You remember Noah. Hollywood remembered him recently, too, in yet another adaptation of a great Biblical story. I think Torah got it right the first time. The story is so familiar to us because we began to read it as children. It was then that we learned how God saved all the creatures from a destructive flood after concluding that the world was a rotten place. And, yet, God promised never to destroy the earth again by flood. The sign of that promise was the rainbow. Today, we’re still in awe of the beautiful colors that arc over the earth on a sunny day after a rain shower.
A remarkable thing about Torah is how succinctly it said God would not destroy the world by flood waters ever again. That’s a comfort. However, we must be mindful of the fact that God only made the promise about water. What about the means God gave us to destroy the earth by our own devices? We’re so smart we’ve brought about an age of global warming all by ourselves.
The issues of ecology have been around a long time. Judaism is rife with examples and lessons about how to tend to the world around us. Consider the obligation to keep the Sabbath. Our bodies need rest. Emotionally and physically, alike, our bodies cannot be at a constant fevered pitch. Eventually, like all things in nature, we wear out and fail to be at our best. The Torah describes a Sabbatical year for the land. In the seventh year, the fields were not to be planted so that the earth could rest. Only that which grew naturally could be gathered to eat. Our ancient ancestors knew that if the land were over-worked it would fail to provide nutrients necessary for a healthy crop.
For nature and for human begins, the Sabbath is just one way Torah and Judaism recognize the delicate balance we must observe in order to thrive on earth. Without balance, we are in danger of slipping towards events that could threaten our way of life. If we’re honest about it, we know that some events have already begun. Icebergs in the north are receding; water levels are rising; and, weather patterns are changing. Documentaries have been made to demonstrate the serious nature of the problem and the real steps we can take to live more “green” and to leave something healthy and enduring for the future. The documentaries aren’t as fun as Hollywood versions of such global catastrophes, but we’re not juveniles. We don’t need to be coddled into thinking that God’s promise, like the rainbow in the sky, will be enough to save us from global warming. Surely, we’re modern and reasoned, too; we accept that our faith in God includes God’s faith in us. At our best, we’re partners with God in repairing the brokenness in the world. Reform Judaism has highlighted “tikkun olam,” the repair of the world, as an essential Jewish value for all people to observe. It’s truer today than ever before.
If a rainbow symbolized God’s promise to us that God would never destroy the world again by water; then clean rivers and lakes, clear air in our cities, and less dependence on fossil fuels can be our promise to God that the world won’t be destroyed by our hands. “Think Green” is the latest ad campaign in a long line of campaigns that began in Torah. “Remember the Sabbath day…that you may long endure on the earth that the Lord your God is giving you.” Catchy, isn’t it?
From my desk to yours, Shabbat Shalom.
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