VEGETARIANISM: A SPIRITUAL IMPERATIVE?
Richard Schwartz
Vegetarianism is a spiritual imperative for Jews today because of the many
ways in which the realities of animal-based diets and agriculture sharply
deviate from Jewish values, teachings, and mandates:
1. We worship a God Who is called "Harachamon" (the
compassionate One), a Creator whose compassion is over all of His creatures (as
recited 3 times daily at synagogue services). Jews, are to be "rachmanim
b'nei rachmanim" (compassionate children of compassionate ancestors). One
of the distinguishing characteristics by which a Jew can be identified is
compassion.
Can this be consistent with having a diet that involves meat from animals who
have been raised under very cruel conditions on "factory farms?"
2. Proverbs 12:10 states, "The righteous person regards the life of
his or her animal." In Judaism, one who is unnecessarily cruel to
animals cannot be regarded as a righteous individual. Many great Jewish heroes
were chosen because they showed kindness to animals. Moses and King David were
considered worthy to be leaders (Exodus Rabbah 2:2). Rebecca was judged suitable
to be Isaac's wife because of other kindness in providing water to the camels of
Eliezer, Abraham's servant. There are many Torah laws involving compassion to
animals. An ox is not to be muzzled when threshing in a field of corn
(Deuteronomy 25:4). A farmer should not plow with an ox and an ass together (so
that the weaker animal would not suffer pain in trying to keep up with the
stronger one) (Deuteronomy 22:10). Animals, as well as people, are to be allowed
to rest on the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:10). The importance of this verse is
indicated by its inclusion in the Ten Commandments and its recitation as part of
kiddush (sanctification ceremony using wine or grape juice) on Sabbath mornings.
In view of these powerful teachings: Can we justify the force-feeding of
ducks and geese to create pate de foie gras? Can we justify taking day-old
calves from their mothers so that they can be raised for veal in very cramped
conditions? Can we justify the killing of over 200 million male chicks
immediately after birth at egg-laying hatcheries because they cannot produce
eggs and have not been genetically programmed to be able to have much flesh? Can
we justify artificially impregnating cows every year on "rape racks"
so that they will be able to produce more milk? Many more examples could be
given.
3. Judaism mandates that people be very careful about preserving their
health and their lives. An important Jewish principle is pikuach nefesh, the
duty to preserve a human life. The Talmudic sages applied the principle
"You shall therefore keep my statutes and ordinances, which if a person do
he shall live by them" (Leviticus18:5) to all the laws of the Torah. Hence
Jews are to be more particular about matters concerning danger to health and
life than about ritual matters (Chulin 9a; Choshen Mishpat 427; Yoreh De'ah
116). If it could help save a life, one must (not may) violate the Sabbath, eat
forbidden foods, and even eat on Yom Kippur. (Pesachim 25a) The only laws that
cannot be violated to preserve a life are those prohibiting murder, idolatry,
and sexual immorality. (Yoma 85b; Sanhedrin 74a)
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch writes powerfully in his classic book, Horeb,
about the supreme importance of the mitzvah of guarding our health:
You may not . . . in any way weaken your health or shorten your life. Only if
the body is healthy is it an efficient instrument for the spirit's
activity....Therefore you should avoid everything which might possibly injure
your health. . . . And the law asks you to be even more circumspect in avoiding
danger to life and limb than in the avoidance of other transgressions. (Horeb,
p.300)
In sharp contrast to these basic Jewish teachings, animal- centered diets
have been linked to heart disease, stroke, several forms of cancer, and other
illnesses.
4. Judaism stresses that we are to share our bread with hungry people.
The Talmud states, "Providing charity for poor and hungry people weighs as
heavily as all the other commandments of the Torah combined." (Baba Batra
9a)
On Yom Kippur, our holiest day, the prophetic portion read from Isaiah
reminds us that one of the purposes of fasting is to sensitize us to the plight
of the needy, so that we will "share our bread with the hungry." It is
a basic Jewish belief that God provides enough for all. In our daily prayers, it
is said, "He openeth up his hand and provideth sustenance to all living
things" (Ps. 145:16). Jews are obligated to give thanks to God for
providing enough food for us and for all of humanity. In the bircat hamazon
(grace after meals), we thank God "who feeds the whole world with goodness,
grace, loving kindness, and tender mercy."
Again in sharp contrast to these teachings, over 70% of the grain grown in
the United States (and over a third produced worldwide) is fed to animals
destined for slaughter, as 15 to 20 million people worldwide die annually
because of hunger and its effects.
5. Judaism teaches that "the earth is the Lord's" and that we
are to be partners with God in preserving the world. The Talmudic
sages assert that people's role is to enhance the world as "co-partners of
God in the work of creation." (Shabbat 10a) There is a Midrash (a story
that teaches a Torah lesson based on biblical events and values) that
beautifully expresses the idea that God needs people to help tend the world (ecclesiastes
Rabbah 7:28).
