A Torah view of ecology and the environment


Judaism has a lot to say about taking care of the environment. The natural world is intimately intertwined with Jewish life -- every day of the year, and on certain Jewish holidays in particular. It's not a stretch to draw connections between our tradition and a sense of ecological awareness and responsibility; in fact, it's perfectly natural.

One would be hard-pressed, instead, to separate matters of ecology and environment from Jewish life. Many mitzvot make use of things from nature -- in essence, elevating these objects to a higher purpose, the purpose for which they were actually created. (It's important to note here that while we are permitted -- even commanded -- to make use of the natural world and everything in it for a holy purpose, we are not allowed to exploit natural resources or to disregard their innate sanctity by abusing them.)

Stories of Chassidic masters often tell of the extreme care they would take to avoid harming even an ant, or a leaf. The more connected one is with G-d, the more one sees the hand of G-d in everything that exists... and the more respect one naturally has with even the tiniest of creations.

Judaism helps us develop an awareness of the absolute holiness of the natural world -- a world of miraculous design, in which every single atom is charged with divine energy. And living with children helps us open our eyes to the wonder of our natural environment, as we grow along with them and try to understand how it is possible for trees, flowers, insects, animals, human beings, ecosystems, and solar systems to be so amazing, so intricate, and so beautiful.

In Natural Jewish Parenting you can read Jewish perspectives on environmental issues that are relevant for families. We also have a new column by the staff of Teva Learning Center in New York, called "Torah & Nature," in which a nugget of Jewish environmental wisdom is explored in each issue. Each column also presents a practical "Tikkun Tip," a concrete step that parents and children can take together to integrate Torah and nature in their own family life.



The links below will take you to articles about environmental issues from the pages of Natural Jewish Parenting magazine. Some articles are reprinted in full; others are excerpts. (If an article title is plain text and does not link to another page, then it is currently available only in print copies of NJP. Back issues are available at the NJP Shop. Click here to order back issues. NJP Shop will open in a new window.)

Over time, I will be making more articles available online. New articles will be added here after each new issue is published, and exclusive web-only content will also be added.

Articles are coming soon!