Judaism’s ecological imperative is a delicate balance between “mastering and subduing” nature (Bereshit 1), and “serving and protecting” it (Bereshit 2). So we have Jewish laws that prohibit needless waste, the destruction of species, and the despoliation and overexploitation of the environment. The general principle is that we must see ourselves as the guardians of the world, for the sake of future generations.

A Letter in the Scroll, 165

Though we must exercise caution when reading twenty-first-century issues into ancient texts, there seems little doubt that much biblical legislation is concerned with what we would call nowadays “sustainability.” This is particularly true of the three great commands ordaining periodic rest: the Sabbath (Shabbat), the Sabbatical year (Shemitta), and the Jubilee year (Yovel). On the Sabbath, all agricultural work is forbidden, “so that your ox and your donkey may rest” (Shemot 23:12). It is a day that sets limits to our intervention in nature and the pursuit of economic activity. We become conscious of being creations, not creators. The earth is not ours but God’s. For six days it is handed over to us, but on the seventh day we symbolically abdicate that power. We may perform no “work,” which is to say, avoiding actions that alter the state of something for human purposes. Shabbat is a weekly reminder of the integrity of nature and the boundaries of human striving.

The Dignity of Difference, 167

Shabbat reminds us that the universe is a creation – meaning that ultimately it belongs to God and we are merely its guardians. Adam was placed in the Garden to “serve and protect it,” and so are we. One day in seven we must renounce our mastery over nature and the animals, and see the earth not as something to be manipulated and exploited, but as a thing of independent dignity and beauty. Our world is entitled to its rest and protection. More powerfully than any tutorial or documentary, Shabbat makes us aware of the limits of human striving. To put it another way, Shabbat is a day of ecological consciousness.

Faith in the Future, 136

❖ Points to Ponder

1. How do we find the balance between “mastering and subduing” nature (Bereshit 1), and “serving and protecting” it (Bereshit 2)?

2. How do the mitzvot of Shabbat,Shemitta, andYovelhelp to protect the environment?

3. How can we internalise the inherent ecological message of Shabbat, so that we observe this throughout the week too?