Posts Tagged ‘chanukah’
I’m dreaming of a green Chanukah
- Certain environmentalists want us to curtail our chanukah observances to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They have calculated an impressive environmental impact to be achieved by reducing our lighting by one candle each.
- Much of secular conservation theory is at variance with Jewish thought. In particular, the idea that human beings should restrict themselves to sustainable uses of the planet’s resources, so that we do nothing that would prevent the world from existing indefinitely, ignores the Jewish belief that the world is not intended to last for ever. The Talmud sees the world as intended as a relatively short-term project intended to last no more than a few millenia – different precise lengths according to different rabbinic opinions.
- But we share with environmentalists the idea that while the world exists we should use it sensibly. In particular, we have a number of environmental laws, such as, for example, town planning restrictions designed to prevent one interest group from polluting the environment for another.
- To reduce our chanukah lighting by one candle per night would make no sense halachically. But it might make halachic sense to go much further than that. While there are different opinions about the optimal number of lights to be lit, everyone agrees that just one light per person per night would satisfy the basic halachic requirement. The Jewish world has opted to exceed this, as a hiddur mitzvah – a beautification of the mitzvah. But it is no beautification to upset others or to add to their ecological difficulties.
- It may be that the chemical global effect of the Jewish community resolving to return to the basic requirement of one light per person per night would be minimal, or even nugatory, as a reduction of emissions. But the spiritual effect could be explosive. It could demonstrate a real concern for our fellow human beings, and a real desire to do whatever we can to show sensitivity and a desire to avoid causing offence or discomfort. As a practical exercise in loving our fellow human beings and showing respect for their concerns and desires, it could kindle an eternal spiritual light of which we could be truly proud.
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