The fact that God is Creator endows all of creation with an intrinsic significance and importance. The Talmud observes, “Of all that the Holy One Blessed be He created in Hs world, He created nothing in vain [superfluous].” Nothing in creation is useless or expendable, everything manifests some divine purpose. It follows, therefore, that there is a divine interest in maintaining the natural order of the universe. (Jonathan Helfand, “The Earth is the Lord’s: Judaism and Environmental Ethics,” in Religion and Environmental Crisis, Eugene Hargrove, ed., University of Georgia Press.)

The principle of Bal Tashchit (derived from Deuteronomy 20:19) prohibits the needless waste of anything, from food to fuel. Today, in light of the environmental crisis, using disposables, leaving lights on unnecessarily, over-utilisation of air-conditioning, or driving a car when it is not necessary might be considered a violation of the principle of Bal Tashchit. (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, “Caring for the Cycle of Life.”)

Shabbat: The day of rest

The weekly message of Shabbat rings with environmental import, if we but dare to understand it on its own terms. . . . With its incessant strictures against work, Shabbat reminds us of our earthly status as tenant and not overlord. To rest is to acknowledge our limitations.

One day out of seven we cease to exercise our power to tinker and transform. Willful inactivity is a statement of subservience to a power greater than our own. The design of Shabbat to rein in our lust for grandeur and gratification, then, addresses the environmental issue head on. . . . How salutary for the environment if one day a week we turned off the engines to walk rather than drive, to cultivate our inner lives, to relate to family and friends. How much cleaner the air is in Jerusalem on Shabbat! (Ismar Schorsch, “Tending to Our Cosmic Oasis.” )

The Jewish tradition teaches that humans exist for the purpose of sanctifying the world, for bringing holiness into it. The satisfaction of our needs sanctifies life when we avoid causing harm to people, other creatures, or the Earth in the process. Every moment and each act can become an opportunity for sanctification. Blessings call us to consciousness, remind us of the importance of having gratitude for every day, for every bit of nourishment, for every opportunity to mark the passages in our lives. Following from the principle that humans are temporary tenants on the Earth, not owners of it, blessings provide an opportunity for us to “ask permission” to use, benefit, and take pleasure from what we find in the world. (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, “Caring for the Cycle of Life.”)