In the Eco
Bible, Volume 1: An Ecological Commentary on Genesis and Exodus,
the lead editors and contributors, Rabbi Yonatan Neril and Rabbi Leo Dee, bring
us an ecological look at the first two books of the Bible. Published by The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, this unique edition includes “quotes from over 100 rabbis and other great
Jewish thinkers commenting on verses from the Hebrew Bible.”
As a Christian who believes God’s first command was for all peoples to take care of the earth and each part of creation, I eagerly welcomed this perspective and review copy, and I pray others will too. Why? As the Introduction says:
“We have disrupted the ecological balance of all God created on earth, and we owe it to God, to each other, and to all species to restore the balance…. Awareness of the Infinite opens us up to protecting the immediate – the very planet on which we live.”
The authors go on to say, “As a fundamental part of many people’s lives, religion can be a key motivator by shaping values.” Consider, for example, these three reasons stated in the book:
“First, religion can persuade people to consume in moderation as they find true satisfaction in spirituality, community, and family. Spiritual living should bring consciousness to our consumption.”
“Second, religious teachings help instill foresight and long-term thinking.”
“Finally, and perhaps more importantly, religion embodies hope.”
As the
commentary begins with Genesis 1:1, “Rabbi
Samson Raphael Hirsch makes the first verse in Genesis personal and proactive.
He writes that the words teach us ‘to think of the world as God’s world and
ourselves as creatures of God’.”
The “Sustainability and Spiritual Awareness” found in Genesis 1:3 reminds us that “…the sun was not created until the fourth day,” and “the light God created on the first day of creation was not a physical light but a spiritual one. Rabbi Sholom Berezovsky teaches that ‘without this holy light there is no merit in sustaining creation.’ Those who seek God perceive this spiritual light. The sustainability of creation therefore depends on the spiritual awareness of humanity.”
Packed with wisdom, insight, and helpful information, the book also offers “Suggested Action Items” to end each section with practical application. For instance, we might:
“Learn about the environmental challenges faced in your local community. Identify one place where you’d like to focus your attention on the health of the land.”
This action could be as extravagant as giving a generous gift to an environmentally-aware charity or as simple as picking up trash someone else tossed aside in your neighborhood, on the street, or anywhere litter occurs. As we’re reminded by Exodus 3:5 and the book’s subsequent comment on Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush:
“This passage tells us that land is holy, not just a land. In Genesis, God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth; therefore, all lands are touched by God.”
With thought-provoking
commentary on 450 verses of the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible), the
Eco Bible collects 3,500 years of Jewish wisdom on creation care, which, applied by us, ultimately shows our caring for ourselves, each other, and our LORD God.
©2021, Mary Harwell Sayler, poet-writer, reviewer
Eco Bible:
Volume 1, hardcover
Eco Bible: Volume 1, paperback
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