Lech Lecha: Joining Together for Justice in the Land
Original author - Tuvia Aronson (Canfei Nesharim, December 2013), edited by the GrowTorah Summer Inchworms 2021
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In Parshat Lech Lecha, Avraham and Lot’s relationship proves incongruous with the land’s natural state. How does our behavior affect the land? What is our communal responsibility towards the land? What can we learn from Avraham about sustainability in this week’s parsha?
Avraham and Lot’s inability to coexist on one piece of land leaps out at us. “And the land was unable to bear them to live together, because their possessions were great and they could not sit together” (Bereisheit 13:6). In our era, when we strive to be conscious about conserving our resources, we can look to this text for guidance.
Rashi (France 1040-1105)[1] interprets the verse to mean that the land was simply unable to provide sufficient pasture for all the cattle and sheep involved. It is as if there is missing information intended to be inserted in the verse: “And the [pasture of the] land could not bear them.”
An alternative approach is explained by Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch (Germany 1808-1888) and the Netziv (Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin -Russia 1817-1893).[2] It was not because they had too many herds or because there was not sufficient pastureland for both of them. If it all had been combined into one herd, one household, the land would have been sufficient. It is only when two people cannot agree, that separate tents, boxes, and crates are needed for each of the two parties. Because of their disparate personalities and attitudes, they could not work together and had to needlessly double certain supplies.[3]
According to this approach, Avraham and Lot’s attitudes were incompatible; they could not cooperate, nor run their households jointly. The verse uses “yachdav” (together) twice, stressing their inability to work with one another. Interestingly, Targum Onkelos (Rome c. 35–120 CE) chooses to translate “yachdav” slightly differently - “as one,” connoting the need for interconnection that ultimately enables living in harmony with the land.[4] Jewish history stresses the need to make personal and societal decisions based on both environmental considerations (the approach quoted by Rashi) and social considerations (the approach quoted by Rav Hirsch).
Lot followed Avraham, but was not committed to the same moral path. When Avraham receives the command to immigrate to Canaan, the verse notes “Lot went with [et] him” (Bereisheit 12:4). Similarly, the next perek states that “Lot was going with [et] Avram'' (Bereisheit 13:5). Both times the word “et” is used as opposed to the word “im,” connoting a shared travel itinerary but perhaps nothing more.[5][6]
Viewing this story in its larger context further illuminates this issue. Avraham[7] was chosen to instruct his children, and the Jewish people, in the ways of tzedakah u’mishpat, righteousness and justice (Bereisheit 18:19)[8].
The Sages explain the seemingly extra words in the verse “and the Canaanites dwelled in the land” (Bereisheit 13:7) as referring to an ethical debate about allowing flocks to eat from the fields of the locals. Avraham’s commitment to justice was so strong that he detested living with Lot, who could rationalize this form of theft,[10] even from the most immoral of pagans.
Avraham’s mission was to elevate the material world and create an acceptable dwelling space for the Divine- a space of tzedakah and mishpat. This can only be done when we act with deep care and concern for the other. [11] Avraham’s care for his pastures is a classic case of hilkhot yishuv ha’aretz, the laws of settling the land of Israel[12]: one is not to tend to flocks in a way that damages the property of others.[13]
Avraham is decisive and resolute. He cannot make a treaty with Lot—he cannot share Eretz Yisrael with someone who condones theft and does not focus on the importance of other people. Unbalanced greed would later be a cause of the destruction of the Second Temple[14] and the subsequent exile from the land.[15]
The Beit HaMikdash in Yerushalayim was to be a space devoted to the confluence of bein adam l’makom (human-to-God relationship) and bein adam l’chaveiro (interpersonal relationship) values.[16] Avraham characterizes these values through his ethical treatment of others as well as in his devotion to Hashem. He could not jeopardize that quality through an alliance with Lot.[17]
In recent years we have seen the creation and growth of many Jewish environmental groups and programs. Many of these programs see the coupling of human cooperation with the environment as essential to their tasks. They teach that the way we treat each other influences our ability to live in an ecologically sustainable way.
Jewish environmental education programs stress achdut (togetherness).[18] Jewish community farming programs are flourishing,[19] and consumer-assisted farming[20] projects are enhancing Jewish life in ways that promote both communal unity and harmony with nature. Intentional Jewish ecological communities are gaining momentum. Concern for the environment crosses denominational and philosophical divides.[21]
Globally, environmental and human rights concerns have been increasingly linked in recent decades.[22] The international community is gaining awareness of the issues relating to how we treat each other and the world we live in. In May of 1994, a United Nations group of experts on human rights gathered in Geneva and drafted the first-ever declaration of principles on human rights and the environment. They proposed: “Human rights, an ecologically sound environment, sustainable development, and peace are interdependent and indivisible.”[23].
Despite this, the environmental situation, particularly in the land of Israel, desperately needs to progress faster. While efforts toward recycling and cleaning up the waters are making progress,[24] we have a great deal of work ahead of us, and we must unite in the effort. Jews worldwide need to be at the forefront of environmental and human rights concerns if we are to truly live in Avraham’s model of tzedakah u’mishpat.
In our generation, the Torah seems to be calling the Jewish people to return to our roots and show the world a model that Avraham would be proud of. The Haftarah for Lech Lecha comes from Isaiah and reflects the themes of “yachdav” (togetherness) and “tzedek” (justice) that we have discussed. It speaks of how we must not be hopeless in the face of impending degradation.
A more ideal way is expressed to give us hope. “Every human will help their friend, to their brother they will call out, ‘be strong’” (Isaiah 41:6). Working as one to take care of our precious resources is incredibly powerful. This is at the very core of our Jewish and environmental beliefs.
We must move towards living more harmoniously with the earth by living more in unity. Ultimately, this will help us grow even closer to Hashem.
