
Brought him an olive branch (clap) to show her lovey-lovey,
Children of the Lord.

Then God sent a rainbow made of colors seven,
God sent a rainbow made of colors seven,
Peace on earth (clap) as in the highest heaven!
Children of the Lord.

CHORUS

* Copyright (c) 2007 by Rabbi Arthur Waskow. All rights reserved.

By Marc Gave | 10/15/2009

• Noah

• Earth

• Global Scorching

• The Book of Genesis

• Prayer

Rabbi David Seidenberg has provided us with a prayer focused on global climate disruption (aka “global warming”), healing the skies, and the original blessing of creation. Rabbi Seidenberg writes, “The liturgy is partly based on P’ri Eitz Hadar (the first published Tu Bish’vat seder), and on the Sefardi liturgy for Sukkot. It can be used after Torah reading every Shabbat, alongside prayers for the government, Israel, peace (in many synagogues), and the congregation. It could also be used many other times, e.g. after the counting of the omer or on Lag B’Omer.”

View and Print Prayer for Creation for Shabbat Noach

You can read more about the prayer, and download your own copy in Hebrew or English, athttp://neohasid.org/stoptheflood/earthprayer/.

By Anonymous | 10/22/2009

• Noah

• Global Scorching

Ellen Bernstein

This coming Shabbat, October 24, 2009, hundreds of thousands of people in 158 countries around the globe will be participating in the International Day of Climate Action. They will try to convince world leaders to craft policies to help bring atmospheric concentrations of CO2 down to 350 parts per million—the figure that scientists say is the safe upper limit for CO2 in the atmosphere, the amount that will enable life to continue to thrive on the planet.

While the folks at 350.org, the organizers for the event, did not have a Jewish calendar in front of them when they determined the date for what will be the largest ecological event in the world’s history, it is an uncanny co-incidence that they chose the moment that we Jews read in our annual Torah cycle, Parshat Noah. The Noah story, more than any other in the Torah, proclaims a profound ecological message that resounds through time and space.

Many of us fondly remember Noah as the unlikely sea-faring zoo-keeper who saved all the animals from the flood, but there is much more to the story. In Genesis 1, after God had completed the creation, we read, “God saw all that He had made and behold it was very good.” (Gen. 1.31) Yet just a few generations later, in Noah’s time, we read a parallel statement: “God saw the earth and behold it had become corrupt.”(Gen. 6.12) Corruption, we learn, happened because the earth was filled with ¬hamas. (Gen. 6.11)
What is the meaning of hamas? Proverbs teaches
“A lawless man (eish hamas) misleads his friend,
making him take the path of no good (derekh lo-tov) .”(Proverbs 16.29)

Hamas then is associated with the path of no-goodness. The beautiful and good world that God had created in the beginning had disintegrated into a world of no-goodness. A world in which—we are told—the heart/mind of humanity was fixed only on evil all the time (Gen. 6.5).

How did humanity arrive at such a dreadful state? What was God’s original design for the human species? And why did the people abandon their path, their highest calling—causing God so much anguish that He had no choice but to wash away the world and begin again?

We learn in Genesis 1.28 that God gave humanity dominion over the animals and all the earth. Exercising dominion would be humanity’s most sublime purpose—the path people must walk in order to maintain a good, peaceful and sustainable world. To have dominion over the earth and her creatures means to govern in a way that allows each creation to fulfill its God-given purpose. To have dominion means to care for the world every moment of every day; to fix our attention on the goodness of the world; to allow the world to unfold in her own infinitely wise ways; to see the world as a gift and a blessing and rejoice in her majesty, diversity, and fruitfulness.

“To exercise dominion” then is profoundly difficult—it is and has always been humanity’s greatest challenge. From Adam to Noah to us—we have avoided this challenge. Most of us do not want to have to put the world first and ourselves second, as dominion demands.

The tragic Biblical truth is that when humanity avoids its responsibility to the earth, to the other—either in Noah’s generation or in ours—when we focus too much on our selves and neglect the world, we create suffering and pain; and we drag the rest of the world down with us. There is no escaping this ecological reality. We are all bound up together—dependent upon one another in one complex and beautiful web: the earth, the waters, the algae, fungi, spiders, black bears and us. That humanity is the most powerful of creatures means that we are all the more responsible.

