2. Summoning the Will Not to Waste

This material was prepared by Rabbi Yonatan Neril and Evonne Marzouk of Canfei Nesharim, as part of the Jewcology project.

This source sheet was created in collaboration with Canfei Nesharim, Jewcology, Jewish Nature and the ROI Community.

The Sefaria Source Sheet was collated and edited by Rachel Kelman, a 2022 summer inchworm.

Outline of Sources:

I. Is the Tree of the Field a Person?
II. Beyond Trees
III. The Root Reasons of Bal Tashchit

I. Is the Tree of the Field a Person?

דברים כ׳:י״ט-כ׳

(יט) כִּֽי־תָצ֣וּר אֶל־עִיר֩ יָמִ֨ים רַבִּ֜ים לְֽהִלָּחֵ֧ם עָלֶ֣יהָ לְתׇפְשָׂ֗הּ לֹֽא־תַשְׁחִ֤ית אֶת־עֵצָהּ֙ לִנְדֹּ֤חַ עָלָיו֙ גַּרְזֶ֔ן כִּ֚י מִמֶּ֣נּוּ תֹאכֵ֔ל וְאֹת֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִכְרֹ֑ת כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ עֵ֣ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָבֹ֥א מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃ (כ) רַ֞ק עֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־תֵּדַ֗ע כִּֽי־לֹא־עֵ֤ץ מַאֲכָל֙ ה֔וּא אֹת֥וֹ תַשְׁחִ֖ית וְכָרָ֑תָּ וּבָנִ֣יתָ מָצ֗וֹר עַל־הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֨וא עֹשָׂ֧ה עִמְּךָ֛ מִלְחָמָ֖ה עַ֥ד רִדְתָּֽהּ׃ {פ}

Deuteronomy 20:19-20

(19) When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you must not cut them down. Are trees of the field human to withdraw before you into the besieged city? (20) Only trees that you know do not yield food may be destroyed; you may cut them down for constructing siegeworks against the city that is waging war on you, until it has been reduced.

ספרי דברים ר״ג:י׳

(י) כי האדם עץ השדה]. שחייו של אדם (אינו אלא) מן האילן. ר' ישמעאל אומר, מכאן חס המקום על פירות האילן, ק"ו מאילן. ומה אילן שעושה פירות, הזהירך הכתוב עליו; פירות עצמם, על אחת כמה וכמה.

Sifrei Devarim 203:10

(10) Variantly: "for from it shall you eat": a tree providing life for a man. R. Yishmael reasoned hence: If the L-rd is so solicitous of the fruits of a tree, how much more so of the tree itself! And if Scripture exhorts against (cutting down) a tree, which only produces fruit, how much more so (does it exhort against destroying) fruit itself!

רבינו בחיי על דברים פרק כ פסוק יט
ואותו לא תכרת כי האדם עץ השדה - פירשו המפרשים ז"ל כי חיי האדם ומזונו הוא עץ השדה, וכענין שכתוב (דברים כד) כי נפש הוא חובל, ועל כן אנכי מצוך שלא תשחיתהו כי ברכה בו. ולפי דעתי כי האדם נמשך א-ל לא תכרות ובאור הכתוב כי לא האדם עץ
השדה שיבא מפניך במצור כמו האדם, ואין מפעולות עם חכם ונבון להשחית הדבר הראוי ללא תועלת, ולכך אין לך להוציא כח בזה לכרות עץ השדה א- לא שתשמור מהשחית אותו ומהזיקו ותקח ממנו התועלת, זהו כי ממנו תאכל, ואם אתה משחיתו נמצאת מזיק
...ומפסיד התועלת

Rabbeinu Bachayei, commentary to Deuteronomy 20:19, translation by Rabbi Yonatan Neril
“The commentators explain that the life of man and his food is [from] the tree of the field, as the verse says, 'for he would be taking a life as a pledge' (Deuteronomy 24:6, Artscroll translation), and therefore I command you that you should not destroy it because there is blessing in it... and it is not the actions of a wise and understanding nation to needlessly destroy something so worthy, and therefore you should not expend energy to cut down a tree of the field; rather you should protect it from destruction and damage and take benefit from it. This [is the meaning of] 'from it you will eat,' and if you destroy it you will damage and take away its benefit.”

