Shomrei Adamah: Keep the land that I give you
Speak to the earth and it will teach you.” Job :12
“You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell.” Numbers 35:33
The Torah is a rich repository of environmental teaching, reminding us of our God-given responsibility to respect, protect and preserve the land with tenderness and loving care. In the creation story, the cosmos is a vision of harmony, a garden in which all God’s creatures have their place. God says to Adam,” Look at My works, how beautiful and praiseworthy they are…and it was for you that I created it. Pay attention that you do not corrupt and destroy my world…there is no one to repair it after you (Kohelet Rabba 7:13).”
Maimonides, the foremost intellectual figure of medieval Judaism, cautions that man is held responsible to remediate any damage caused by his abuse of the land. This, to Maimonides, is an immoral act. In Guide to the Perplexed, he admonishes us to “be cautious and take care not to cause damage (3:40).”
At the core of the tradition is the concept of “tzedek,” meaning justice. Maimonides warns that we must seek to actively protect our environment, or we will continually struggle with hunger, destitution, and displacement.
The artists exhibited reflect the Judaic environmental vision. We are excited to introduce work by Donna Bassin, Kristian Battell, Susan Evans Grove, Allison Green, Yvette Lucas, Donna Moran, Roberta Reynolds, Joanne Ross, Alexandra Schoenberg, and Tricia Zimic. Using a wide range of media from photography, painting, collage and printmaking, they see nature as “living artwork.” Their creative efforts send a strong message that we must preserve the beauty of our planet and actively work to improve its health and maintain its viability. Protecting the environment is not only just, but an existential responsibility.
