The prevailing stance in Jewish orthodoxy is that environmental issues are extra-legal and not under the purview of Halakhah (Jewish law). While considered important, environmental protection falls only under midat haḥasidut (extraordinary piety). This has created a significant barrier to halakhically driven environmental decision-making. Indeed, a persistent problem can be identified within the discourse of Jewish law: namely, the paucity of scholars addressing that which is regarded by many as the most significant issue of our era, namely the environmental crisis and the suffering of our planet. The article claims that focusing strongly on a self-concerned environmentalism, where damaging the environment is seen as the same as harming oneself, can help Jewish legal discussion move closer to mainstream environmentalism.