Parashat Nitzavim
Sulfur & Fire From Heaven
How to reduce acid rain and create a more compassionate society.
By Shai Spetgang
This
commentary is provided by special arrangement with Canfei Nesharim. To learn
more, visit www.canfeinesharim.org.
God,
the creator of all substances in nature, has put before us elements that can
heal us in small concentrations and affect us detrimentally in large ones. In
this week's Torah portion, we are reminded of one such element, sulfur, and can
learn from it an important ecological and religious message.
Sulfur is one of a vast array of simple and complicated
chemicals in nature. In small quantities and in low concentrations, sulfur is
used in homeopathic healing. It heals diseases and agitations related to
burning, such as with skin, heart, and joints, and can be used to treat
individuals that suffer from an inability to connect with their surroundings,
show forgetfulness, and other similar characteristics.
However, in vast quantities and high concentrations, sulfur
is very destructive. It has the ability to acidify arable land, making it unfit
for growing crops. When it is found in rainwater, it changes the pH level and
therefore detrimentally affects plant growth.
Sodom & Gemorrah
One of the most famous biblical passages regarding sulfur is
the story of Sodom and Gemorrah found in the Book of Genesis and referenced in
this week's Torah portion, Nitzavim: "Sulfur and salt, a
conflagration of its entire land, it cannot be sown and it cannot sprout and no
grass shall rise up on it; like the upheaval of Sodom and Gemorrah, Admah and
Zeboim which God overturned in his anger and his wrath (Deut. 29:22)."
What happened at the destruction of Sodom and Gemorrah? We
know that the area began as a most fertile region (Genesis 13:10), and then became
desolate and infertile, but how did that change come about?
The Torah indeed
describes the process of Sodom's upheaval: "And God had rained upon Sodom
and upon Gemorrah sulfur and fire, from God, out of heaven. He overturned these
cities and the entire plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities and the
vegetation of the soil (Genesis 19:24)." The Torah tells us that the
sulfur and fire came down at the same time; we know from the scientific
properties of sulfur that it in fact burns due to its acidity.
Acid Rain
Rashi (on Genesis 19:24) teaches that what came down on
Sodom and Gemorrah was at first rain, and only then sulfur and fire. In modern
times the combination of these elements is reminiscent of acid rain. As water
evaporates, it combines with acidic additives from car exhaust, factory
smokestacks, and coal generating plants during raindrop formation to make acid
rain.
So just as Sodom and Gemorrah were hit with rain and then
sulfur, we experience, to a lesser degree, acid rain caused by pollution. In Scandinavia,
for example, acid rain has caused some lakes to lose all their fish
populations. While the repairing of this effect does take place naturally over
great expanses of time, it affects the food and livelihood of entire regions,
and can even compromise human health and safety.
The issue of acid rain has, for the most part, decreased in
the northeastern seaboard of the United States and Canada. However, it remains
an issue in developing parts of the world as these economies attempt to imitate
a Western standard of living, following the same environmentally irresponsible
industrial patterns seen in the West. One direct action we can take to stop
this from occurring is to invest in clean technologies in order to encourage
their use in developing parts of the world.
It seems clear that the more we look towards and use
alternative fuels and renewable sources of energy, the less acid rain we will
experience in the future. Perhaps this is because we will be showing
sensitivity for our fellow human beings that did not exist in Sodom and
Gemorrah.
Social Consciousness & Responsibility
The Torah Temimah (Rabbi Baruch HaLevi Epstein, 1860-1941),
elucidating the characteristics of those living in Sodom versus those living in
Jerusalem, teaches us in the name of Raba and Rabbi Yochanan, that the women of
Jerusalem had one trait that the women of Sodom did not have.
The women of Sodom (a wealthy city) refused to provide bread
(the mainstay of a meal) to the poor, whereas we learn about the Jewish women
in the first chapter of the Book of Lamentations that "the hands of the
women are merciful and provided to their children even though they did not have
much (Sanhedrin 104b)."
This trait shows an ability to care about that which is
beyond oneself. The problem of acid rain is a problem that stems from one not
caring about what happens to the next person down the ecological line, whether
on our home front or across the globe in less developed countries.
Normally, one's punishment is proportional and related to
their sin. This was the case in Sodom and Gemorrah. They did not care for
outsiders, and therefore they were hit with a substance that was as harsh to
them as they were to others. May we be blessed to care deeply about what comes
out of our tailpipes and smokestacks, and through this holy concern merit to
clear the skies and breathe the nourishing air God created.
Suggested Action Items:
1) Walk, cycle, take public transit, or carpool to reduce urban air
pollution.
2) Promote and invest in
alternative energy projects that do not cause sulfur and other harmful
substances to be released into the atmosphere.
3) Keep your thermostat at 68°F in the winter and 72°F in the summer. You
can turn it even lower in the winter and higher in the summer when you are away
from home.
4) Buy vehicles with low NOx emissions, and properly maintain
your vehicle.
Shai Spetgang was a founding board member of Canfei Nesharim and
currently serves on Canfei Nesharim's
Professional Advisory Board. He is active with Torat Hateva, The Jewish Nature
Centre of Canada, and maintains a consulting practice in the Canadian and
Israeli CleanTech Industries.
