Yesterday (April 22) was Earth Day 2020. Participating in Hazon’sJubilee (50th) anniversary celebration with more than 900 (not just) Jewish Zoomers was an extraordinary experience. Inspirational words, music, prayer and poetry were shared in recognition that “L’Adonai ha’aretz u’mloah – The earth belongs to the Lord, and all it contains.” (Psalm 24:1). Ain’t that the truth! Enjoy the entire recording HERE.
Working with and protecting Mother Earth is the first Jewish value communicated in the Torah: “The Lord God took the human and placed him/her in the garden of Eden, l’ovdah u’l’shomrah - to till it and protect it” (Gen 2:15). We have done a great job of “tilling,” but been less than diligent about protecting and respecting God’s astounding, life-sustaining creation. It has been a steep downhill since the dawn of the industrial revolution, the invention of the automobile and the growth of commercial agriculture.
How fitting it may be, then, that this milestone birthday of Earth Day , an annual day of dedication that began in 1970 as a grass roots response to unrestrained automobile pollution (leaded gas) being emitted into the atmosphere, finds us at this watershed moment in history: The entire human race is confronting the perilous nature of an invisible virus that has already been responsible for the deaths of nearly 200,000 people world over and afflicted more than 2.5 million others.
We may have figured out how to destroy the grandeur of the glorious mountains, trees and animal life in pursuit of precious metals, gems and sources of energy, but we are stumped by the teeny tiny killers that live among us. It’s all tragic.
We learn in Leviticus 25 that every seven years the land is entitled to a Shabbat Shabbaton – a sabbath of complete rest from farming and pruning. After 7 x 7 years (49) “You shall sound the horn loud (on Yom Kippur) and you shall hallow the fiftieth year, proclaiming release throughout the land… That 50th year shall be a jubilee for you… each of you shall return to his holding… You shall not wrong one another, but fear your God, for I the Lord am Your God. (Leviticus 25:1-11). Said simply, Torah mandates that every fifty years, property that has exchanged hands since the previous Jubilee returns to its original owner, so, in essence, every purchase is really more like a lease.
That is the essential truth of all human life: Whatever we have amassed in our lifetime stays here when we transition to a state of eternal rest. That anyone could imagine we have the right to destroy this planet, leaving a decimated inheritance to future generations is beyond comprehension or reproach.
In Judaism, there is always hope to be found in words of Torah. Many people are using this forced COVID-19 Sabbath to recalibrate everything – how we travel, work, create, and consume. Since the world came to a nearly full stop 6 weeks ago (and in some countries months earlier), the earth has seen remarkable healing in a very short time. If we can make positive shifts in how we engage with Earth, treating her as a beloved partner rather than a servant that exists for our pleasure, this will elevate how we relate to fellow human beings, all living creatures and ourselves. It's a win win for everyone.
I hope and pray that this truly is a Jubilee for man and nature. The horn has been sounded. We must heed the call to resist human tendencies toward greed and lust for power. Let us all imagine what might be possible on Earth Day’s centennial, and start preparing for that blow-out celebration right now! START HERE.
Yours, in rejuvenation - Rabbi Marcia Tilchin
The Jewish Collaborative of Orange County innovates, supports and collaborates on community programming that enriches the landscape of OC Jewish life and encourages individuals, couples and families to connect their passions and purpose with Judaism.
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