Introduction
paid for cleaner water and air or reduced levels of noise. The struggle between different economic groups is continuous and often quite bitter.
Human welfare is always at the core of the discussion, but the term has very different meanings for those who are well-off and those who are hungry. Shall food production, cheap transportation, and basic housing take priority over a declining infant mortality rate, longer life expectancy, and better medical care?
These questions have not been raised in a significant manner till the last half century. Some concerns were always expressed, but in a very limited and localized fashion. As major portions of the world remained unexplored, and relatively untouched by modern developments there was no need to deal with these issues till the latter part of the nineteenth century. Such questions are endless, and we know that the answers will determine the quality of life for future generations. As we seek answers, we naturally turn to our religious heritages. Each tradition has been asked the same questions by its adherents, and each faces somewhat the same predicament.
Judaism has been no different from the other world religions. Our tradition dealt with small segments of these issues, but they were secondary or even peripheral to earlier generations. Although there is some isolated appreciation of the natural world and concern for it in the mid rashic literature, the halakhic tradition has even less. As this latter tradition depends largely on questions asked, in other words on real-life situations rather than on speculation, little material is available as no one raised the issues or asked the questions.
This means that modern Judaism must build on a slim foundation of the few issues that have been raised and then look at the underlying principles to see what guidance may be given. This requires a major effort and new approaches. It may also require an entirely new and different outlook upon the natural world from what we followed in the past.
The essays in this volume seek to make a beginning in this direction. They wish to go beyond the hortatory rather vague approaches of others who have written about Judaism and the environment. We need an underlying philosophy and a halakhic approach that will develop into detailed guidance. Discussions
on these issues is vital as questions on these matters continue to be raised with increasing urgency.