Tree “Hugging” Is Biblical

Nathan “loving” on a giant black cottonwood tree along the Willamette River

Deuteronomy 20:19, Do not destroy its trees. In its commentary on this passage, A Torah Commentary For Our Times states, “While the commandment deals specifically with cutting down trees during a siege, Jewish interpreters extend it to cover all forms of wasteful destruction under the principle of bal tashchit, or ‘do not destroy’ … [all w]asteful destruction is condemned. ‘Anyone who deliberately breaks dishes, tears clothing, wrecks a building, clogs up a fountain, or wastes food violates the law of bal tashchit’” (various rabbinical sources are cite vol. 3, p. 143). 

In Genesis 2:15, Elohim (God) commissioned Adam and Eve to “tend/dress and keep the garden.” The word tend literally means “to serve, work, dress, labor”in the sense of a servant or stewardThe word keep means “to observe, guard, watch over, or preserve.” This was one of Elohim’s first Torah-commands to humans—to take care of or nurture the planet. Gardening is the oldest and noblest profession and was given to man by Elohim. Caring for trees and plants is a major aspect of this.

Do you view yourself as a steward with a divine mandate to help preserve, watch over, and guard all that YHVH has given you responsibility over including your body, your marriage, your children, your gifts and talents, your car, your job, your home and garden and everything else in your life? Do you view doing this as a good witness to those around you, as leaving a legacy for future generations, and as glorifying your Father in heaven?

1 thought on “Tree “Hugging” Is Biblical

  1. Timothy Yocom

    1 Corinthians 4:1 better to be a steward of the mysteries of God. Everything is going to be destroyed on the day of the Lord . 2 peter 3:10
    We are very near that day, as the Sun (Christ) is now darkened Matthew 24:29. There will be no future generations of non elect humans.

    Reply

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