Comments on: Humane kosher food

By: Krewz

Krewz — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:35:28 +0000

“I adhere to Tsa’ar ba’alei hayim, the Jewish commandment mandating that animals be treated with compassion ”

I find it interesting that you raise that point, I learned in school that Tsa’ar ba’alei hayim is only deemed a negative commandment ONLY if the treatment to the animal is done purely to cause pain. however if in some way someone is gaining a livelihood from killing an animal (i.e. hunting) (or in this circumstance providing kosher meat to the American market) its NOT considered Tsa’ar ba’alei hayim

By: Lewis Regenstein

Lewis Regenstein — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:51:30 +0000

Jayn is correct, & treating animals well should be a condition of kosher certification.
>
> Several Jewish laws and teachings strictly forbid
>cruelty to animals, under the code of laws known “Tsaar baalei hayim”, the commandment “to prevent the suffering of living creatures”. There are many other such teachings that forbid cruelty to other creatures.
>
>It should be a source of great pride to us that our People, the Jews, invented the concept of kindness to animals almost 4,000 years ago, and that it is mandated throughout the Bible and Jewish law. Even the holiest of our laws, The Ten Commandments, requires that farm animals be allowed to enjoy a day of rest on the Sabbath. So the Almighty must have felt that kindness to animals was not a trivial matter.
>
>Significantly, the first commandments given by the Lord (Genesis 1:22-28) concern the welfare and survival of animals, and human responsibilities toward them. God’s very first commandment (Genesis 1:22) was to the birds, whales, fish and other creatures to “be fruitful and multiply” and fill the seas and the skies. His first commandment to humans (Genesis 1:28) was to “replenish the earth…and have dominion” [ wise stewardship] over other creatures.
>
>Jews are not allowed to pass by an animal in distress or to ignore animals being mistreated, even on the Sabbath. Yet this is exactly what we do when we purchase and certify as kosher products from animals that are treated cruelly or killed wantonly.
>
>It is truly a shanda, a shameful thing, to see at some kosher slaughterhouses massive abuse and suffering of sentient animals, being committed in the name of our great religion and its traditions, which are devoted to obeying God’s commandments.
>
>As Proverbs 10:12 tell us, “A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast.”
>
>
>Sincerely yours,
>
>Lewis Regenstein
>Atlanta, GA
>3691 Tuxedo Rd NW
>404-814-1371
>
>The writer is president of The Interfaith Council for the Protection of Animals and Nature, and author of “Replenish the Earth: The Teachings of the World’s Religions on Protecting Animals and Nature.”
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By: Isaac Horowitz

Isaac Horowitz — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:52:15 +0000

The next time that we are baffled by anti-semitism, we need only look to the comments of Krews.How sad! How supercilious!
The last time that I looked, my faith did not say that it was okay to torture animals if you were going to eat them.
By going vet, one can feed two birds with one stone: no one can question your faith or your compassion!

By: Richard Schwartz

Richard Schwartz — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:58:29 +0000

Yes, one can harm an animal or even kill it if there is an impoortant human benefit which can’t be obtained in any other way. Judaism does teach that only human beings are created in the image of G-d.

However, we have to question the ‘benefits’ of animal-based agriculture and diets: an epidemic of heart diseas, cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases; major contributions to global warming and other environmental threats that imperil all of humanity; feeding over 40% of the grain produced worldwide to animals while an estimated 20 million of the world’s people are dying annually from hunger and its effects; very inefficient use of water in an increasingly thirsty world, and much more.

Since we can be well nourished and healthy on a wide variety of plant foods, how can we justify animal-based diets, especially when they violate Jewish mandates to preserve our health, treat animals with compassion, help hungry people protect the environment and conserve natural resources.

Please go to ASAcredDuty.com to see our documentary A SACRED DUTY: Applying Jewish Values to Hel Heal the World, and please viit JewishVeg.com/schwartz to see my over 130 articles on these issues.