Community Blog

          Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach! Tonight we celebrate Sukkot, our Jewish harvest festival. It is often a time for feeling connected to nature, as we celebrate outside and many people have a practice of decorating the sukkah exclusively with organic material, such as foodstuffs and other plants. Next week, as Sukkot gives way to Simchat Torah, the season officially changes according to our ancestors in the land of Israel and we change our prayer in the second blessing of the Amidah from “Morid hatal” (who causes dew to descend) to “Mashiv haruach uMorid hagashem” (who causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall).

          Prayer for rain was an important aspect of seasonal worship for our ancestors, especially in the desert. This simple line does not continue all year because if rain were to fall during the summer months, it would likely cause a flash flood. The essence of these two phrases that we swap out in each half of the year is a request that the correct amount of precipitation fall on the right areas of the earth at the right time of the year to sustain our ecology and allow our crops and herds to thrive.

          When we overuse the water of the earth and overtax our ecology, we risk rendering our seasonal prayers meaningless, to the point that continuing to say them might as well be a chilul HaShem, an insult to God. As I said last week on Yom Kippur, the prophet Isaiah is clear that praying and fasting on the Day of Atonement but continuing to oppress and exploit and commit all the same sins again the next day that we just atoned for is not a true fast or worship. Although these prayers for rain may be less awe-inspiring than the High Holy Day liturgy, and although the practice of celebrating Sukkot as American Reform Jews has diminished in importance, the same principle stands. Celebrating this harvest festival, claiming to appreciate the bounty of the earth as provided for us by God, acknowledging the change in seasons with a change in prayer, all while continue to waste water or support systems that perpetuate environmental racism, is like fasting on Yom Kippur while keeping your sweatshop open.

          It’s been ten years and more now, but a part of my undergrad studies was on water equity. I read and studied, and in some cases saw firsthand, the way certain populations are privileged over others when it comes to environmental health. We can see it in our own country in places like Flint, MI, which has struggled with lead in the water supply for 6 years. I read abut it in India and South America, where dams were built to supply better water access or water power to the cities, flooding tribal lands or depriving indigenous peoples of access to their own water in the process. I saw it in our Holy Land, where we know water irrigation is important and impressive, but it also is sometimes specifically rerouted away from Palestinian towns and into illegal civilian settlements in the West Bank, and run off from various industries across the county spoils the limited water supply of the Bedouin of the Negev.

          Here on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, we may not think about what it is like to live somewhere where water is scarce or polluted. We are fortunate to have pretty steady access to clean water and proper rainfall in its seasons. But we are all still responsible for one another, as our Torah tells us to care for the earth and everything that lives upon it (and every living thing requires water!). Global water use increased 6-fold during the 20^th century, more than twice the rate of population growth. More than half the world’s rivers are depleted of their water, and some of the water that’s left is terribly polluted. In the US, despite our plentiful water in some parts, over a third of all our rivers are impaired by pollution and some are even at risk of drying up or becoming damaged beyond repair.

          We can all contribute by reducing our water consumption, especially in things like long showers or leaving the water running while brushing your teeth. Check your home for leaky faucets or running toilets and try to get those repaired quickly. When the time comes to upgrade your appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers seek out specific water and energy efficient brands. We can also contribute by reducing our waste. Even things like recycling require a fair about of energy and water to clean/sanitize and refigure them. So, while it’s better than the trash, using refillable water bottles and opting for reusable Tupperware over baggies and such is better still.  Maimonides tells us that we are forbidden from being wasteful or destructive, and from stopping up a water source. These behaviors are in violation of the Jewish law of Bal Taschit, which comes from a verse in Deuteronomy saying, “You shall not destroy…”.

          At one time there was a special water-drawing ceremony associated with Sukkot. I know very few people who still practice it or who have even seen it done. I haven’t. But the Sukkot tractate of the Talmud says that those who have never participated have never known true joy. Our ancestors put so much into their need and desire for water. Not only is it the literal sustenance of all life, it also held great symbolism for life, joy, nourishment, hope, and the love and protection of God. To honor them, to honor this holiday, let us commit to a new year of ecological practices that protect the living waters of the Earth. May we never know true thirst, may our seasons turn and return in their time, and may we live together in harmony with all who dwell on Earth. Amen, Shabbat Shalom, and Chag Sameach.