This is the legacy of Avraham.
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Notes:
[1] Bereisheit 13:6 – quoting Bereisheit Rabbah 41. Ramba”n ( 1194-1270) and Rabbi Ovadia of S’forno ( 1470 – 1550) also explain the verse in this manner.
[2] Haamek Davar on 13:6
[3] Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch Commentary to Bereisheit 13:6 Judaic Press: Edited by Efraim Oratz, translated by Gertrude Hirschler. This idea has a precedent in Pesikta Rabati 83- see footnote #17 in Rav Menachem M. Kasher’s Torah Shleimah. See also Sifrei Ki Tezte 264 which sees conflict itself as the root cause of the separation. Also see Abravanel (1437-1508) who focuses on the Godly motives of Avram in contradistinction to Lot.
[4] Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra (12C) also translated yachdav as yachid– united, and not yachad– together.
[5] On Vayikra 19:13. Also see Vilna Gaon, Malbim, HaKtav VehaKabalah on Bilam going “imahem” or “itam.”
[6] Rabbi Eldad Zamir (Alei Etzion Volume 10 / Tishrei 5761) examines Lot ’s behavior in light of the model of his father who according to Midrash followed Avraham into the furnace out of selfish reasons rather than ideology.
[7] By this time his name had been changed. See Bereisheit 17:5.
[8] This is explicit in the text Bereisheit 18:19. Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks ZT”L explains in a lecture how this pasuk is the foundation of a Jewish response to the problem of evil: Judaism, Justice and Tragedy – Confronting the Problem of Evil – 6 November 2000, found here. Also, see Rabbi Menachem Leibtag on the contrast between Avraham and Sodom (where Lot chooses to reside) here.
[10] The Jewish approach to ethics and economics is explored by Dr. Meir Tamari in “With all your Possessions'' (Free Press, 1987). He quotes Malbim on Shemot 20, who states that refraining from theft is an expression of faith in the Divine source of wealth. Our understanding of Avraham’s piety is further strengthened by Bava Kama 23b, in which Abaye is sent by Rav Yosef to rebuke shepherds for letting their goats graze in his fields. Abaye responds that the shepherds will claim that Rav Yosef should have built a fence if he wanted to protect his fields. There are authorities who uphold Abaye’s argument as halacha (see Rach, Bava Kama ibid). Although Lot has a halachically plausible argument, Avraham cannot tolerate even the dust of theft.
[11] Rav David Zeller z.l. illustrates this beautifully in “The Soul of the Story” (Jewish Lights, 2006). Please see the story of his meeting with Nakazono Sensei, a Shinto Priest.
[12] See: Mishna Tamid 2:3; Bava Kama, 79b and Rashi; Rambam, “Laws of Things Banned from the Altar,” Mishneh Torah, 7:3; Encyclopedia Talmudit 2:225-26. Note that the Tur uses the term yishuv ha-o’lam (settlement of the world) instead of yishuv ha-aretz (settling the Land of Israel ), extending the halacha of balancing financial concerns with environmental and social factors to all lands. Jonathan Helfand in Judaism and Environmental Ethics (pgs. 38 – 52), quotes Rav Yaakov of Emden who applied the concept of yishuv ha-aretz.
[13] For modern relevance of this halacha, see Har Zvi of Rav Zvi Pesach Frank and Rav Kook as quoted in the Birur Halakhah Gemara.
[14] Talmud Yerushalmi, Yoma, 1:1
[15] Semag, Rabbi Moshe of Coucy (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, Hilkhot Hashavat Aveidah) explains that the present exile continues so long only because of our unethical business practices (Quoted by Dr. Meir Tamari). Similarly in Bamidbar Rabba (22:7) we find: “The sons of Gad and Reuven were rich and had large flocks. They loved their money and lived outside the Holy Land and therefore they were exiled before all the other tribes…What was the cause of this? They separated themselves from their brothers because of their possessions.” For a deeper analysis of this connection between Lot and the churban see: Tish’ah b’Av and the Children of Lot By Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom.
[16] For a Hasidic (Breslov) approach to the Avot and the Temple as paradigms of global balance, please see Rav Avraham Greenbaum.
[17] In fact, the very next text (13:14) proves this point- the Torah stresses that the Divine promise of the Land as a gift to Avraham and his children came only after Lot had left.
[18] Shomrai Adamah and The Teva Learning Center have been at the forefront of this movement. The Teva Earth Education model has been articulated by Adam Berman, Nili Simhai, and Noam Dolgin. Groups include: Arava Institute on Kibutz Ketura, Derech HaTeva of SPNI, Hava VeAdam near Modiin, Shomera in the Jerusalem forest, the Yeshiva Tichonit Sevivatit in Mitzpe Ramon, The Eco Beit Midrash at Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo, et al.
[19] ADAMAH, Alexandra Kuperman, Farmer D, et al.
[20] Hazon, Hava VeAdam, Torat Hateva, et al.
[21] COEJL, Canfei Nesharim, et al.
[22] E.g.: The poorest human populations will be hardest hit by global climate crisis. A very poignant description of one such scenario was reported in National Geographic’s February 2007 issue by Tom O’Neill. “Oil fouls everything …. It spills from the pipelines, poisoning soil and water. It stains the hands of politicians and generals, who siphon off its profits. It taints the ambitions of the young, who will try anything to scoop up a share of the liquid riches—fire a gun, sabotage a pipeline, kidnap a foreigner.”
[23] Draft Principles On Human Rights And The Environment, E/CN.4/Sub.2/1994/9, Annex I (1994). Part I, section 1 – i.e. the very first point in their declaration (after the preamble)
[24] Thanks to efforts by Adam Teva VaDin, Zalul, Megama Yeruka, Atid Yarok among many others.
