Chapter 2

R+, oe oe oe

EcoLoGgy As A MITZVAH

Moshe Zemer

May an environmentalist claim that ecology is the oldest profes­sion in the world? One might reasonably argue that ecology was the first vocation recorded in the Torah :“The Lord God took the first man and placed him in the garden of Eden to cultivate and preserve it,” I'avdoh ul’shamroh(Gen. 2:15). Preservation is, indeed, a major task of the ecologist. This passage in Genesis presents a narrative rather than an imperative approach. No commandment is uttered, yet the verse has served as a guideline throughout the ages.

This essay will deal with three spheres in which the mitzvah character of ecology may be found:(1) The Interaction between Humanity and Nature.(2) Interpersonal Relations.(3) The Inner Environment.

Humankind and Nature When we observe the world of nature today, would we agree

with Voltaire that this is the best of all possible worlds?! We are

Notes for this section begin on page 32.