רש"י על דברים כ׳:י״ט:ג׳

(ג) כי האדם עץ השדה. הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דִּלְמָא, שֶׁמָּא הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה לְהִכָּנֵס בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּצוֹר מִפָּנֶיךָ לְהִתְיַסֵּר בְּיִסּוּרֵי רָעָב וְצָמָא כְּאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר? לָמָּה תַּשְׁחִיתֶנּוּ?:

Rashi on Deuteronomy 20:19:3

(3) כי האדם עץ השדה FOR IS THE TREE OF THE FIELD A MAN [THAT IT SHOULD BE BESIEGED BY THEE]? — כי has here the meaning of “possibly”, “perhaps” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:5) — is the tree of the field perhaps a man who is able to withdraw within the besieged city from before you, that it should be chastised by the suffering of famine and thirst like the inhabitants of the city? Why should you destroy it?

אבן עזרא על דברים כ׳:י״ט:א׳-ב׳

(א) כי האדם עץ השדה.. וזה פירושו כי ממנו תאכל ואותו לא תכרות כי האדם עץ השדה והטעם כי חיי בן אדם הוא עץ השדה וכמוהו כי נפש הוא חובל כי חיי נפש הוא חובל: (ב) ואותו לא תכרות. דבק עם לבא מפניך במצור הנה לא תשחית עץ פרי שהוא חיים לבן אדם רק מותר שתאכל ממנו ואסור לך להשחיתו כדי שתבא העיר מפניך במצור.

Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 20:19:1-2

(1) FOR IS THE TREE OF THE FIELD MAN...The following is the meaning of our clause. For thou mayest eat of them, but thou shalt not cut them down, for the tree of the field is man; that is, the life of man is supported by trees. Compare, For he taketh a life to pledge (Deut. 24:6), which is short for, for he taketh that which sustains man’s life to pledge. (2) BUT THOU SHALT NOT CUT THEM DOWN. This is connected to that it should he besieged of thee. Look, do not destroy a fruit tree, which is a source of sustenance for human life. Be that as it may, you are permitted to eat of it but you are prohibited from destroying it so that the city will be besieged because of you.

ספורנו על דברים כ׳:י״ט:א׳-ה׳

(א) לא תשחית את עצה לנדוח עליו גרזן לא תשחית את העץ כדי לנדוח עליו גרזן משחית בלבד שלא לצורך אלא להזיק לבני העיר: (ב) כי ממנו תאכל כי אמנם כריתת העצים דרך השחתה בלבד יעשהו הצבא להזיק כאשר לא יהיה בטוח לנצח ולשבת בארץ אבל אתה הבטוח לכבוש את הארץ ולשבת בה אין לך להשחית עץ מאכל: (ג) כי ממנו תאכל שתכבוש הארץ בלי ספק ותאכל ממנו כשלא תשחיתהו: (ד) כי האדם עץ השדה כי האמנם עץ השדה האדם ראוי לבא מפניך בגללו העיר במצור למסור את עצמם בידך מכח מצור וכיון שאינו כן בזה גם שראוי להזיק ליושבי העיר בכלי מלחמה כמו בסוללות וזולתם להביא העיר במצור. הנה בהיות שלא תשיג זה בהשחתת האילנות אין ראוי להשחיתם כמו שראוי שתשחית האדם יושבי העיר: (ה) לבא מפניך במצור כדי שתבא בשביל זה העיר מפניך במצור באופן שימסרו את עצמם בידך:

Sforno on Deuteronomy 20:19:1-5

(1) לא תשחית את עצה לנדוח עליו גרזן, do not destroy its trees merely in order to practice wielding an axe. Destruction must not be wanton; it is justified only if it serves to harm the enemy residing within the city. (2) כי ממנו תאכל, wanton destruction of such trees is justified only when it is not certain that without such action the war will come to a successful conclusion. The wars of conquest of the Land of Israel, however, the success of which has been guaranteed by G’d, does not fall into this category; it will be won without the need to destroy such trees. Destroying fruit bearing trees in the Land of Israel harms the country. (3) כי ממנו תאכל, because as soon as you have conquered the land you yourselves will want to eat the fruit of such trees. (4) כי האדם עץ השדה, for is a tree of the field equivalent to a human being, capable of defending itself and therefore posing a danger to you? Neither is it able to surrender on account of the siege; seeing that this is so, even though part of its timber could serve as a rampart for helping you to mount an attack against the city itself, since this will not be achieved (directly) by cutting down these trees it is not proper for you to destroy such trees, as opposed to your being permitted to kill human beings in that city opposing you and endangering you. (5) לבא מפניך במצור, so that you would besiege the city on their account so they would surrender to you? [the underlying idea, if I understand the author and the text correctly, is that the purpose of laying siege to a city instead of assaulting it and destroying it, is to preserve it intact after its inhabitants have been forced to surrender. Cutting down fruit bearing trees would be the opposite of your objectives in such a war. Ed.]

