Download The five books of the Torah

The Scout Law exemplifies biblical teachings. Indeed, scouting and religious values
are very similar.
Scouting Values
are Jewish
Values
Frequently, we recite the Outdoor Code: “As an American I will do my best to - Be
clean in my outdoor manners. Be careful with fire. Be considerate in the outdoors.
Be conservation-minded”. Interestingly, Jewish law says a lot about nature and
conservation and is in fact very consistent with Scouting’s values. As many of you
know, the major source of Jewish law is the Torah - the first five books of the Bible
which are on the Torah scrolls in the Ark. Our tradition teaches that the Torah was
given to Moses by God at Mt. Sinai 3300 years ago. But the Torah is difficult to
understand, so beginning about 2000 years and for over 500 years the greatest
Jewish sages wrote a detailed interpretation of the Torah to instruct people how to
live. That interpretation is known as the Talmud.
So what do the Torah and the Talmud tell us about conservation and nature? A lot.
Here are just three examples. Jewish law teaches us the principle of bal tashit, a
Hebrew term meaning "do not destroy." This biblical teaching instructs us to respect
nature, a Biblical example being to avoid cutting down trees - even during war. Later
interpretations of bal tashit instruct us to preserve all in nature – to respect and
protect the environment, including animal life. Contemporary interpretations of bal
tashit teach us to conserve and recycle natural resources including wood and water.
Jewish law teaches us that we are ethically responsible for any destruction of natural
resources, whether contributing to it directly or indirectly.
What about water pollution? Water is indispensable to the continuation of life. Yet
today, water supplies throughout the world are both threatened and threatening
(such as with acid rain). Water is so valuable that over the centuries the rabbis
instituted several laws to safeguard it from pollution. It is no coincidence that today
Israel is a pioneer in water conservation and reuse. Between 1989 and 1991,
Jerusalem achieved a 14 percent drop in per capita water use through "water-saving
devices, leak detection and repair and more efficient irrigation of parks."
How about animal rights and general respect for nature? Respecting nature is
demanded in Jewish law. Even flies, fleas, and mosquitoes are included in the
creation of the world. Although we might not appreciate the need for certain animals
– and some may even bother us – the Talmud declares that God created nothing
without a purpose. The manner in which animals are slaughtered for kosher meat is
based on preventing cruelty to the animals.
Discussing just these three environmental issues in light of Jewish thought and law
illustrates that traditional Judaism includes a concern for the environment and the
instruction necessary to inspire us to live in an environmentally conscious manner.
The parallels between Jewish law and the modern environmental movement are
remarkable.
Our Jewish tradition teaches that the environment, like man, has certain unalienable
rights, and these rights are endowed to it by the Creator. As a result they may not be
summarily dismissed or violated. The writer Jeremy Cohen said that responsible
interaction with the environment offers us the deepest personal and spiritual
fulfillment, while environmental irresponsibility will lead to our physical and spiritual
demise.
Scouting teaches values as do our synagogues and temples. It is no surprise that
many of these universal values address how we relate to nature. The values of our
Scout Oath and Law and our Outdoor Code can help to guide us on how to live well
and in a spiritually correct manner.
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