Deuteronomy 20:19 "You shall not destroy its trees"

Debby was not very hungry and she didn't want to eat her lunch at school. She picked up her tray and walked over to the garbage can.

"Hey, Debby," Miriam, an older student called out, "don't you know that you're not allowed to throw out good food?"

"But I don't want it," complained Debby.

"Even so," explained Miriam, "we're not supposed to waste things."

Later, Miriam took Debby aside and spoke to her softly.

"You know," she said, "there is a Mitzvah in the Torah that cautions us against waste.

It describes a time of war, when a city is under siege.

The Torah warns us not to destroy the fruit-producing trees, even when under the stress of war and siege! We must be careful not to cause unnecessary waste."

"But," protested Debby "that Mitzvah tells us not to cut down trees. I just didn't want to eat my lunch!"

"This Mitzvah includes all other kinds of waste, as well," explained Miriam. "It teaches us that we are not allowed to waste or destroy anything for no reason."

Debby listened carefully.

Suddenly, she caught sight of a first-grade girl sitting on the ground nearby. She was making holes in her tights, watching the tear "run" through the material.

"What a waste!" Debby cried. "I better go and teach her a Mitzvah!"

This Negative Mitzvah prohibits us from needless waste or destruction.

It helps to remind us that HaShem created everything and we should be careful with all our possessions.