Discussion Questions:

Why does the Torah forbid cutting down fruit trees to build siege-works during a war, when it is not needless destruction but use of resources for an important purpose?
What does it mean that a tree is compared to a person? Compare the different views of Rashi and Rabbeinu Bachayei in their understandings. Which resonates more with you?
What can these sources teach us about our responsibility to trees and all natural resources?

II. Beyond Trees

שבת ס״ז ב:י״ד

אָמַר רַב זוּטְרָא: הַאי מַאן דִּמְכַסֵּי שְׁרָגָא דְּמִשְׁחָא וּמְגַלֵּי נַפְטָא קָעָבַר מִשּׁוּם ״בַּל תַּשְׁחִית״.

Shabbat 67b:14

Rav Zutra said: He who covers an oil lamp or who uncovers a kerosene lamp for no purpose violates the prohibition: Do not destroy, since by doing so the fuel burns more quickly.

משנה תורה, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות ו׳:ח׳-י׳

(ח) אֵין קוֹצְצִין אִילָנֵי מַאֲכָל שֶׁחוּץ לַמְּדִינָה וְאֵין מוֹנְעִין מֵהֶם אַמַּת הַמַּיִם כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּיבְשׁוּ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כ, יט) "לֹא תַשְׁחִית אֶת עֵצָהּ". וְכָל הַקּוֹצֵץ לוֹקֶה. וְלֹא בְּמָצוֹר בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא בְּכָל מָקוֹם כָּל הַקּוֹצֵץ אִילַן מַאֲכָל דֶּרֶךְ הַשְׁחָתָה לוֹקֶה. אֲבָל קוֹצְצִין אוֹתוֹ אִם הָיָה מַזִּיק אִילָנוֹת אֲחֵרִים. אוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּזִּיק בִּשְׂדֵה אֲחֵרִים. אוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדָּמָיו יְקָרִים. לֹא אָסְרָה תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ הַשְׁחָתָה:

(ט) כָּל אִילַן סְרָק מֻתָּר לָקֹץ אוֹתוֹ וַאֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לוֹ. וְכֵן אִילַן מַאֲכָל שֶׁהִזְקִין וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה אֶלָּא דָּבָר מוּעָט שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לִטְרֹחַ בּוֹ מֻתָּר לָקֹץ אוֹתוֹ. וְכַמָּה יְהֵא הַזַּיִת עוֹשֶׂה וְלֹא יְקֻצֶּנּוּ. רֹבַע הַקַּב זֵיתִים. וְדֶקֶל שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה קַב תְּמָרִים לֹא יְקֻצֶּנּוּ:

(י) וְלֹא הָאִילָנוֹת בִּלְבַד. אֶלָּא כָּל הַמְשַׁבֵּר כֵּלִים. וְקוֹרֵעַ בְּגָדִים. וְהוֹרֵס בִּנְיָן. וְסוֹתֵם מַעְיָן. וּמְאַבֵּד מַאֲכָלוֹת דֶּרֶךְ הַשְׁחָתָה. עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַשְׁחִית. וְאֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה אֶלָּא מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם:

Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 6:8-10

(8) Fruit-bearing trees must not be cut down outside of the city nor do we block their irrigation water causing the trees to dry up, as it says, “do not destroy her trees” (Deut. 20:19). Anyone who cuts down a tree receives lashes. This is not only at times of a siege, but anyone at anytime who chops down a fruit-bearing tree by for destructive purposes receives stripes. The tree may be cut down if it is damaging other trees or it is damaging another’s field, or because the tree is more valuable for its wood than its fruit. The Torah only forbids wanton destruction.

(9) It is permitted to cut down a non-fruit-bearing tree even if the tree itself is not needed. Similarly, an old fruit-bear tree which only produces a small yield and is not worth the effort to maintain can be cut down. And how much olive yield must an olive tree produce for it not to be cut down? A quarter of a Kav of olives. A palm tree which produces a Kav of dates may not be cut down.