While we may feel overwhelmed and helpless by today’s environmental crisis, we must not sink into despair. Noah’s story ends in hope with one of the most beautiful and poignant lines of the entire Bible:
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will not cease.

Today in honor of Noah and the earth and the International Day of Climate Action, lets re-dedicate ourselves to the path of goodness and to the care for the earth, our home. Visit 350.org to join with others around the world in this most profound endeavor.

Ellen Bernstein founded the first national Jewish environmental organization, Shomrei Adamah, Keepers of the Earth and is author of several books on Judaism and ecology. Visit www.ellenbernstein.org.

By Anonymous | 10/22/2009

• Noah

• Global Scorching

Jews United for Justice and Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light are inviting all synagogues, temples, minyanim, and havurot in the DC area to mark October 24 as Climate Healing Shabbat.

In our Jewish communities, we will be reading Parshat Noah that day, considering the Torah’s promise to withhold future floods and to preserve creation. Our Climate Healing Shabbat gatherings will join thousands of other “350.org” events around the world that day through which communities are calling on their governments to bring carbon dioxide in our atmosphere back down to a safe level of 350 ppm.

The bad news is we’re already past that number-we’re at 390 parts per million, which is why the Arctic is melting, why drought is spreading across the planet, why people are already dying from diseases like dengue fever and malaria occurring in places where they’ve never been seen before.

The good news: that number gives us a target to aim for. When the world’s leaders meet in Copenhagen in December to reach agreement on a new climate treaty, we need them to go farther than they’ve planned to go: we need to make sure they’ll pay attention to the latest science and put forward a plan that gets us back to safety.

Look to our collection of Jewish climate resources below for ways to connect with Climate Healing Shabbat at your own congregation, and be sure to register your congregation’s event at www.350.org.

Divrei Torah/Sermons:

Parshat Noach: A Paradigm for Environmental Consciousness
by Shimshon Stüart Siegel, from Canfei Nesharim

Walking the Walk: The Sacred Art of Energy Conservation
by Rabbi Brant Rosen, from Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

Jewish Environmental Values: The Dynamic Tension Between Nature and Human Needs
by Rabbi Saul Berman

Text Study:

The Story of Noah and the Flood: Midrash Texts on the Preservation of Species and Human Responsibility
by Rabbi David Seidenberg, from COEJL (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life)

Jewish Texts as Resources on Global Climate Change
by Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, from COEJL (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life)

Supplemental Prayer:

Prayers for Creation and Parshat Noach :
by Rabbi David Seidenberg, from NeoHasid.org

For Kids:

God Said to Noah: An Old/New Song to Avert a New Flood
By Rabbi Arthur Waskow, from The Shalom Center

Climate Education Resources from 350.org:

Science of 350 ppm Factsheet

Climate Solutions Factsheet

10 Things You Can Do to Fight Climate Change Flyer

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow | 10/22/2009

• Noah

• Global Scorching

Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, October 15, 2009

An old Southern black song cries out: “God gave Noah the rainbow sign; No more water, the fire next time.” Long before that, the ancient rabbis spoke of a mabul eysh — a “flood of fire.” In their days, they were fantasies. But in our generation, the flood of fire has come upon us in the form of global scorching and the rising of the seas.

The time has come to heal our Earth, and there is no better time to heed the call than as we approach Shabbat Noach, when Jews around the world read the Torah portion about the flood, Noah and his ark, and then the rainbow — God’s covenantal sign not to destroy the world again.

Shabbat Noach comes this year on Oct. 23-24. By accident (or God’s design), it is also the day when a number of experts on the global climate crisis have called for worldwide actions to protect our planet from climate disaster.

This Torah passage lends itself to focusing on the danger of destruction of life on our planet, as well as the actions we must take to prevent destruction and to preserve the web of life.

Dozens of leaders of both national and grass-roots Jewish organizations are joining the call to observe the week before and after Shabbat Noach as a “Climate Healing Shabbat.” We are urging special prayers, sermons, panels, nature walks — anything that will inspire Jewish commitment to help heal the planet.

