JUDAISM - ee Flashcards
Explain stewardship (4)
- Jews believe God dwells within creation, therefore is sacred and they have a responsibility to care for it
- prayer during SS reminds them of their responsibility as stewards, Aleinu, ‘it is our duty to praise’
- the way Jews treat the environment is a reflection of the way they treat God
- as custodians of the environment they have a responsibility to preserve it for current and future generations
Give 2 quotes for Stewardship
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” – Genesis 2:21
“Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all the living creatures that move on earth.” - Genesis 1:27-28 (Torah)
What is Responsible Dominion and Bal Tashkhit
Dominion - care, responsibility/authority over
Bal Tashkhit - commandment saying do not kill or be wasteful
Explain exercising responsible dominion and Bal Tashkhit (3)
- one of the 10 commandments is do not kill, so in being bound to moral law, they cannot kill
- some interpret the law as meaning to be ruling and authoritative of the environment, but as Prophets have clarified, its their responsibility to care for it
- part of not killing is in their Kosher laws which promote the sustainable use of animal products, in these laws they are also forbidden to slaughter a cow and sheep on the same day meaning their consumption of meat and dairy must always be separate, this is to help conserve the environment and ensure they aren’t taking too much from it
Give 3 quotes for Responsible Dominion and Bal Tashkhit
If you destroy, if you ruin, at that moment you are not a human…As soon as you use them (natural resources) unwisely…you commit treachery against My world, you commit murder and robbery against My property, you sin against Me! – Horeb, Torah
‘Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.’ - Leviticus 22:8
‘you shall not murder’ – Exodus 20:13
What is Tzedek
Justice - good, right and just, purpose is to overcome inequity and ensuring that everyone has their basic rights to food, water, shelter etc. upheld
Explain Tzedek (3)
- Prophets such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel remind adherents of the just conduct of their ancestors and how they have a responsibility to continue this
- Jews believe that as God’s Chosen People they have a responsibility to model justice and influence other communities worldwide towards righteousness
- Self-interest is synonymous with ego, temptation and materialism which can benefit the individual but harms the collective hence it is the ‘least of people’ who are exploited and suffer - parasitism (a disposition of sustainability is necessary or the world’s resources will be depleted, species extinct and ecosystems disordered)
Give 2 quotes for Tzedek
“Who is rich? One who is happy with his portion.” (Pirkei Avot 4:1)
‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ - Micah 6:8
Eg for Stewardship
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) networks with Jewish leaders, institutions and individuals to advocate for better protection of the environment. E.g. In 2021 COEJL is working with another group, Tikkun Hayam, with a focus on marine conservation. Each year they plan a day of global water clean-up around the world, providing an opportunity for millions of Jews to take action and live out their responsibilities as stewards of God’s creation. This project is called ‘Reverse Tashlich’
Eg for Bal Tashkhit
Green Sabbath Project - provides adherents with practical and achievable ways to be more sustainable during Shabbat such as going vegetarian or vegan, plant trees, use a compost, it focuses on the idea of take action, embrace inaction. They strive to engage both the secular and non-secular sectors of society, encouraging individuals to try to be more environmentally focused for just 1 day/wk.
Eg for Tzedek
Jewish Climate Initiative - non-for-profit organisation that aims to help adherents fulfil their responsibility of Tikkun Olam, heavily involved in leading innovation, influencing policy and activism
Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins, a senior rabbi of Emanuel Synagogue is an ambassador and member of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change. He has made influential statements about Jews responsibility to ‘to serve the earth and to guard it’ such as recognising that the Adani mine is the antithesis of this call as it ‘only serves narrow economic and political interests, not those of the earth and its inhabitants’
