God made a covenant of devotion and care with humanity but also with all the animals and creatures on earth. This brit was made with both in the same sentence. Why should God make a covenant with creatures that can’t speak or think intellectually and don’t seem to have the ability to agree to such a commitment? And why lump animals and humans in the same contract? Perhaps because God knew that the animals, birds, sea creatures and insects would need special care, for the very fact that they could not assert their needs or rights. They would need to be looked after, respected, and valued for their contribution to the ecosystem. The brit was a three way contract- between God, humanity and the other creatures. Each would look after the others in the partnership. All the creatures of the earth, whether two legged or twelve legged, would protect each other and the world. God wanted human beings to know that the world would face destruction again if the covenant between them all was broken.
Humanity has broken the brit made that day so long ago. We are destroying the habitats of creatures of every type,including our own. We have made extinct thousands of species God created. God's fear is coming true- this time, we are bringing the floods, and fires, upon ourselves.
This Shabbat morning, we will give a special blessing to our pets who often feel like our children and who fill our hearts with joy. In blessing our dogs,cats,fish, gerbils, etc., we will also recommit ourselves to the Noahide covenant to treasure all God's creatures that sustain our planet. As we bring our animals in front of our computer cameras tomorrow morning to be blessed, may we, in turn, bless this planet with the care it deserves.
This Shabbat, I pray that our homes will be filled with the joy of our pets, the beauty of bird songs outside our windows and gratitude for all the creatures that maintain our world
