Bal Tashchit: How to Turn an Ancient Law Into a Force for Earth’s Care

A virtual event presentation by Rabbi David SeidenbergAbout The Event:The law against wasting or destroying things, Bal Tashchit, is a torch held up by Jewish environmentalists to prove that Judaism cares about the Earth, but the law, as it is codified in halakhah (Jewish law), is that you can destroy anything if you can make a profit doing it. We will delve into the roots and interpretations of Bal Tashchit, including Rambam, Ramban, Sefer Chinukh, and others, to find the basis for fixing Bal Tashchit so that it can become a strong ethic that will actually stand up to destruction and help us protect the Earth.*Source Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pmYYQUNKSwOy3tZs6WEUDBkDKeRC0qS5/view?usp=share_linkAbout The Speaker:Rabbi David Seidenberg is the creator of neohasid.org and the author of Kabbalah and Ecology: God's Image in the More-Than-Human World. He teaches on Jewish thought, theology, and halakhah in relation to ecology, human rights, and animal rights. David is also known for his liturgical work and his translations of Eikhah (Lamentations). David has smikhah from the Jewish Theological Seminary and from Rabbi Zalman Shcahcter-Shalomi, and lives in Northampton, MA. ★ Support this podcast ★