And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. He sent out the raven, and it kept going and returning until the waters dried from upon the earth. Then he sent out the dove from him to see whether the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. (Genesis 8:6-8)
The Torah records that Noah was instructed to take two of every species, male and female, while of the “clean” animals, those that in the future would be fit for Temple sacrifice, he was commanded to take seven. According to the Midrash, upon returning to the ark, the raven rebuked Noah telling him that he had acted irresponsibly. Had the raven not returned for some reason, his species would have become extinct, as there would have been no male to mate with the single remaining female. This remarkable Midrash highlights Judaism’s long-standing concern with the environment.
Another important Midrash explicitly delineates humankind’s role as caretaker of the planet. When God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden he showed him all the beauty in nature and told him that he must be very careful to protect the Garden for if he acted rashly and destroyed it there would be no one to repair it for him (Kohelet Rabbah 7:24). In fact, the Torah explicitly states this: “And God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to work it and to guard it” (Genesis 2:15).
Although concern with the environment is a relatively new development in Western societies, it is incredible to realize how many sources in the Torah, Mishnah, Midrash, Talmud, and Jewish law speak of and actually codify concern for the environment. These discussions and laws stretching back thousands of years pertain to air, water, and noise pollution; the dangers inherent in and proper disposal of toxic matter; animal conservation; the prevention of pain, not to mention cruelty, to animals; overgrazing the land; tree preservation; allowing land to rejuvenate by lying fallow; water preservation; designating open areas around cities, and more. As in so many areas of modern life, the Torah is a shining light, offering both practical and philosophical wisdom. Concern with the environment is an ancient Jewish principle, one that needs to be applied and practiced now more than ever.
