Do Torah Teachings Justify Animal Exploitation?

DO TORAH TEACHINGS JUSTIFY ANIMAL EXPLOITATION?

Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.

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 and kill 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.” 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 texts 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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