Tree Text Study

The Scenario

Your town wants to have more paper, so they are considering asking a company to cut down all the trees in the parks. You have been asked whether you think this is a good idea. Before you respond, here’s some Jewish thoughts to help you:

Text 1

דברים כ׳:י״ט-כ׳

(יט) כִּֽי־תָצ֣וּר אֶל־עִיר֩ יָמִ֨ים רַבִּ֜ים לְֽהִלָּחֵ֧ם עָלֶ֣יהָ לְתׇפְשָׂ֗הּ לֹֽא־תַשְׁחִ֤ית אֶת־עֵצָהּ֙ לִנְדֹּ֤חַ עָלָיו֙ גַּרְזֶ֔ן כִּ֚י מִמֶּ֣נּוּ תֹאכֵ֔ל וְאֹת֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִכְרֹ֑ת כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ עֵ֣ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָבֹ֥א מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃ (כ) רַ֞ק עֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־תֵּדַ֗ע כִּֽי־לֹא־עֵ֤ץ מַאֲכָל֙ ה֔וּא אֹת֥וֹ תַשְׁחִ֖ית וְכָרָ֑תָּ וּבָנִ֣יתָ מָצ֗וֹר עַל־הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֨וא עֹשָׂ֧ה עִמְּךָ֛ מִלְחָמָ֖ה עַ֥ד רִדְתָּֽהּ׃ {פ}

Deuteronomy 20:19-20

(19) When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you must not cut them down. Are trees of the field human to withdraw before you into the besieged city? (20) Only trees that you know do not yield food may be destroyed; you may cut them down for constructing siegeworks against the city that is waging war on you, until it has been reduced.

This text is from the Torah, from the Book of Deuteronomy. It is the origin of the Jewish value of “Ba’al Tashchit”, not destroying.

1. According to this text, what can you do with a tree?

2. According to this text, what can’t you do with a tree?

3. How does this text connect with the idea of cutting down trees for paper?

Text 2

פסחים נ׳ ב:ז׳

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: … וְקוֹצְצֵי אִילָנוֹת טוֹבוֹת, … — אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה סִימַן בְּרָכָה לְעוֹלָם,

Pesachim 50b:7

The Sages taught: those who chop down good trees will never see a sign of blessing.

Context: This is from the Babylonian Talmud.

1. What is a “good” tree?

2. Why might somebody who cuts down a good tree not see a sign of blessing?

3. How does this text connect with the idea of cutting down trees for paper?

Text 3

פרקי דרבי אליעזר ל״ד:ד׳

בשעה שכורתין את האילן שהוא עושה פרי הקול יוצא מסוף העולם ועד סופו ואין הקול נשמע

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 34:4

When people cut down the wood of the tree which yields fruit, its cry goes from one end of the world to the other, and the voice is inaudible.

Context: This is from a book of Midrash.

1. According to this text, does it matter whether the tree is a fruit tree?

2. According to you, should it matter if the tree is a fruit tree?

3. How does this text connect with the idea of cutting down trees for paper?

Back to The Scenario

In the Torah, Moses is told to speak to a rock to get water from it. He gets in trouble because he hits the rock instead to get water from it (Numbers 20:7-12). We can take resources that we need from the Earth, but we shouldn’t abuse the Earth in the process.

1. Is paper useful for people?

2. Is there any other way to get paper besides cutting down more trees?

3. Do you think the company should cut down all the trees in the parks in order to make new paper? Why or why not?

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