(10) And not only regarding trees, but even one who destructively breaks vessels or rips up clothing or tears down a building or seals up a spring or wastes food violates the Negative Commandment of “Do not destroy”. However, he only receives stripes for disobedience, in accordance with the Rabbis.

Discussion Questions:

How far does this tree-cutting prohibition go?
Why do you think that the prohibition was understood to have such a broad meaning?
What common modern examples of societal and personal waste directly violate the spirit and law of this mitzvah?

III. The Root Reasons of Bal Tashchit

ספר החינוך תקכ״ט

(א) שלא להשחית אילני מאכל ...

(ב) שרש המצוה ידוע, שהוא כדי ללמד נפשנו לאהב הטוב והתועלת ולהדבק בו, ומתוך כך תדבק בנו הטובה, ונרחיק מכל דבר רע ומכל דבר השחתה, וזהו דרך החסידים ואנשי מעשה אוהבים שלום ושמחים בטוב הבריות ומקרבים אותן לתורה, ולא יאבדו אפילו גרגיר של חרדל בעולם, ויצר עליהם בכל אבדון והשחתה שיראו, ואם יוכלו להציל יצילו כל דבר מהשחית בכל כחם...

Sefer HaChinukh 529

(1) To not destroy fruit trees...

(2) The root of this commandment is well-known - it is in order to teach our souls to love good and benefit and to cling to it. And through this, good clings to us and we will distance [ourselves] from all bad and destructive things. And this is the way of the pious and people of [proper] action - they love peace and are happy for the good of the creatures and bring them close to Torah, and they do not destroy even a grain of mustard in the world. And they are distressed by all loss and destruction that they see; and if they can prevent it, they will prevent any destruction with all of their strength...

Rabbi Shampshon Rafael Hirsch (19th century, Germany), Horeb, sections 397,398
[Lo tashchit], 'do not destroy', is] “the most comprehensive warning to human beings not to misuse the position which Gd has given them as masters of the worlds and its matter to capricious, passionate, or merely thoughtless wasteful destruction of anything on earth.” He continues in Horeb, “If ...you should regard the beings beneath you as objects without rights, not perceiving Gd Who created them, and therefore desire that they feel the might of your presumptuous mood, instead of using them only as the means of wise human activity—then Gd’s call proclaims to you, “Do not destroy anything!” (bang) Be a mensch! Only if you use the things around you for wise human purposes, sanctified by the word of My teaching, only then are you a mensch and have the right over them which I have given you as a human...However, if you destroy, if you ruin, at that moment you are not a human...and have no right to the things around you. I lent them to you for wise use only; never forget that I lent them to you. As soon as you use them unwisely, be it the greatest or the smallest, you commit treachery against my world, you commit murder and robbery against my property, you sin against Me!” ...In truth, there is no one nearer to idolatry than one who can disregard the fact that all things are the creatures and property of Gd, and who then presumes to have the right, because he has the might, to destroy them according to a presumptuous act of will. Yes, that one is already serving the most powerful idols—anger, pride, and above all ego, which in its passion regards itself as the master of things.”

רש"ר הירש בראשית פרשת בראשית - נח פרק ו פסוק יא
"שחת" מורה על קלקול, ולא על השמדה. המשחית הורס מצב מתוקן. הוא מעכב עצם שנועד להצליח, והופך הצלחה לכשלון. הוראת היסוד של "שחת": בור. אולם, הכורה שחת איננו מתכוון לטובה -, לצורכי שמירה ואחסנה - , א-לא רצונו לתת מכשול לפני הולך בדרך, לעצור אותו בדרכו א- ל מטרתו ולהביא עליו אבדון .

Rabbi Samphson Rafael Hirsch, commentary to Genesis 6:11, in The Pentateuch: vol. 1: Genesis, Rendered into English by Isaac Levy from the original German, Judaica Press, Gateshead, England, 1989 p. 138-139
Shachet “is the conception of corruption, not destruction. It is the overthrow of a good condition, and the impeding of progress, and the changing into the opposite of anything which was meant to thrive and prosper...

Discussion Questions:

How does the moral context for this mitzvah change its meaning?
It may be easy to see that someone who preserves is good, but is someone who wastes “bad”? What kind of waste would make them “bad” as opposed to thoughtless or negligent?
Today we often think of “destruction” or “waste” as a positive economic value. For example, buying new products that wear out after a few years is good for our economy. Recognizing this, how can we understand Rabbi Hirsch’s idea of “thriving” and “prospering”?

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