Teaching #2: Bal Tashchit, Summoning the Will Not to Waste
Jewish tradition teaches us the great importance of respecting, protecting and preserving the world’s resources. This is both a practical and a spiritual challenge.
The commandment of Bal Tashchit– do not destroy or waste– has long been considered central to a Jewish environmental ethic. Indeed, Rabbi Norman Lamm understands it to be “the biblical norm which most directly addresses itself to the ecological situation.” What is the basis for the commandment not to waste?
We will explore what Bal Tashchit is and how it relates to our lives, focusing in particular on a special opportunity to observe Bal Tashchit in the area of food.
Learning Resources:
- Short Summary Article by Rabbi Yonatan Neril
- Longer Article for Deeper Study by Rabbi Yonatan Neril
- Study Guide with Hebrew-English Sources and Discussion Questions (PDF)
- View Video
Additional Resources Available for Download:
- For speakers: Speakers’ Notes for Giving a Talk (PDF)
- For groups: Bal Tashchit: How much do we waste? A great program outline from COEJL
- Adults and Children: Bal Tashchit and the Great Garbage Hunt (PDF) – reprinted with permission from Spirit in Nature
This resource is part of Canfei Nesharim’s Year of Jewish Learning on the Environment, in partnership with Jewcology.com, with support from the ROI Community, a community of young Jewish innovators founded by Lynn Schusterman, and the Shedlin Outreach Foundation.
Teaching #3: Tzaar Baalei Chaim: Compassion for All Creatures