The Torah assigns to man the dominion of caring for the animal kingdom, a privilege that sometimes is misinterpreted as giving greater significance to his survival and happiness than those of his animal counterparts.
Animals and Jewish Law
In fact, Judaism has always accorded great importance to the care and protection of animals. Both the Torah and the Talmud extol man’s humane treatment of other species – particularly those within his care. The question of whether one can work animals on Shabbat, how much freedom must be given when not working, and when they should be fed in relationship to their owners are all considered important topics in Judaism.
The Torah contains some of the most straightforward explanations about the importance of humane animal treatment. Exodus 20:10 forbids one to work their animals on Shabbat. The prohibition serves to remind Jews not only of the ethical implications of their actions, but that their humane treatment of animals on Shabbat is an extension of their own actions as Jews.
Working Animals on Shabbat
Even so, says author Shubert Spero, the prohibition against working one’s cattle on the Sabbath was actually designed to protect the animal – not the owner.
“The principle was very clearly accepted that having the animal rest on the Sabbath,” Spero explains in his book Morality, Halakha and the Jewish Tradition, “was not merely to ensure the owner’s rest but was an end to be pursued for its own sake.” Spero goes on to note that together with the laws prohibiting the cruelty toward animals, the Shabbat laws “spell out the Torah’s understanding” of the relationship between man and those animals under his dominion.
The same concern is expressed in the positive mitzvah to allow one’s animals to graze freely during the sabbatical year, a practice called sh’mittah in Hebrew. Even though most Jews no longer farm for a livelihood, Leviticus 25:6-7, which declares that “you may eat whatever the land during the Sabbath (year) will produce … (and) your cattle and the beasts in your land may eat all its yield,” still serves to illustrate the importance of animal welfare.
Animal Cruelty and Jewish Traditions
However, no mitzvah better illustrates the Jew’s present-day relationship with animals than the Jewish tradition of feeding them before oneself. Some scholars state that Deuteronomy 11:15, “I will also provide grass in the fields for your cattle and you shall eat your fill” commands Jews to feed their animals first (Berachot 40a; Chabad.org). Various other laws extend from this premise, such as the mitzvah to feed one’s animals when they are hungry and are reflection of the over-arching prohibition against tza’ar ba’alei chayim, or the suffering of living beings. The prohibition prohibits Jews from taking an active or passive part in an action that may cause pain to another creature. This includes letting an animal writhe in pain needlessly, and entrapping or forcing an animal to work while experiencing pain.
Even though Jews are prohibited from working their animals on Shabbat, individuals are still expected to ensure that pets and work animals are fed and safe. Rabbi Aryeh Citron points out that G-d* places such importance on animal welfare that an owner who forgets to feed his animals and remembers after blessing his food may see to the task before eating.
“It is generally forbidden to speak before the blessing and actually eating,” notes R. Citron. In this case, however, one may stop the meal in order to ask someone to feed the animal.
Kosher Slaughter, or Shechita
Another tradition that has present-day implications is the prohibition against kosher slaughter, or shechita. The method employed - when executed correctly – is meant to ensure that the animal does not suffer during slaughter. The procedure is not without its critics however, who point to events such as the Agriprocessors debacle as evidence of the heightened risk of inflicting pain to the animal when diligence and compassion are not applied. Some Jews prefer not to eat meat as a way of making sure they don’t commit tza’ar ba’alei chayim.
In Judaism, the taking of the life of an animal must have a purpose that goes beyond enjoyment. Therefore, hunting for sport is not a Jewish pastime. When hunting for food, the Torah gives specific directions about how to treat the blood of an animal that has been killed: “One must pour out the blood of a killed animal and cover it with the earth.” In traditional Judaism one is not meant to show pride for taking the life of another.
Are Jews Really Permitted to Stone a Dog?
The Jewish viewpoint about man’s dominion and his relationship to other life forms is sometimes confused or poorly portrayed in the media. In June 2011, the online news sources Ynet News and BBC reported that Israel’s rabbinical court had condemned a dog to death by stoning because “it feared (the dog) was the reincarnation of a lawyer who insulted its judges.” (BBC, June 17, 2011). Both publications later retracted the stories and removed them from their databases after it was determined the story was a hoax, but not before the articles had garnered hundreds of thousands of hits. BBC’s reporting on the story erroneously suggested that “dogs are often considered impure animals in traditional Judaism.” BBC later apologized for the article.
Judaism does not regard dogs as impure, but rather sees pets just as deserving of care and respect as any other animal under man’s dominion. Some rabbis have pointed out that pets serve a valuable and beneficial role by providing comfort, companionship and life-saving measures to humans. The use of dogs as companions for stroke victims, medical alert needs and search and rescue and recovery missions in Israel and abroad are a valuable reminder of the special bond that links man and other members of the animal kingdom.
*The use of "G-d" with the "o" removed is intentional. This is performed in order to prevent any intentional or unintentional deletion/destruction of His name, as is customary in traditional Jewish writings.
Sources:
- Lieber, David L. and Harlow, Jules, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and The Rabbinical Assembly, Etz Hayim Humash: Torah and Commentary, 2001
- Spero, Shubert, Morality, Halakha and the Jewish Tradition, Library of Jewish Law and Ethics, Ktav Publishing House, 1983
- Academy BJE (New South Wales)
- Chabad.org
- British Columbia Search Dog Association
- National Service Dogs
- Ynet News (Israel)
- BBC News (Britain)
Jan Lee - Jan Lee has been writing for online and print publications for more than 20 years and have been published in five countries.
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