Some writers from early times onward questioned whether all of creation was made for the sake of human beings, using animals as examples. So Ecclesiastes Rabbah(6:11) asked how this could be so, as there were animals such as monkeys and porcupines that are of no use to human beings. Maimonides and other agreed.” This fundamental question should be further explored, especially as we turn to the issues of wild animals and their threatened extinction.
We should note that some biblical verses create a negative attitude toward various species:“And every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth is a detestable thing; it shall not be eaten... You shall not make yourself abominable with any swarming thing that swarms”(Lev. 11:29-43). However other animals have been viewed more positively, so ants(Prov. 6:6ff; Eruv . 100b) and honey bees(Ex. 3:8; Deut. 32:13; Jud. 14:8, etc.).
The Jewish tradition of helping the weakest of human society can also be used as we seek to protect the environment. The tradition that began with the Bible (Deut. 15:7; Amos 2:6ff; Is. 1:17, etc.) and was developed in great detail later;* it should now be extended to the animal world. There are countless species of animals and plants that are in danger of extinction and habitats that are sought for economic development. We have won the battle against nature in the last century and now it is time to follow a theology and halakhah that demands that we provide for the weakest in the world.
Conclusion
It is possible to create a body of halakhic material that will deal with the environment in a balanced manner, and we should do so. We need to provide Jewish guidance for the endeavor of protecting the natural world and achieving economic growth in the industrialized and the developing world. Eco-Judaism does not exist, but it can and should be developed. We should, however, realize that in this area, as in some others, the major traditions of the past have largely taken us in a different direction. The flexibility of Judaism , a hallmark throughout our history, which we as Liberal Jews continue to emphasize, enables us to explore and develop our tradition. As our understanding of the natural world expands, we will continue to change our human relationship to it.