TESHUVAH TO ANIMALS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

 

 

Today, as we celebrate Rosh Hodesh Elul, the New Year of the Animals, we can consider what we have done or what we should have done for our planet. 

Consider your environment and go sit outside. 

Close your eyes and listen to the ambient sounds. 

Note what you hear: Birds? Insects ?  Dogs?

Touch the earth. Feel the vibrations within:

Note what you feel: Worms?  Ants? Moles?

Consider our love of animals.

Consider the devastation we have brought upon our planet.

Consider all the beasts who will die,

Consider all the beasts who will manage to adapt,

Consider the few beasts who will flourish. 

For all the beasts who will die off,

We acknowledge that we blew it. 

We failed to act in time to save your beautiful species. 

We mourn the loss of biodiversity and

We mourn the loss of the individual lives you did not get to lead. 

We apologize and hope that you can pardon us, forgive us, let us atone for our sins against you.

For all the beasts and species who will manage to adapt to the damage,

I guess we could say this is just the natural process of evolution 

But that would be a lie.  Humans did this very bad thing. 

We have forced you to forage for food in our suburbs  

And punished you with death or imprisonment just for trying to live. 

We apologize and hope that you can pardon us, forgive us, let us atone for our sins against you.

For the few beasts and species who will flourish through the crises

Our beloved dogs and cats and other pets

And also domestic beasts like cattle and chickens,

You will survive because we need you for love and food. 

Happy New Year!

We apologize and hope that you can pardon us, forgive us, let us atone for our sins against you.

Consider the animals. 

We must return and do teshuvah, 

But it’s not enough to apologize. 

We must promise to try to save our home, our planet,

And the future for everybody.

For the selfish devastation we have brought upon our planet

For all the beasts who will die

For all the beasts who will manage to adapt

For the few beasts who will flourish

We apologize and hope that you can pardon us, forgive us, let us atone for our sins against you.

And let us say, 

Amen