Living in the Capital District affords the opportunity to go out and appreciate nature in a way that you cannot do living in other communities. A short drive in almost any direction leads to beautiful views, great hikes, and inspiring landscapes. It is for that reason that Chapter 3 Mishna 9 is so concerning and difficult to understand. Rabbi Yaakov teaches that one who is studying Torah while walking on the way and interrupts his study and says, “What a beautiful tree” or “What a beautiful field” it is as if he had endangered his soul. In other words, Rabbi Yaakov is teaching that someone that interrupts their learning to appreciate nature and G-d’s beautiful creations is equivalent to endangering one’s own physical and spiritual well-being. How could appreciating G-d’s handiwork be dangerous or even be a bad thing to do? Quite the opposite! Many find great inspiration, religious fulfillment, and even a stronger connection to G-d through nature. In addition, why does Rabbi Yaakov offer such a severe punishment for this interruption of study? What is Rabbi Yaakov trying to teach in this Mishna?
What is perhaps most interesting about Rabbi Yaakov’s teaching is that there are many different sources throughout Jewish literature that point to the exact opposite conclusion taught in this Mishna. Nature in fact is a very important element in Jewish thought, practice, and law. At its most basic level, nature plays an important role via the annual Jewish festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot that are directly tied to specific seasons and harvests. Moreover, seven times in every 19 years, the Jewish calendar observes a “leap year” adding an additional month to the calendar (Adar II) such that the annual festivals continue to be celebrated at their appropriate seasons and times. For example, this year, 5776, is a Jewish leap year, meaning that there will be two months of Adar.
In addition, the Gemara in Brachot (57b) highlights the importance that nature plays in daily life by listing three things that are capable of giving ‘peace of mind’ to a person; a voice, a view, and a scent. Viewing wondrous sights in nature not only is ‘relaxing’ but frankly can be quite inspiring. Maimonides in his Mishna Torah (Hilchot Yesodei Torah 2:2) writes that:
“And what is the [suggested] way to [achieve] love and fear of G-d? When a person contemplates His great and wondrous actions and creations, and he sees His immeasurable and infinite wisdom, he will immediately love, praise, extol, and long to know the great G-d.”
In other words, Maimonides highlights the role that nature plays in bringing man closer to G-d. Looking out and appreciating nature and all of the daily miracles of life, helps man begin to understand G-d’s greatness, deepening his appreciation of G-d.
There is a famous story about Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, the great leader of 19th Century German Jewry and his appreciation of nature. As the story goes, Rabbi Hirsch decided to visit the Swiss Alps. When word got out about his upcoming visit, many questioned whether the Rabbi could undergo such a trip given his advanced age. To those that questioned him, Rabbi Hirsch replied, “I may have only a few years left, and when I stand before the Almighty on Judgment Day, I don’t want Him to ask me, ‘Why didn’t you see My Alps?’ ” G-d created this wondrous world, specifically for man to enjoy and appreciate it.
That being said, man’s relationship to nature is not a one-way street. Not only can and should nature inspire man, but man must actively show his appreciation towards nature as well. In fact, this week’s Torah portion in Shemot 7:19, the Torah describes G-d commanding Moshe to instruct Aaron to take his staff and extend it over the waters of Egypt to bring about the plague of blood. Rashi, the famous French commentator asks the obvious question, “Why does G-d instruct Aaron to perform this plague and not Moshe?” Rashi teaches that out of Moshe’s gratitude towards the water for protecting him as an infant while floating down the Nile, Moshe did not partake in either the plague of blood or the plague of frogs, which involved the water. Moshe’s actions regarding the water teach that appreciation must be shown for nature in the way that we treat it.
This appreciation for nature manifests itself in many different ways. In particular, it is customary to recite different blessings over specific natural phenomena. For example the Gemara in Berachot (43b) teaches that in addition to make a blessing upon seeing fruit trees in bloom, that the scents of fragrant trees, fruits, and herbs all require blessings as well. In addition, the Gemara in Berachot (54a) continues to describe the different blessings recited when one sees a towering mountain, seas, colossal rivers, and deserts. In fact the Shulchan Aruch 228:1 codifies these blessings as law. In which case, how could one ever make these blessings and show our appreciation to G-d for all that He created, without ever stopping to appreciate nature? What is Rabbi Yaakov teaching in Mishna 9?
Many commentaries attempt to understand this Mishna offering different interpretations that moderate Rabbi Yaakov’s teaching. For example, Rashi explains that Rabbi Yaakov is offering practical advice to one that is travelling. A literal reading of the Mishna describes someone that travels while learning and interrupts their learning to study nature. Rabbi Yaakov teaches that this is problematic and most importantly dangerous, because the study of Torah provides an additional level of security while travelling. By interrupting one’s Torah studies, a person can expose themselves to natural ‘accidents’ that could have been avoided through the merit of Torah study.
Based on this interpretation, perhaps, Rabbi Yaakov is simply following up on the previous teaching of Rabbi Chanina be Hakhinai in Mishna 5 regarding the dangers of one who travels. Interestingly, this might help explain the similar language used in both Mishna 5 and Mishna 9 of the phrase, “Mitchayev BiNafsho” ; “Endangers his soul.” It is certainly strange that Rabbi Yaakov did not use a more common phrase to explain his teaching. Instead, he uses the more flowery language of Rabbi Chanina to purposefully redirect the reader back to the teaching of Mishna 5 regarding one who travels.
Rabbeinu Yona offers a different interpretation of Rabbi Yaakov’s teaching. He writes that the Mishna does not devalue the importance of nature or its appreciation relative to Torah study. Rather, the Mishna is teaching of a situation of a person that is unfocused in their study as evidenced by the easy loss of attention from their Torah studies as they now focus on nature. Nature is in fact an important element to the religious experience. However, when a person is immersed in Torah study they should achieve such a high intellectual focus that is not easily interrupted by passing diversions.
Finally, perhaps a third approach to understanding this Mishna can be offered that resonates deeply with each of us living in this modern world. Rabbi Moshe Taragin of Yeshivat Har Etzion writes:
“[The crime related in this Mishna] relates not to the choice [of nature over Torah study], but to the absence of any religious outcome of the nature experience. The Mishna describes someone who interrupts his learning to appreciate nature—and does not record any religious response to the encounter with nature. It merely portrays someone who beholds a tree or a meadow and extols its beauty without tracing this aesthetic experience toward the Divine master. Not only has he squandered a religious moment but he has also derailed a prior religious experience of Torah study. This missed opportunity, coupled with the departure from Torah study, may warrant severe consequences.”
Each and every day, opportunities to appreciate nature and G-d’s creations surround us. To notice them, but not to associate religious meaning is not just a missed chance, but is a true crime. May we each continue to study Torah while finding religious inspiration from all of G-d’s beautiful creations.