What do jews think about stewardship

Another Midrash makes clear that part of human righteousness involves being stewards of the earth. See how beautiful they are — how excellent! For your sake I created them all. See to it that you do not spoil and destroy My world; for if you do, there will be no one else to repair it. If humans do not merit, then not only will they not dominate the fish, which are harder to catch, but also the birds and animals, which are easier.

When human mastery grows such that we seriously deplete the numbers of a particular fish, our continued access to this fish quickly diminishes. It also refers to a duty to take care of the environment. One of the ways Jews try to heal the world is the sabbatical year.

According to the Bible, every seven years, the land should be allowed to lie fallow , so that the natural ingredients in the soil can be replenished and better harvests can be expected in the future. The Jewish Declaration on Nature at Assisi in makes the following important points:. How now as Reform Jews, do we continue this commitment to tikkun olam from a point of reference that is rooted in Judaism?

These are modern terms that have risen out of our separation from the natural world. Ancient Israelites depended on nature for their natural livelihood; rain and crops determined their fate, and nature was an integral part of their lives. In a culture where the wisdom and the force of nature were experienced each day, terms like environment and nature have almost no meaning.

In modern Israel too there is a pressing need to understand the importance and urgency of looking after the environment and how that can have an immediate benefit to the individual too.

The link between environment and economy has not been previously discussed in Israel and in this respect the campaign is innovative. We will deal with the following subjects: saving paper, responsible food purchasing, green driving, saving electricity, and more.

Looking after the world then is simply and maybe literally about going back to our roots and that the stewardship of the planet is clearly something that needs to be part and parcel of our everyday lives. So what does Judaism say about protection of the world, the stewardship of nature?

Share This. If you have any questions or queries, please don't hesitate to contact us. The words of the Psalmist echo the wonder and humility that the primordial couple must have felt as they beheld the splendor of creation: When I consider your heavens,. Grappling with the challenging notion of humans as divinely-ordained owners and subduers of the earth, we come face to face with the fundamental questions of our place in the universe and our responsibility for it.

A literal interpretation suggests a world in which people cut down forests, slaughter animals, and dump waste into the seas at their leisure, much like we see in our world today. Genesis chapter 1 is only one side of the complex biblical equation. It is balanced by the narrative of Genesis chapter 2, which features a second Creation narrative that focuses on humans and their place in the Garden of Eden. The two Hebrew verbs used here are significant.

This guardian must exercise vigilance while protecting, and is personally liable for losses that occur through negligence. As guardians of the earth, we are duty-bound to respect its integrity.

Who would God consult in the process of creating humans?