Eco-Rabbi

Eco-Rabbi for Parashat Vayigash

I identify with Yehuda. He took upon himself the responsibility to watch over his younger brother, Binyamin. When everything seemed to be going wrong, and Pharaoh’s right-hand man was going to detain Binyamin in jail, Yehuda had to stand up for him.
The Midrash Kohelet Rabba (7:19) states: “At the time that the Holy One of Blessing created Adam, God showed him all the trees of the Garden of Eden and said to him: See my works! How beautiful and praiseworthy they are? And everything that I created, I created for you. Take care that you should not destroy my world, for if you spoil it there is no one to repair it after you.”
Our planet is our little brother. Yehuda understood that they needed to bring Binyamin to Egypt in order to get food for the family. But he also knew that Yosef was trying to detain him unjustly, when they discovered the goblet in Binyamin’s bag. He stood up for his brother and offered himself instead.
We were given something precious to safeguard as well and we cannot let it be unjustly destroyed. Stand up, as Yehuda did, when you see people wasting. There are many community projects that you can run for raising awareness of what the issues are that we are dealing with. Be a leader like our great-great-grandfather Yehuda and take the initiative to organize such events.
When Yehuda did stand up for his little brother, the results he got far surpassed what he had imagined. He discovered his long-lost brother. Remember the words of the Midrash and let us take care of our world as Yehuda did Binyamin: “Take care that you should not destroy my world, for if you spoil it there is no one to repair it after you.” When we all work together the results will far surpass our greatest expectations.

• Other Eco-Rabbi
• The Burning Bush that is Not Consumed
• Solutions for Famine