The  Basur  IS  Asur

Should We Be Vegetarians?

Rena Mandel and Leah Schiffman   

                                                            
     The literal definition of vegetarianism is "the theory or practicing of living on a diet made up of vegetables, fruits, grains or nuts, sometimes eggs or dairy products."  Over many years, vegetarianism has become a part of Jewish societies.  Many rabbis such as the Rama have dealt with the issue of being a vegetarian.  Some rabbis say that being a vegetarian shows a tremendous amount of sensitivity towards animals because you are against seeing animals hurt or slaughtered. 

     The Rambam says an Oneg Shabbos involves eating meat and drinking wine. But how can someone who is a vegetarian and doesn't eat meat do this? The Shulchan Oruch  explains that if a person feels pain due to eating a lot, then the person the person doesn't have to eat a lot. In this same way, if a person feels pain by eating meat, then they shouldn't eat the meat. 

     In the Gemara, it explains that if you have a relative who died, but they weren't buried yet, you can't eat meat during that time. Eating meat is not a mitzvah which applies on Shabbos.  However, there is a contradiction related to vegetarianism and Shabbos.  We learn that if a person isn't' comfortable at all eating meat, there is no obligation for that person to eat meat on Shabbos.

     Some say that eating meat isn't a mitzvah which applies on Yom Tov.  In the Gemara B'atarah, it says, after the Churban, the Rabbis were overwhelmed by the greatness which fell upon the Jews.  The destruction was so enormous that the rabbis forbade people from getting married or eating meat.  This was a sign of mourning.  After studying this, the Tosfos asked a question.  How could the rabbis forbid people from getting married at that time, if marriage is a mitzvah from the Torah?  This question was not answered because the Tosfos did not include meat in the question.

     The Shuchan Oruch doesn't consider eating meat as a simchat yom tov, but many other rabbis say it is necessary to eat meat on yom tov because by eating meat you are celebrating the holiday.  Some rabbis feel that vegetarianism is not caused by physical or emotional issues, but by moral or philosophical issues.  This is shown is two ways:
1. They feel it is morally wrong to take the life of an animal for the purpose of eating it.
2. It's inhumane for a person to inflict pain on another creature.

     Jewish vegetarians feel that the reason people become vegetarians are based on their religious beliefs.  A number of rabbis in Israel are vegetarians.  Reb Avraham Yitzchak Kook says that " The effect of knowledge will spread even to animals…    and sacrifices in the Bais Hamikdash will consist of vegetation and it will be pleasing to Hashem, as in the days of old…   The implication is that there will be no animal sacrifice in the Bais Hamikdash, then there will be no animal slaughter what so ever." Our rabbis teach us that eating meat was not part of the "blue print"  the creation of the world. 

"Behold I have given to you all vegetations… for food." Ramban explains that creatures which possess a soul are superior in the sense that they are similar to humans.  Animals were created to help humans and not to be eaten by us.  Although this can be correct there is a contradictory issue in Parshas Noach where Hashem specifically commanded Noach to kill the animals in order to eat. 

     Although we have permission  from Hashem to slaughter and eat animals, we don't have permission regarding the animals soul, and are forbidden to eat a limb cut off from an animal which is still alive, or to use the blood of a living animal.  From this we see that although man was aloud to eat the animals, he still had to maintain a type of animals, he still had to maintain a type of respect for the animals life.  This applies to everyone except for the Jews who have many more restrictions on them regarding eating of meat.

     According to the Rambam, compassion for an animals pain is an important part of Judaism.  Like Hashem has pity on us, we must have pity on the animals.  For example, Hashem tells us to send the mother bird away if we are going to take the eggs.  Hashem also forbids us to slaughter an animal and it's calf on the same day.  This type of commandment is  a decree from the Torah.
     The Torah teaches us the proper way to act.  It says that a person should only eat meat when he has the appetite for meat.  Someone might think that this statement means that he should go out to the market and buy meat.  But the Torah refers to your flocks, which means you shouldn't spend money, but you should get it from your own animals.  The Torah says that it is permitted to get meat from your animal, but you should not slaughter all of them.   Reb Elazar Ben Azariah learns from this that there are certain times that are more appropriate to slaughter animals. 

     The Torah commanded us in Parshas Kedoshim, "Kedoshim Tehiyu", which means to be holy.  The rabbis found many ways of interpreting this mitzvah.  The Ramban interprets the mitzvah in the following way.  " Be holy by holding yourself back from things which are permitted to you…   for those who drink wine and eat meat are considered scoundrels with a Torah license."   From this we learn that we are permitted to consume animals and that people who make the decision to be a vegetarian do so because they feel it's wrong to take the life of an animal for their own pleasure.

     Judiasm shares the same issue as Buddhism in the sense that it is wrong to hurt an animal and to make them suffer.  Rabbis say that the of inflicting pain on a living creature is not only from the Torah, but is from the Rabbis.  If the Torah even forbids someone from destroying a fruit tree during a war, how much more so for destroying an animal. A part of Judiasm is having pity on the life of an animal.  The Rama says that even though there is a mitzvah to make Shehechianu when you put on a new piece of clothing, there are many people who make this blessing if they wear a piece of clothing or shoes when they wear a piece of clothing.

     According to the Shuchan Aruch, it is important that our animals should not go hungry while we eat. A person may interrupt the action of a mitzvah to make sure that an animal is fed. From here we see, how important animals are and how important it is that we keep them healthy. 

     Some people become  vegetarian to better follow the laws of Kathrut .  In books referring to Jewish law there are many laws regarding Kashrus which focus on slaughtering and preparing animals. A vegetarian is avoiding many of the problems which are involved in preparing animals.  The medrash explains that on Shavuos it is a custom for Jews to eat foods prepared with milk. This is because in the desert, when Bnai Yisrael had their first Shavuos they ate only dairy foods because they did not know the laws for preparing meat. 

     Some orthodox Jews today feel that they should be extra careful and are apprehensive when it comes to eating meat, because all the laws are confusing to them.  In sections of the Gemara, it says Reb Yehuda HaLevy taught that it was forbidden for an ignorant person to eat meat since the Torah writes that whoever is involved in the learning of Torah may eat the flesh of an animal, but whoever doesn't learn Torah may not eat it.

The Maharsha explains someone who doesn't know the laws might by accident eat meat that is not kosher. In Devarim it says: "Be extremely protective of your lives."  In Judaism we are required to make sure that we are healthy and that we don't harm our bodies.  One reason for this is that if our bodies are healthy then our souls are healthy, and we can do many mitzvos.  Becoming a vegetarian is much healthier for your body.  Your risk of cancer decreases by 40%.  Vegetarians outlive meat eaters by 6 years.  According to Reb David Rosen if we care about our health we, as Jews should become vegetarians.