The Etz Hasadeh Newsletter is a weekly Torah commentary in which I explore the meaning of life, guided by ancient texts, and the meaning of ancient texts, guided by life. I’ve been sending it out every week since 2019. My first book of edited essays is forthcoming. You can pre-order here.

What Does Etz Hasadeh Mean?

Deuteronomy 20:19 teaches that when one conquers territory, one should not cut down the trees, because trees, unlike people, cannot run way. Read spiritually, the image-concept of the “tree of the field” represents that which we must preserve in the face of great cultural, political, and technological upheaval. As the world becomes more and more modernized, it is even more necessary to secure our connection to the wisdom of the ancient past and to ways of being that give our lives irreducible meaning.