It includes with the admonition that we should not corrupt or destroy the
world, because if we do, there will be nobody after us to restore it. Once
again, the realities of animal-based agriculture stand in sharp contrast to
these fundamental Jewish values: it contributes substantially to soil erosion
and depletion, extensive air and water pollution related to chemical fertilizer
and pesticides, the destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats, and
global warming.
6. Judaism mandates that we are not to waste or unnecessarily destroy
anything of value. This prohibition, called bal tashchit ("thou
shalt not destroy") is based on Deuteronomy 20:19, 20, which prohibits the
destruction of fruit trees in times of war. This prohibition was extended by the
Jewish sages. It it forbidden to cut down even a barren tree or to waste
anything if no useful purpose is accomplished (Sefer Ha-Chinuch 530). The sages
of the Talmud made a general prohibition against waste: "Whoever breaks
vessels or tears garments, or destroys a building, or clogs up a fountain, or
destroys food violates the prohibition of bal tashchit" (Kidushin 32a). In
summary, bal tashchit prohibits the destruction, complete or incomplete, direct
or indirect, of all objects of potential benefit to people.
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch stated that bal tashchit is the first and most
general call of God: We are to "regard things as God's property and use
them with a sense of responsibility for wise human purposes. Destroy nothing!
Waste nothing!" (Horeb; Vol. 2, p. 282) He indicated that destruction
includes using more things (or things of greater value) than is necessary to
obtain one's aim. (Horeb; Vol. 2, p. 280)
Once again, realities of modern livestock agricultural sharply deviate from
these powerful teachings, since it requires far more land, water, energy, and
other resources than plant-based agriculture.
7. The Jewish tradition mandates a special obligation to work for peace.
Judaism does not command that people merely love peace or merely seek peace but
that they actively pursue peace. The rabbis of the Talmud state that there are
many commandments that require a certain time and place for their performance,
but with regard to peace, "seek peace and pursue it" (Psalms. 34:15);
you are to seek it in your own place and pursue it everywhere else.
The famous Talmudic sage, Hillel, states that we should "be of the
disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace." (Pirke Avot 1: 12) On
the special duty of Jews to work for peace, the sages comment: "Said the
Holy one blessed be He: The whole Torah is peace and to whom do I give it? To
the nation which loves peace!" (Yalkut Shimoni, Yithro 273) The rabbis of
the Talmud used lavish words of praise to indicate the significance of peace:
Great is peace, for God's name is peace.... Great is peace, for it
encompasses all blessings.... Great is peace, for even in times of war, peace
must be sought.... Great is peace seeing that when the Messiah is to come, He
will commence with peace, as it is said, "How beautiful upon the mountains
are the footsteps of the messenger of good tidings, who announces peace"
[Isaiah. 52:7] (Leviticus Rabbah 9:9)
By now, it should be no surprise that these important teachings are most
consistent with plant-based diets. Animal-centered diets, by wasting valuable
resources, help to perpetuate the widespread hunger and poverty that frequently
lead to instability and war.
8. Jews can only kill animals to meet an essential human need. For
example, hunting for sport is not considered legitimate, and is not only
discouraged in the Talmud, but is also prohibited in Jewish law. Since it is not
necessary to consume animal products in order to maintain good health (the
contrary is the case), can the eating of meat be consistent with Jewish
spirituality?
9. Another concern for committed Jews is tikkun olam, the general mandate
to preserve and protect the world, and, when necessary, to restore it to a less
polluted state. It is becoming increasingly apparent that
vegetarianism is not only an important individual choice today, but it is a
societal imperative because of the severe economic and environmental costs of
animal-based diets. In 1993, almost 1,700 of the world's scientists from 70
countries, including 104 Nobel laureates, signed a "World Scientists
Warning to Humanity", which stated that "a great change in our
stewardship of the earth and the life on it is required if vast human misery is
to be avoided and our global home on this planet is not to be irretrievably
mutilated."
While permission to eat meat was given in the Torah, it is generally
considered to be a concession to people's weakness, with many restrictions (the
laws of kashrut). Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook, one of the greatest Jewish
philosophers of the 20th century, and the first chief rabbi of pre-state Israel,
believed that these many dietary constraints imply a reprimand, and are designed
to keep alive a sense of reverence for life so that people would eventually
return to God's original vegetarian diet (Genesis 1:29). Rabbi Kook believed
that the future Messianic period will be vegetarian. He based this on the words
of Isaiah (11:6-9): "...the wolf shall dwell with the lamb...the lion shall
eat straw like the ox...and no one shall hurt nor destroy in all of God's holy
mountain."
In summary, in view of Judaism's strong teachings with regard to preserving
human health, treating animals with compassion, protecting the environment,
conserving resources, and helping the hungry, and the very negative effects that
the production and consumption of meat has in each of these areas, Jewish
spirituality can best be enhanced through a diet with a minimum of and
preferably no animal products.