This is an important step forward. The organized Jewish community has only recently begun to act seriously on the climate/energy issue. Indeed, the official alliance of the major Jewish organizations on these issues — COEJL, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life — is far weaker now than it was five years ago.

On the other hand, there have arisen grass-roots organizations — such as Hazon, the Teva Learning Center, the Adamah Fellowship at Isabella Freedman retreat center, the Jewish Farm School in Philadelphia — that are doing vital educational work.

Yet while progress has been made in certain areas, there’s a long way to go. Yes, we hear more symbols and sermons about the environment, and festivals such as Sukkot and Tu B’Shevat have become increasingly environmentally focused. And yes, there are efforts aimed at “greening” our synagogues, community centers, retirement homes and other institutions, but the efforts don’t always translate into sustained action.

But it’s the area of social-political action where Jews have failed most. Much needs to be done to forcefully and swiftly change public policy away from burning fossil fuels, and toward the use of solar and wind energy in transportation, food production, housing and other areas of society.

The observance of the Global Climate Healing Shabbat is a prelude to the U.N. conference on the climate crisis, which is scheduled to take place in Copenhagen in December.

Almost daily reports of widespread droughts, floods, storms, wildfires, melting polar ice caps, and the forced migration of invasive species and diseases into new territories all cry out to us for action.

Passage after passage of the Torah and of other Jewish writings cry out to us as Jews to act more vigorously — not only in private and communal households, but in shaping public policy — to celebrate and heal the web of life. The time has come.

Rabbi Arthur Waskow directs the Shalom Center, which initiated the Call for Climate Healing Shabba

By Editor | 5/5/2010

• Noah

• Behar

• Global Scorching

By Rabbi David Seidenberg See his Website at http://www.neohasid.org/

Monday, May 10, 2010, is also the 27th of Iyyar—the date when
Noah’s family and the animals left the ark and received the rainbow
covenant.

There is a special correlation between this week’s Torah portion and
the rainbow covenant of Noah’s time. And there is a foreboding
contrast between the rainbow covenant and what’s happened in the Gulf
of Mexico. The tension between these dynamic relationships in many
ways defines the predicament of our time.

Just as this week is the week we read about the central covenant of
the Torah encoded in the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, it is also the
week when the anniversary of the rainbow covenant falls. It is no
random happenstance: the covenant represented by the Jubilee is in
many ways a response to the covenant with Noah and the animals.

How so? The covenant of Noah’s time—the first covenant recorded in the
Torah—includes the land and the animals as covenant partners with God
alongside the human family. This is also the case with the Jubilee
covenant: the land is promised her Sabbaths as a condition for the
Israelites to settle upon the land, while the people are required in
the Sabbatical year, when the land is resting, to open their fences to
allow the wild animals in to eat their fill.

The first condition—to let the land rest—is a fulfillment of the
promise in the rainbow covenant that God will no longer destroy the
land because of humanity: here God promises to exile humanity in order
to save the land from being destroyed. The second condition—allowing
the wild animals into the fields—is a tikkun for what happened after
the rainbow covenant: even though the animals were partners in God’s
covenantal promise not to destroy the earth, they afterwards became
fodder for the humans (“like green plants I give you them all”).

Instead, here, in the Sabbatical year, the humans are required to
allow their agriculture to go wild and to invite the wild animals to
share what grows. This is not only a tikkun for the permission granted
to human beings to eat animals. It is also a return to the Garden of
Eden, where animals and human beings shared the same food.

And the Gulf of Mexico? In the rainbow covenant God promised not to
destroy the Earth because of us, but God did not promise that we
wouldn’t destroy the Earth. As the oil laps at the shore and threatens
vast ecosystems, important food sources, and endangered species, we
must realize that God’s covenant is not enough to save us. The
iridescent colors reflected off an oil slick are like a twisted and
distorted rainbow. They remind us that we have reached a point where
we can undo God’s rainbow covenant at the expense or our own lives and
the lives of other creatures.

