World Ocean Week?

by Rabbi Ed Rosenthal, Founder & CEO

This week, people around the world are commemorating World Ocean Week; a time to recognize the Ocean that sustains life on our planet. It is a worthy celebration. But as Jews, perhaps we are called to think a little differently.

Water is the most common substance on Earth.  It’s so common we barely notice it. It falls from the sky, flows from our taps, fills our rivers and lakes. The Ocean covers more than 70% of our planet. And because it is everywhere, we take it for granted. It seems we only really notice water when there’s too much of it or too little.

Yet nothing could be more precious.

The average human could survive for weeks without food. Without water…only a few days. Every cell in our bodies depends upon it. The Torah begins with water. Before there was light, before there was land, before there were plants, animals, or human beings, "the spirit of God was on the Water.” Water isn’t just another natural resource. It is THE Source. It is what makes life itself possible.

Jewish tradition recognizes both the sanctity and the fragility of the natural world. The Torah commands us, through the Mitzvah of Bal Tashchit, to avoid needless waste and destruction. What began as a prohibition against cutting down fruit trees during wartime, has grown into a broader ethical principle of conservation and stewardship for the Jewish People. When our disposable, throw-away society fills waterways with plastic or degrades marine ecosystems, Bal Tashchit challenges us to ask whether we are honoring Creation or squandering it.

Our sages also understood that gratitude must accompany awareness. Upon seeing the Ocean, Jewish tradition teaches us to recite a blessing:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עוֹשֶֹה מַעֲשֶֹה בְרֵאשִׁית

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעַשַֹה אֶת הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'Olam, Sh’Asah et HaYam HaGadol.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who made the Great Sea.

If you’re at a river or lake or even scuba diving under the water, say:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עוֹשֶֹה מַעֲשֶֹה בְרֵאשִׁית

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, Oseh Ma’aseh Bereshit.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Maker of the works of Creation.

These blessings remind us that the Ocean, the rivers, and the lakes are not mere scenery. They are all connected by water. As Kohelet said: "All rivers run to the Sea." And that same water connect us and every living being on Earth. Water is the most powerful manifestations of God's Creation. To stand before the water in wonder is itself a sacred act.

And perhaps that points us toward one of the most important actions we can take.

Go to the water.

It's summertime, Folks. Get Outside! Go swimming. Go kayaking. Go surfing. Go sailing. Go diving. Walk along a beach, a river, a lake, or a bay. Bring your children and your grandchildren. Take a moment and recite the blessings. Spend a few moments noticing the vastness, the beauty, and the power of the water that sustains all life.

The more time we spend in relationship with the Water, the more likely we are to protect it.

The Jewish tradition teaches that gratitude is the beginning of responsibility. Before we can care for something, we must first appreciate it. Before we can protect the Ocean, we must first recognize Water as God's most extraordinary gifts.

This World Ocean Week, take a moment to give thanks for the Water that sustains us. Then take one step, however small, to help sustain it in return.

Because for those who understand the sacredness of Water, while this may sound cliche... Every week is World Ocean Week.