Do Torah Teachings Justify Animal Exploitation?
by Richard Schwartz, Ph.D. and Dovid Sears
Many apologists for the exploitation of animals seek
justification in scripture, but their presumption is largely due to
the misunderstanding of two important Torah verses that, when properly conceived, actually endorse the struggle
to improve conditions for animals.
The first misunderstanding is that the Torah teaching
that humans are granted dominion over animals (Genesis
1:26) gives us a warrant to treat them in whatever way we may wish.
However, Jewish tradition interprets "dominion" as guardianship,
or stewardship, not domination: we are called upon to be co-workers
with God in improving the world. This biblical mandate does not mean
that people have the right to wantonly exploit animals, and it certainly
does not permit us to breed animals and then treat them as machines
designed solely to meet human needs. In "A Vision of Vegetarianism
and Peace," Rabbi
Abraham Isaac Kook,Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel and a leading
20th century Jewish thinker,states: "There can be no doubt in the
mind of any intelligent person that [the Divine empowerment of humanity
to derive benefit from nature] does not mean the domination of a harsh
ruler, who afflicts his people and servants merely to satisfy his whim
and desire, according to the crookedness of his heart. It is unthinkable
that the Divine Law would impose such a decree of servitude, sealed
for all eternity, upon the world of God, Who is 'good to all, and His
mercy is upon all His works' (Psalms 145:9), and Who declared, 'The
world shall be built with kindness' (ibid. 89:33)."
This view is reinforced by the fact that immediately
after God gave humankind dominion over animals (Genesis
1:26), He prescribed vegetarian foods as the diet best suited to
humans (Genesis 1:29). This
mandate is almost immediately followed by God's declaration that all
of Creation was "very good" (Genesis
1:31). Perhaps this indicates that Adam and Eve's original vegetarian
diet was consistent with the stewardship that God entrusted to them
and to all humankind. Another indication of the true message of dominion
is the Torah verse that indicates that God put Adam, the first human
being, into the garden of Eden to "work it and to guard it."
(Genesis 2:15)
The second error of apologists for animal exploitation
is the presumption that the biblical teaching that only people are created
in the Divine Image means that God places little or no value on animals.
While the Torah states that only human beings are created "in the
Divine Image" (Genesis 5:1),
animals are also God's creatures, possessing sensitivity and the capacity
for feeling pain. God is concerned that they are protected and treated
with compassion and justice. In fact, the Jewish sages state that to
be "created in the Divine Image," means that people have the
capacity to emulate the Divine compassion for all creatures. "As
God is compassionate," they teach, "so you should be compassionate."
A rabbinic teaching that we should imitate God is
Hama bar Hanina's interpretation of the verse, "After the Lord
your God you shall walk" (Deuteronomy
13:5): "How can man walk after God?" the ancient sage
queries. "Is He not called a 'consuming fire'? Rather, what is
meant is that man ought to emulate the attributes of God. Just as God
clothes the naked, so you shall clothe the naked. Just as God visits
the sick, so you shall visit the sick. Just as God comforts the bereaved,
so you shall comfort the bereaved. Just as He buries the dead, so you
shall bury the dead."
In his classic work Ahavat Chesed ("The Love
of Kindness"), the revered Chafetz
Chayim (Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin) discusses this teaching
at length. He writes that whoever emulates the Divine love and compassion
to all creatures "will bear the stamp of God on his person." Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch,
a leading 19th century Jewish thinker, also discusses this concept:
"You can know God only through His acts of love and justice; and,
in turn, you too are called upon to act with love and justice."
Concerning the biblical concept that human beings were created to "serve
and safeguard the earth" (Genesis 2:15), Rabbi Hirsch states that
this actually limits our rights over other living creatures. He writes:
"The earth was not created as a gift to you. You have been given
to the earth, to treat it with respectful consideration, as God's earth,
and everything on it as God's creation, as your fellow creatures - to
be respected, loved, and helped to attain their purpose according to
God's will... To this end, your heartstrings vibrate sympathetically
with any cry of distress sounding anywhere in Creation, and with any
glad sound uttered by a joyful creature."
In summation, as the Lord is our shepherd, we are to be shepherds of
voiceless creatures. As God is kind and compassionate to us, we must
be considerate of the needs and feelings of animals. To this we may
add that by showing compassion to animals through a vegetarian diet,
we help fulfill the commandment to imitate God's ways.
Jewish tradition clearly forbids any display of cruelty toward animals.
In Hebrew, this is called tza'ar ba'alei chayim, the biblical mandate
not to cause "pain to any living creature." In contrast to
this, Psalms 104 and 148 bespeak the worthiness of the animals of the
field, creatures of the sea, and birds of the air before their Creator.
Psalm 104 depicts God as "giving drink to every beast of the field,"
and "causing grass to spring up for the cattle." Perhaps the
Jewish attitude toward animals is best summarized by Proverbs 12:10:
"The righteous person regards the life of his or her animal."
In his explanation of this verse, the Malbim, a 19th century biblical
commentator, explained that the righteous person understands the nature
of the animal, and hence provides food at the proper time, and according
to the amount needed. He is also careful not to overwork the animal.
According to the Malbim, the tzaddik (righteous person) acts according
to the laws of justice. Not only does he act according to these laws
with human beings, but also with animals.
In conclusion, apologists for animal exploitation who try to justify
their stance from biblical text are mistaken. Since Judaism is concerned
with the well being of animals and forbids causing them unnecessary
pain, it clearly is a foe of animal exploitation.
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Rabbi Dovid Sears is the director of the New York-based Breslov Center
for Spirituality and Inner Growth. He is presently completing a comprehensive
anthology of original translations and essays entitled The Vision of
Eden: Animal Welfare and Vegetarianism in Jewish Law and Mysticism.
His previous books include Compassion for Humanity in the Jewish Tradition,
The Path of the Baal Shem Tov: Early Chasidic Teachings and Customs,
and The Flame of the Heart: Prayers of a Chasidic Mystic.
Richard H. Schwartz is Professor Emeritus, Mathematics,
College of Staten Island, City University of New York. He is author
of Judaism and Vegetarianism, Judaism and Global Survival, and Mathematics
and Global Survival. He has over 100 articles and book reviews at http://www.JewishVeg.com.
Sources: Schwartz
Collection on Judaism, Vegetarianism, and Animal Rights |