Lessons for Humanity About the Environment Learned from Noah’s Ark

In light of humanity’s deep struggle with the global climate and questions of basic justice, it is worth considering how the offensive biblical The tale of Noah is still relevant today.

According to ancient Jewish commentaries, Noah actually grew the wood he used for his ark from cedar seeds. In fact, the entire process of building the ark is said to have taken 120 years.

The theme of this part of the story is that the people, the public, any witnesses or observers, and anyone who would listen had been warning for years that a disaster was coming, in this case total destruction.

Of course, many of us can relate to this idea in our lives and situations where something less positive happens to us and we look back at how many signs appeared of what eventually happened.

How many times could we correct our actions and how many ways could we adjust or do things differently?

(credit: INGIMAGE)

Taking into account sustainable development experiences and projects that create livelihood opportunities while protecting ecological Looking ahead, it is also certainly clear that there are huge opportunities and rarely, if ever, a lack of community vision and ideas for long-term, positive change if people are given the help they need to analyze and find specific initiatives that will improve their futures.

At the same time, such serious difficulties in securing the funds needed to implement these ideas – whether in the areas of water infrastructure, public health, education or small business – make their implementation relatively rare, which explains, at least to a large extent, the rampant and persistent poverty.

But we know the systematization of the loss of humanity’s potential. We were warned about this, and we are experiencing it. The flood story included a detailed warning. In Noah’s time, the patience of Divinity (or the patience of binding universal energy) seemed to have worn out too much.

Ancient commentaries on this biblical episode explain what ultimately led to the flooding of civilization. This is described as a consequence of the rule of law of the time as an injustice to the common man when he was legally robbed of the values he had created.

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Could our time be characterized this way: countries trapped by other countries through debt, where powerful conglomerates pay nothing into their national government coffers, where farmers around the world grow what is priceless and retain only a fraction of the real value, where innocence exists shield

Only in our time, and perhaps in the time of Noah, much of this happens without the knowledge of those and many who are deprived of their value.

The immemorial Jewish lore of Noah’s time also explains that he did not enter the ark when light rains first began to fall, but in fact only entered finally when the water reached his knees.

The flood came and the fountains of the deep began to open. The sages debate whether his hesitation was due to a challenge to faith, or whether he continued to warn all who might hear.

However the matter was resolved, some accused Noah of not having sufficiently prayed to Almighty God on behalf of the people of his day to save them and their world.

What lessons can be learned from sustainability workers who already care so deeply about our time, who may have spent years building their missionary ark, who may have done what they thought was best for them? to support and try to build a path to a haven of prosperity?

A lesson we can apply as leaders in our circles, as those who are able to represent others, organizations, groups, communities or even ourselves, is to tirelessly plead with local, state and national representatives, presidents, prime ministers. ministers, kings and queens. Tell us what exactly people need and where.

Explain why it’s important over and over again, and don’t stop even once, even when the water rises and the heat and cold bite. And when we are asked, we will try to give the answer we hope for when we ask.

The rainbow, according to ancient ideas, seems to be somewhat double-edged.

Yes, this is a promise, an agreement that we will keep and continue to move forward. At the same time, we are also warned not to get caught up in looking at the rainbow, even though it seems impossible not to get caught up in the absolute beauty.

Our environment

Why not take as long as possible from this confidence that humanity will somehow find a way to sustain itself and our environment?

Taking into account the warning not to linger too long on a rainbow, except for the time necessary to realize its good meaning, perhaps it can be explained that fixation on a promise can be taken for granted, can lead to our brilliance being smothered by a belief in a guarantee, assured by the perfect beauty of the rainbow.

It makes you wonder how credible is this factual promise if taking it for granted could ultimately mean reversing it?

Where are we currently on the 120-year spectrum? Has it started to rain a little?

Are we reaching out to anyone and everyone who is willing to accept this call? Have we strengthened our own ark of service to others?

Do we heed the lessons of Noah, so that whether there is a flood or not, climate breakdown or not, mutually assured destruction or not, regional wars or not, sudden disappointment or not, we will do the best we can and live together?

Yosef Ben-Meir is a sociologist and president of the High Atlas Foundation, a non-profit organization for sustainable development in Morocco.

The Environment and Climate Change portal was created in collaboration with the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Jerusalem Post retains all editorial decisions regarding content.