“Bal Tashchit,” or Our Grandmothers’ Jewish Prohibitions

“Bal Tashchit,” or Our Grandmothers’ Jewish Prohibitions

We all remember how, when we were children, our grandmothers would admonish us not to throw away food that was still fit to eat or give away clothing that was still perfectly serviceable... When we were young, we attributed all this to the relics of a bygone era—to the fact that they belonged to a generation that had lived through war, hardship, and poverty. But it is interesting that “Bal Tashchit” (do not destroy anything that may still be useful) is not merely a principle of Judaism—not destroying something that may still be useful or benefit someone else. It is a halachah set forth in the Shulchan Aruch. It is forbidden to throw away leftovers that are still fit for human or animal consumption, clothing, or any industrial waste that can still be used, and so forth, because everything is given by the Creator for the purpose of perfecting the world. We must learn to plan the amount of food that will actually be eaten. This is a clear disregard for the blessing: the blessing departs, and poverty arrives. The halachah of “Bal Tashchit” is based on a pasuk from Devarim (19:20): “When you besiege a city for many days, waging war against it in order to capture it, do not destroy its trees by swinging an ax against them; for you may eat from them, so do not cut them down. Is the tree of the field a person, that it should withdraw from you into the siege? Only a tree that you know is not a fruit tree may you destroy and cut down; and you may build siegeworks against the city that is waging war against you, until it is conquered.” This is an explicit Torah prohibition against wanton destruction. Nothing that the L-rd created in the world is superfluous or futile; Creation depends on the Torah (the Al-mighty looked into the Torah and created the worlds, according to the Zohar HaKadosh), while the survival of the world depends on man. “Bal Tashchit” is a prohibition not only against careless treatment of food, but also against cutting down trees, breaking vessels, damaging clothing, or polluting water sources. (Maimonides, Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Mitzvah No. 6) Man was placed in Gan Eden: “And the L-rd G-d took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to work it and to guard it.” (Bereishit 2:15). Two Hebrew verbs, “le’ovdah” — (to serve it) and “leshomrah” — (to guard it), are used in the Torah to describe the duties of a guardian of property that does not belong to him: to remain vigilant in protecting the property and to accept responsibility for losses caused by negligence. Disregard for food and possessions is a failing of our generation. We are the first prosperous generation in the entire history of our people. Man is a partner with the Al-mighty in the world, and he must treat the rest of Creation and its resources with care. (Based on a lesson by Rabbi Daniel Cohen, “Sha’arei HaEmet”)