Judaism Discussion Questions: February 13^th, 2006 - Aaron Luoma

Take note that these questions are merely prompts for discussion and do not represent the exact format for our discussion on Monday. I am also by no means a Judaic scholar; please feel free to always correct anything I may say in my understanding and interpretation of our readings.

Do you think this passage in any way contradicts itself concerning environmental sensitivity? (Compare 1:26-29 to 2:15 for instance).

How might the Christian view differ or be similar to the Jewish view of Creation as recorded in Genesis?

Considering that the translation of the words of this text have been disputed by scholars on their exact meaning, what do you think should be done about the problems of translation and interpretation?

Is Genesis 1-3 by itself, enough to provide an environmental ethic that is consistent with the entire Hebrew and/or Christian Bibles?

Do you think the passage that tells man was created from the dust of the ground is significant? (2:7)

Neusner (1-54, 98-123)

How do the Judaic concepts of ‘community’ aid or detract from ‘Israel’ being more environmentally sensitive?

There seems to be more of an emphasis on the community that is Israel than the individual Israelite, does this pose a problem for environmental ethics?

How do the concepts of the Jewish calendar support environmental awareness?

The story of the wandering in the wilderness for 40 years is an important part of Judaism. How do followers of Judaism, and their traditions involving ‘hut making’ for the ‘wilderness experience’ perceive the concept of wilderness?

How does Neusner use of the categories of "time" and "eternity" and how might these relate to environmental issues?

Neusner often refers to a Jewish "master narrative" or a Torah story in the chapters we read. What are the important elements of this master narrative or story that defines the community and its members? What are some examples of how this works? ---This might help in seeing how references to the Bible might lead to environmental practices today.

Why does Neusner focus so much on how the "then and there" and related to the "here and now" both in terms of holidays, life-cycle events, and everyday practices?

What are some of the parts of Judaism that support or do not support an environmental ethic that would be accepted by modern environmentalists? Or in relation to what we have previously read such as Leopold/Naess and White/Whitney.

Yaffe (86-104) ~Jeanne Kay

Is there a need to examine the entire Bible (or the just the Hebrew Bible being just the Old Testament) for further understanding concerning environmental sensitivity? Pg. 89

Should we pay more attention to the specific translations of scripture or even single words for a better understanding? The author seems to feel like past attempts at translation have been meager at best or simply wrong.

With regarding plants and animals, do you think the writers of these scriptures were serious about their analogies and emotions that they imparted to the plants and animals, or do you think it is merely a matter of literary style?

Is it appropriate to say that the Hebrew Bible supports man’s complete dominion over nature? (We may be able to chop down trees, but can we really stop hurricanes?)

Do you think that perhaps those who previously have been critical (or accepting) of Judaism (and Christianity) are those who are seeking their answers in the Bible, rather than searching for objective answers?

If the entirety of the Hebrew Bible took place in say, the Willamette Valley (Oregon) or the Shenandoah Valley (Virginia), do you think the environmental ethics that are possibly present in the Hebrew Bible would be different?