The Torah portion Parashat Toldot offers a seemingly simple moment that becomes a profound instruction for spiritual, ethical, and ecological living. Our patriarchs dig wells across the land of Israel to access underground springs — breaking through the surface to reach life-giving water. In the video above, Rabbi Akiva Gersh expands this image, teaching that in Judaism, water often symbolizes spirituality. If that is true, then spirituality isn’t something handed to us fully formed; we must excavate it. We must dig.

Digging Within and Digging Into the World

That digging is both inner work and outer work.

• Inward, it means engaging in prayer, study, mindfulness, and honest self-reflection that reveal the deeper Jewish values we already hold.

• Outward, it means uncovering the hidden realities of our modern systems—especially the food system.

Rabbi Akiva points out that industrial animal agriculture survives by hiding the truth. Packaging, marketing, and supermarket displays mask the suffering of animals, the destruction of land and water, the climate impact, and the burden these systems place on vulnerable communities. If we take seriously core Torah values — tza’ar ba’alei chayim (preventing unnecessary suffering), bal tashchit (avoiding needless destruction), and justice for humans and animals alike — then we must challenge what has been hidden. We must dig.

Revealing Truth Should Lead to Action

Judaism is not merely intellectual. It is a lived tradition where knowledge must shape ethical choices. Once we see the reality of factory farming — its cruelty, its environmental cost, its violation of stewardship — we are invited to realign our daily lives with Jewish values.

For many today, that realignment means moving toward a plant-based diet. Choosing plant-based foods reduces demand for systems that inflict suffering, burn through natural resources, and accelerate climate change. It is a practical, ongoing way to let Torah values guide our plates. Realignment can also mean:

• Supporting regenerative or more ethical farming practices

• Advocating for humane and transparent food policies

• Encouraging synagogues, JCCs, schools, and community events to adopt plant-forward, values-aligned menus

Jewish Vegan Life: Helping You Do the Digging

At Jewish Vegan Life, we translate this Torah metaphor into accessible weekly action. We offer:

• Torah-rooted teachings like Rabbi Akiva’s

• Jewish holiday recipes that are entirely plant-based

• Educational resources for rabbis, educators, and families

• Local hubs, recipe nights, livestreams, and community events

Digging alone is exhausting; digging in community is spiritually sustaining. A plant-forward kiddush or synagogue meal becomes a visible expression of ethical alignment. Learning together, cooking together, and supporting one another turns the well-digging into shared transformation.

Five Simple Ways to “Dig” This Week

• Do a short research session: Spend one hour with a documentary clip or article about the environmental and animal-welfare impacts of industrial animal agriculture. Awareness begins the excavation.

• Try one intentional swap: Replace two meals this week with plant-based versions. Notice what feels different.

• Bring food to community: Share a vegan dish at your synagogue or family table; communal meals teach through taste.

• Use ritual as a guide: Pause before eating and ask, “Does this choice reflect Jewish compassion?”

• Learn and lead: Host a JVL-style recipe night, video discussion, or mini-learning session. Collective digging multiplies impact.

None of this demands perfection. Judaism is about persistent alignment, not purity. Wells take time and repeated effort to open. But once uncovered, they sustain whole communities.

Rabbi Akiva’s teaching is not simply about what the food industry hides. It is an invitation: dig deeper, see clearly, and allow truth to reshape your actions. Jewish Vegan Life is here to support that journey with recipes, community, learning, and encouragement — so that the spiritual water of the Torah becomes lived practice.

If you’re ready to start digging, explore our teachings, recipes, and upcoming livestreams at jewishveganlife.org.

Let’s break the surface together and let compassion flow into the world — one meal at a time.