Global Warming - An Introduction

 Should Torah Giants take up Global Warming?

By Rabbi Mordechai Z. Hecht

Elementary version

What is Global Warming you ask.

If you walk into a Torah study hall they will tell you Global Warming is similar to the fulfillment of a prophecy that in the Messianic Era the sun will be removed from it’s sheath and the sun will shine in it’s full strength[1].

But apparently the global warming the world is talking about has nothing to do with that rather what our very own past vice president of the Clinton administration brought to our attention and that is the Climate Change and Global warming caused by Carbon Monoxide and greenhouse gases. Since than the IPCC – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has put man on trial, by proposing that man is to blame.

The proposition that the globe is growing warmer is based on two simple apparently undisputed propositions. The first is that carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere. The second is that, there is apparently much more CO2 in the atmosphere then there used to be, supposedly caused by the increase in use of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil. What’s primary left to debate is “how strong that warming effect will be,” and what if anything we should do about it. 

Many scientists argue that the models used to deduce these hypothesis are indeed incomplete and even flawed. Sea banks have always risen and ice banks have melted before. In fact G-d promised never to destroy the world again by water.[2]

PLEAS E  NOTE

From a Torah perspective, we simply don’t have enough date over the past 5771 years to know how the warmth of the world fluctuates. This that world may in fact be getting warmer over the past century and a half so what. Science can’t explain that , science can’t explain alot of things like how fossils are formed...Its defiantely possible theta their is climate change, but no necessarly the way they make it sound.

THE DEBATE

Over the years we have we have heard all sides to the story, world leaders and scientists, climatologists and glaciologist have convened and reconvened at forums, symposiums conventions and summits from Kyoto Japan to Geneva Switzerland  to seek a solution to this apparent Climate-change crisis.

The question is: is the crisis real? After all the years of conversation and debate and billions of dollars directed towards research and development in this area this question can no longer be ignored?!

THE BIG QUESTION

The big question that still remains as well is why haven’t Torah giants taken up this issue or crisis?

Sure, we can say the Torah world was never a puppet to world of science and development or modernization; in fact we can make the argument that Torah has superseded and well anticipated modernization in the worlds of philosophy and psychology medicine and even earth & solar science. Clearly, open up any page of the Talmud and you will find deep discussion in medicine, science and mathematics. Open up the great books of philosophy and Kabbalah and Chassidism and you will find discussions of greatest depth exploring concepts - that philosophers & thinkers have only explored in recent decades and generations.

Some will even tell you that many of the world’s greatest philosophers were influenced by Torah and great Jewish thinkers as early as Talmudic times to as recent as Today ( and perhaps the vice versa is true as well).

So have we known about this two decades or even centuries ago and we don’t see the logic behind the big fuss everyone is making, or have we over slept and missed something here?

AN APPROACH

Surely, all that happens in the world is divine Providence and as the Baal Shem Tov[3] Teaches us even further everything a person sees and hears is meant to teach us a lesson. What is the lesson here and why aren’t the Torah Giants speaking up in this regard?

I can’t answer this question. Therefore I pose it! 

However, I have found some interesting Torah insights in this regard of which I would like to share with you but a few.

Indeed  the Torah is and has always been concerned with “waste” known in Torah terminology as “Baal Tashchis”[4].

Another basic precept in Torah is Kadesh Atzmicha B'mutar Lach[5].

In Chassidism and Kabbalah we find an elementary concept known as Hiskafya[6].  Literally translated as self control. A concept brought to the attention of Chassidic school children as early as elementary. A concept which explores needs verses wants and the value of eating what you need and not what you want as well as pretty much every aspect of life do you need it or do you want it. Creating a value in the child of Kol Maasecha Yiyu lshme Shaomayim – all your action shall be for the sake of heaven” - and an even greater level of B’chol Dirochecha Daeihu- all your ways shall be geared toward knowing Him”.

So, perhaps we can be Milamed zchus- offer benefit of the doubt to the Torah world and say that they have in fact been addressing this issue forever - and once again in recent times with the establishment of Chassidism.

NATURAL RESOURCES

As far as using natural resources clearly no one argues on that which Hakadosh Boruch hu – G-d, created. He equally gave us to use it, as Adam was Told “L’ovdoh Ul’shmorah: to use it and guard it. To “lead” the animals of land and sea.

To use it and to guard it. Guard it now there’s a good word for this conversation. Man was in fact given the responsibility to guard the world from destruction, as early as Adam and Noach and Avraham.

It’s perhaps the reason why the Torah commands us to feed our animals and even before ourselves[7]. and To treat all plany life with respect.

It’s perhaps for this reason the Torah commands us to have Ahavas Yisroel – to lover our neighbor regardless of who they are.

MORE MEAT

Some scientists argue that the larges cause of Carbon Monoxide is caused by animals , that produce methane gas and therefore we should eat less meat which would incur the need for less animals which would in turn lessen the methane gas output by animals.

This proposition would be absurd on two levels. First, on animals, as they were given the right to co-exist and propagate on earth as does man. And the jungles and forests of the world will forever procreate and produce all that they do as G-d desires. This that man may be super producing animals at a much greater rate to keep up with the human consumption and demand, one question would need to be asked what in fact is the meat being used for? If the meat is being used for Shabbos and Yom Tov and Simchos that the Torah requires meat, we must never even consider taking away the means for a mitzvah in the Torah. If, however it’s for some over indulgence than we already agreed the torah states Kadesh Atzmicha B’Mutar Lach and Hiskafya[8].

On a second level, we can’t really propose the animals are at fault and we should absolve our animal production because at any time Moshiach will come and animals will be needed for Korbonot-sacrfices  in the Beis Hamikdash- holy temple and their will be quite the need for animals for all of Klal yisrael[9].

And if climate change wipes out specie, surely many more will evolve from the melting ice reagions and it is nothing new that species have come and gone. 

MORE PEOPLE

Similarly there are groups that argue that population growth is a major cause of Global warming and we should stop having children because we are over population the earth and the globe can’t handle it. This may sound humorous to you but many scientists are of this opinion! In fact governments in the world have family size caps for this reason and many countries are genuinely concerned with over population for decades. And now they found a way to bring their global concern to the forefront[10].

WAKE UP

Maybe not only have the Torah giants addressed this issue but pretty much that’s what we’ve been addressing all this time with every teaching of the Torah - and the world - as with so many other things the Torah as has anticipated way before science and governments - just woke up now.

To that I have to say good morning world! And welcome to G-d’s creation. I invite you to partner up with a Torah scholar near you to learn about “Globalism”, “Population responsibility”, “Ecology”, “Safety and Security” and the general environemental responsibility we have and have always had to the world.

For more on this, or for an opportunity to experience this concept in full detail via presentation and power point , with hundreds of scientific and Judaic sources please email: [email protected]