Nature

Nature is discussed throughout Jewish literature in a variety of contexts. Many Jewish sources point to nature as a manifestation of godliness on earth, while others describe the importance of caring for our surroundings.

Animals are present from the very beginning of the Torah, as they are among God's first creations in the book of Genesis. Animals feature in a variety of contexts, such as biblical and talmudic stories, legal discussions about how to treat them, and poetic liturgical works that marvel at their wonders.

A wilderness.

Fire features in a variety of contexts throughout the Jewish textual tradition. Rabbinic texts describe how the first humans discovered fire, and fire plays a role in many biblical stories, like that of the burning bush. Fire appears both physically and metaphorically, for example as a metaphor for Torah.

In the Jewish textual tradition, frogs feature most notably in the plague of frogs wrought upon the Egyptians in the book of Exodus. Later sources describe how these frogs developed and multiplied, analyze the frogs' traits, and even derive laws based on the actions of the frogs. Frogs are also featured in various stories and teachings throughout midrashic and rabbinic literature.

Light, both physical and metaphorical, features prominently throughout the Jewish textual tradition. Among other instances, light is the first thing God creates in the book of Genesis, is a focus of the holiday of Chanukkah, and is a central concept in kabbalastic literature, representing divine emanations.

Rain features prominently throughout the Jewish textual tradition. In the Torah, it is repeatedly described as a marker of God's blessing in the land of Israel. Jewish liturgy incorporates special prayers for rain, and rabbinic and philosophical sources are replete with discussions of the significance of rain and the laws and customs associated with asking for rain.

The Heavens (Shamayim) appear in the first lines of Genesis and are mentioned frequently in the Jewish sources as representing everything above Earth. The Heavens are also understood as the place where God and the angels reside.

Jewish sources throughout the ages grapple with questions of science and the surrounding world, and how these questions intersect with Jewish texts, practices and values.

Sheratzim are small creatures that creep or crawl, described and listed in Leviticus 11:29-30. Their corpses convey impurity to people and vessels when encountered in specific ways.

In the Torah, the Hebrew word aviv – translated as "spring" – refers to a specific stage in grain growth, often understood as the stage in which seeds reach their full size but have not yet dried. The word is also used as part of the phrase "chodesh ha'aviv" ("the month of spring"), which refers to the time period in which grain reaches this stage. The holiday of Passover occurs during this season, and Jewish sources often refer to this time of year as one of renewal and redemption.

A type of fruit.

As part of creation, humans are charged with the protection of trees. Those trees that produce fruit in the land of Israel are subject to the various Torah regulations regarding Temple gifts and tithes. Trees are also likened to the Torah itself and serve as a popular metaphor in Jewish tradition.

In the Jewish textual tradition, the rainbow features most prominently in Genesis chapter 9, when God tells Noah that the rainbow is a symbol of God's covenant between God and all living things, demonstrating that God will never again destroy the world with a flood. Jewish liturgy includes a blessing to be said upon the sight of a rainbow, invoking a reminder of God's covenant. Generations of Jewish scholars have expounded upon the rainbow's significance, origins, and messages.