[Editor's Note; This twisted oil-slick version of the rainbow reminds me: in the early days of The Shalom Center, when we were focused on the dangers of the nuclear arms race, we urged that 27 Iyyar, Yom HaKeshet, Rainbow Sign Day, be observed as a day of commitment to end the nuclear danger. We pointed out that observers of some H-Bomb tests reported that the mushroom cloud was filled with eerie beauty — sparks of every color of the rainbow. The Rainbow shattered. As ancient rabbinic midrash warns and a Southern black spiritual sings: "God gave Noah the Rainbow Sign: No more water, the Fire next time." Whether the Fire is nuclear holocaust or global climate scorching, it is a shattered, twisted version of the Rainbow Sign that appears to us. Or rather, that we ourselves invent, de-creating God's creation, shattering God's promise.– Rabbi Arthur Waskow, ed.]

These are the worst of times, because the threat is that close and
that enormous. And these are the best of times, because we can wake up
to our potential for love and righteousness and create a sustainable
world, a world that reflects the rainbow covenant as it was meant to
be: a promise to honor and cherish all beings, as God does, and so to
act in God’s image.

Then, to quote a medieval prayer (from Pri Eitz Hadar), may we be
privileged to see “the whole return to its original strength…and to
see the rainbow, joyful and beautified with his colors.” Yashuv hakol
l’eitano ha rishon, v’niratah hakeshet, sas umitpa’er b’govanin.

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow | 9/8/2001

• Noah

• Earth

• Festivals, Life-cycle, & Climate crisis

Rabbi Arthur Waskow

Haftarah for the Rainbow Covenant

[Blessed are You, the Breath of Life, Who makes of every human throat a shofar for the breathing of Your truth.]

You, My people, burnt in fire,
still staring blinded
by the flame and smoke
that rose from Auschwitz and from Hiroshima;

You, My people,
Battered by the earthquakes
of a planet in convulsion;

You, My people,
Drowning in the flood of words and images
That beckon you to eat and eat,
to drink and drink,
to fill and overfill
your bellies
at the tables of
the gods of wealth and power;

You, My people,
Drowning in the flood of words and images
That — poured unceasing on your eyes and ears –
drown out My words of Torah,
My visions of the earth made whole;

Be comforted:

I have for you a mission full of joy.
I call you to a task of celebration.

I call you to make from fire not an all-consuming blaze
But the light in which all beings see each other fully.
All different,
All bearing One Spark.
I call you to light a flame to see more clearly
That the earth and all who live as part of it
Are not for burning:
A flame to see
The rainbow
in the many-colored faces
of all life.

I call you:
I, the Breath of Life,
Within you and beyond,
Among you and beyond,
That One Who breathes from redwood into grizzly,
That One Who breathes from human into swampgrass,
That One Who breathes the great pulsations of the galaxies.
In every breath you breathe Me,
In every breath I breathe you.

I call you –
In every croak of every frog I call you,
In every rustle of each leaf,
each life,
I call you,
In the wailings of the wounded earth
I call you.

I call you to a peoplehood renewed:
I call you to reweave the fabric of your folk
and so to join in healing
the weave of life upon your planet.
I call you to a journey of seven generations.

For seven generations past,
the earth has not been able to make Shabbos.
And so in your own generation
You tremble on the verge of Flood.
Your air is filled with poison.
The rain, the seas, with poison.
The earth hides arsenals of poisonous fire,
Seeds of light surcharged with fatal darkness.
The ice is melting,
The seas are rising,
The air is dark with smoke and rising heat.

And so — I call you to carry to all peoples
the teaching that for seven generations
the earth and all her earthlings learn to rest.
I call you once again
To speak for Me,
To speak for Me because I have no voice,
To speak the Name of the One who has no Name,
To speak for all the Voiceless of the planet.

Who speaks for the redwood and the rock,
the lion and the beetle?

My Breath I blow through you into a voicing:
Speak for the redwood and the rock,
the lion and the beetle.

I call you to a task of joy:
For seven generations,
this is what I call for you to do:

To make once more the seasons of your joy
into celebrations of the seasons of the earth;
To welcome with your candles the dark of moon and sun,
To bless with careful chewing
the fruits of every tree
For when you meet to bless
the rising juice of life
in every tree trunk –
I am the Tree of Life.

