(Image: Great Sand Dunes National Preserve)
- By Rabbi C. Edelstein, Rosh Yeshiva Outdoors
The rabbis of the Talmud interpret the prohibition of stealing as kidnapping people (literally, “stealing souls”), and that interpretation remains a main understanding. However, the Tur HaAruch, Rabbi Jacob Ben Asher (13th century) provides a meaning that is perhaps more relatable for the world we live in. He says, “One should be careful regarding the commandment ‘Don’t steal’ as stealing in this case means stealing the soul, which leads to bearing false witness and coveting, the command to ‘not covet’ and ‘not damage’ another is eternal, and it begins with action, such as stealing, and afterwards the mouth (false witness) and afterwards the heart (coveting).”
I have left this translation on the literal side as there are two ways of understanding R. Jacob: “it begins” could be speaking about the Torah and the way the commandments are listed; First stealing, then false witness, then coveting. This would be to teach that if you thought that even though you can’t steal, it’s ok to say bad things about someone. You are wrong! Even more so, you can’t even think it! Another way of understanding it would be; if you do an action, it will influence the way you speak, and that in turn will influence the way you think. You may have heard that thoughts become actions, but here, I believe R. Jacob b. Asher is saying that the opposite is true as well. What we do in action affects the nature of our souls.
What we do in action affects the nature of our souls.
Now, let’s take a look at nature and wilderness areas. Many people seem to think that these places are not important and therefore they are vandalizing them, trashing them (literally), cutting wood from live trees, and in general behaving as if nothing they do matters and that there will be no consequences to their actions. In fact, they could not be more wrong. I cannot believe that the same people who enjoy going into wild places could possibly want those places to disappear. Did they always think that their actions had no recourse? Perhaps they started by doing one small action, as they stole a pristine view from other visitors by leaving a piece of trash. Or by not being careful with food, they stole the life of a bear (stealing a soul indeed). Perhaps they followed this by reasoning, “this one act won’t hurt anything.” Perhaps now, the effect of those actions has reached their soul and they don’t even pause to consider what they are doing as they hike, camp, vandalize, and destroy the wild for generations to come.
I implore everyone who might go into nature: Be aware of your actions! Don’t steal the chance for another person to experience what you have. Speak out when you see other being careless with trash or food, or destroy living plants (it is not ok to cut living trees for fires, and green wood doesn’t burn well anyway). Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the principles of Leave No Trace (LNT.org), and make a positive change in the world.