Thought for the Day: The Torah Demands and Commands That Do Not Unnecessarily Inflict Suffering on Any Living Creature
There is what people think of when the hear the word "work" and there is what the word "work" means in the context of physics. For example, suppose you picked up a bowling ball in the morning, carried it with you all day, then put it down that evening precisely in the place from which you picked it up. You might feel like you've been through the wringer, but -- according to the definition of work in the context of physics -- you have done zero work. While that may sound surprising, it is not difficult to explain why the word "work" is appropriate in both of these contexts. It is, however, outside the context of this TftD.
I bring this up, because I'd like to discuss the Torah prohibition of צער בעלי חיים. Now, if you paste that into Google Translate, you'll get: Cruelty to animals. Not a bad translation of those words from Modern Hebrew into American English, but not a great rendition of what the Torah prohibition of צער בעלי חיים really means. The best rendition into English I found was in Wikipedia: Causing suffering to an animal that does not advance some legitimate human good. Some great weasel words in there (such as "legitimate human good"); but that is precisely what is needed to being the conversation that leads to understanding. (As opposed to the Facebook approach of, "let's be as outrageously out of context as possible to incite the greatest reaction while still being able to claim... but that is what the words mean!")
First of all, or course, the Torah quite obviously encourages raising animals to be slaughtered. You may counter that the Torah permits that, but is hoping that we will -- in the fullness of time -- become more civilized and learn to eschew eating meat. You would, however, be wrong. For one thing, you cannot have a kosher sefer Torah without animal hides. Nor can you have t'fillin. At the very least, it would be a horrific waste to through out all the tasty meat after removing the hides. More that that, however, even our weekday tables are considered to be an altar. Having meat for dinner (or lunch or breakfast or a snack...) is, therefore, a beautiful sanctification that animal's very existence. Then there is Shabbos and even more so Yom Tov. Add some wine and that animal is in the kosher equivalent of hog heaven. All of that is nowadays in a world that is still lacking the Beis HaMikdash -- may it be rebuilt soon and in our lifetime -- at which point we shall joyfully resume the daily, holiday, gratitude, sin, and donation offerings of bulls, cows, rams, sheep, and birds.
So much for killing it. What about causing it suffering? Delaying the feeding of an animal is considered a grave sin. Noach nearly lost his leg because he was late feeding the lions. (Rashi to B'reishis 7:23, second explanation.) Feeding the animals under one's care is so important, in fact, that if one forgot to feed his animals and remembers even after he has already sat down to eat himself and already made the bracha of המוציא -- he must immediately get up to feed his animals before taking even a single bite himself.
On Shabbos one is obligated to make sure his animal also observes the prohibitions of Shabbos -- be may not carry things other than for the animal's comfort. Even if one left muktzeh items on the animal before Shabbos, the Shulchan Aruch allows several leniencies to unload the animal (Orach Chaim 261:9, and Mishna Brura there). Why, you may ask, is the animal allowed to graze -- which is a direct violation of the Torah prohibition of reaping? Explains the Mishna Brura, because there would be no greater distress to the animal than being prevented from grazing.
There is no question that we animals are here to serve legitimate human good. From these examples, on the other hand, one see to what lengths one must go to prevent unnecessary suffering. It seems to me, though, that the Torah is providing us this prohibition to make very important impression: If this the lengths to which one must go to prevent suffering to an animal -- who only lives in the moment and whose suffering is forgotten the moment is ends -- then how much more so one must be careful not to cause physical, emotional, and certainly spiritual suffering to his fellow Jew.
I bring this up, because I'd like to discuss the Torah prohibition of צער בעלי חיים. Now, if you paste that into Google Translate, you'll get: Cruelty to animals. Not a bad translation of those words from Modern Hebrew into American English, but not a great rendition of what the Torah prohibition of צער בעלי חיים really means. The best rendition into English I found was in Wikipedia: Causing suffering to an animal that does not advance some legitimate human good. Some great weasel words in there (such as "legitimate human good"); but that is precisely what is needed to being the conversation that leads to understanding. (As opposed to the Facebook approach of, "let's be as outrageously out of context as possible to incite the greatest reaction while still being able to claim... but that is what the words mean!")
First of all, or course, the Torah quite obviously encourages raising animals to be slaughtered. You may counter that the Torah permits that, but is hoping that we will -- in the fullness of time -- become more civilized and learn to eschew eating meat. You would, however, be wrong. For one thing, you cannot have a kosher sefer Torah without animal hides. Nor can you have t'fillin. At the very least, it would be a horrific waste to through out all the tasty meat after removing the hides. More that that, however, even our weekday tables are considered to be an altar. Having meat for dinner (or lunch or breakfast or a snack...) is, therefore, a beautiful sanctification that animal's very existence. Then there is Shabbos and even more so Yom Tov. Add some wine and that animal is in the kosher equivalent of hog heaven. All of that is nowadays in a world that is still lacking the Beis HaMikdash -- may it be rebuilt soon and in our lifetime -- at which point we shall joyfully resume the daily, holiday, gratitude, sin, and donation offerings of bulls, cows, rams, sheep, and birds.
So much for killing it. What about causing it suffering? Delaying the feeding of an animal is considered a grave sin. Noach nearly lost his leg because he was late feeding the lions. (Rashi to B'reishis 7:23, second explanation.) Feeding the animals under one's care is so important, in fact, that if one forgot to feed his animals and remembers even after he has already sat down to eat himself and already made the bracha of המוציא -- he must immediately get up to feed his animals before taking even a single bite himself.
On Shabbos one is obligated to make sure his animal also observes the prohibitions of Shabbos -- be may not carry things other than for the animal's comfort. Even if one left muktzeh items on the animal before Shabbos, the Shulchan Aruch allows several leniencies to unload the animal (Orach Chaim 261:9, and Mishna Brura there). Why, you may ask, is the animal allowed to graze -- which is a direct violation of the Torah prohibition of reaping? Explains the Mishna Brura, because there would be no greater distress to the animal than being prevented from grazing.
There is no question that we animals are here to serve legitimate human good. From these examples, on the other hand, one see to what lengths one must go to prevent unnecessary suffering. It seems to me, though, that the Torah is providing us this prohibition to make very important impression: If this the lengths to which one must go to prevent suffering to an animal -- who only lives in the moment and whose suffering is forgotten the moment is ends -- then how much more so one must be careful not to cause physical, emotional, and certainly spiritual suffering to his fellow Jew.
Comments