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The land is God's; we are only caretakers

This year the United States has experienced catastrophic weather. A horrendous tornado recently flattened Greensburg, Kansas, and drought like conditions have helped spawn numerous fires in Florida, Southern California, and Catalina.

Although some still question the phenomenon of global warming, I am a believer. From the studies and articles I have reviewed, and after watching former Vice President Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, I am convinced that humanity’s release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere is having a profound affect on our planet.

This week’s parasha contains the laws of the Yoveil, or Jubilee year. Every fifty years all lands that the Israelites sold went back to their original owners. Although this law prevented the accumulation of great wealth by a limited number of individuals, this was not its purpose.

The Yoveil reminded the Israelites that they did not own the land. In the Torah God tells the Israelites: "But the land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is Mine; you are but strangers resident with me." (Lev. 25:23)

The land belongs to God and human beings are merely its caretakers. They could not do anything they wanted with earth and its resources. They could enjoy them, but they could not abuse or destroy them. It was their obligation to pass the earth to future generations in better, and not worse, condition then they found it.

The earth still belongs to God and we are only its caretakers. As caretakers of this planet we have an obligation to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, pollution, and protect natural resources.

We have inherited a beautiful world. Let us make sure that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren and all future generations will be able to derive as much sustenance and pleasure from it as do we.

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