To live seven days in the open, windy huts,
And call out truth to all who live beside you –
You are part of the weave and breath of life,
You cannot make walls to wall it out.

I call you to a covenant between the generations:
That when you gather for a blessing of your children
as they take on the tasks of new tomorrows,
You say to them, they say to you,
That you are all My prophet
Come to turn the hearts of parents
and of children toward each other,
Lest my earth be smashed in utter desolation.

I call you
To eat what
I
call
kosher:
Food that springs from an earth you do not poison,
Oil that flows from an earth you do not drain,
Paper that comes from an earth you do not slash,
Air that comes from an earth you do not choke.

I call you to speak
to all the peoples,
all the rulers.

I call you to walk forth before all nations,
to pour out water that is free of poison
and call them all to clean and clarify the rains of winter.

I call you to beat your willows on the earth
and shout its healing to all peoples.

I call on you to call on all the peoples
to cleanse My Breath, My air,
from all the gases
that turn My earth into a furnace.

I call you to light the colors of the Rainbow,
To raise once more before all eyes
That banner of the covenant between Me,
and all the children of Noah and Naamah,
and all that lives and breathes upon the Earth –
So that
never again,
all the days of the earth, shall
sowing and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
ever cease!

I call you to love the Breath of Life –
For love is the fire
That blazes in the Rainbow.

[Blessed are You, the Breath of Life, Who makes of every human throat a shofar for the breathing of Your truth.]

Rabbi Arthur Waskow
Director, The Shalom Center

_________________________
Copyright (c) 1995 by Rabbi Arthur Waskow. See also Godwrestling, Round Two: Ancient Wisdom, Future Paths(Jewish Lights, December 1995; available from The Shalom Center's "Shouk shalom" bookstore here. ).

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow | 9/19/2003

• Noah

• Earth

• Festivals, Life-cycle, & Climate crisis

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 9/19/2003

Download the four-page study guide on Eden, the flood, and the Shmitah cycle here. You'll find meticulous translations from Torah combined with commentary to help you discover connections between the tragic history of humanity before Abraham found in Genesis, and the Torah's ultimate plan to rectify that tragedy. These passages from Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus help answer the question of why we have a covenant–perhaps the most important answer one could give for our time, when life as we know it may be threatened by global climate disruption.

The fundamental understanding that these texts and study sheets drive at is this: the goal and purpose of the Torah covenant, for society as a whole, is that the Israelites will observe the Shmitah (Sabbatical) year, and that in doing so, they will repair the relationship with the Earth that was destroyed in the generations leading up to the flood. Essentially, the covenant with Abraham is meant to take one people and one land, and put them in a right relationship with each other, in order to create a model for how humanity should live. That model is found in the observance of Shmitah and the Jubilee.

The importance of Shmitah is emphasized by the fact that according to Leviticus 26, if God has to choose between taking care of the people and taking care of the land, God will choose the land over the people. The land is not ‘promised’ to the Israelites except conditionally, based on whether they respect the land’s rights and do justice for her and through her. This is why, according to the rabbis as well as the author of Chronicles, neglect of the Shmitah year leads to exile.

The Shmitah texts teach us not just about Biblical Israel, but also about resolving our environmental crisis now, and about creating peace in the holy land. Check out Leopold's "The Land Ethic" (on this site) to see how closely Shmitah corresponds to modern ecological ideas about how we need to live.

These study sheets are based on more than two decades of teaching all over the world, and discussions among hundreds of students, refined and with an introduction to make them usable by you. They highlight connections between the story of the garden of Eden and the observance of the Shmitah, and are supplemented by commentary that will help you make new connections. Prepare these texts in chevruta (paired study partners) or in a study group. (If you've finished working through the material, you can also use the abridged version called tamtzit3 found here to teach other people, but please study the long version with commentary first.)

Please let me know about your insights. Contact me at rebduvid86 at gmail.com, or through neohasid.org, where you can learn more ecoTorah and sign up for our list.

Rabbi David Seidenberg