Are All Jews Commanded to Be Vegetarians?
By Marci Cooke
I am what you call a fair weather vegetarian. That means that I avoid many -- but not all -- animal products because they are too fatty or unhealthy. I do eat some animal products because, well, sometimes I just enjoy a good bowl of chicken soup.
There is a school of thought, though, that Jews are obliged to be vegetarians based on the teachings of the Talmud. There is no argument that the Talmud commands us to preserve human health, treat animals with compassion, protect the environment, and help the hungry. But it is how individuals interpret these commandments that lead us to different paths. Here are some thoughts on the subject:
The Talmud teaches Bal Tashchit which means not to waste or destroy anything of value. Today's farming system has changed a lot since the days of the small family farm. In fact, the land and topsoil erode more each year. Pesticides are destroying beneficial insects as well as the pests. It takes between eight and twelve pounds of grain to produce just one pound of edible beef. This is a massive waste of grain that could be distributed to the hungry here and around the world. It also takes one hundred of gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. One wonders if all the water shortages we encounter during summer months are really "shortages," or just misuse of available water.
Jews are also taught Tsa'ar Ba'alei Chaim. This is a commandment to avoid inflicting suffering on all living creatures. Did you ever wonder what happens to male chicks once they are hatched? Since more females are needed than males, the males are simply destroyed (and not very humanely) for no reason except that they are males. Male calves meet the same destiny, except that they are forced to spend their short, miserable lives in crates so small they cannot move or turn at all before they are slaughtered and sold as veal.
Jews are commanded to preserve our own health. A meat-based diet has been linked to many preventable diseases -- for example, heart disease, high cholesterol and certain types of cancer. Animals are routinely injected with synthetic hormones and antibiotics, which also become a part of our diet.
Jews are commanded to treat animals with compassion Did you know that newborn calves are immediately taken away from their mothers and not allowed to nurse? They are then raised on a synthetic formula. Why? Because farmers can make money from every drop of milk that mama cow produces. Why give it to the baby when it can be sold at market?
While the teachings of the Talmud seem consistent with a vegetarian diet, let's not forget that there is another side to the coin. Why, for example, did G-d give us so many laws regarding the slaughter and eating of animals? And why did He also tell us which animals to eat and which ones we cannot eat? Is this permission for us to go ahead and eat animals? Did he want and expect us to eat them? This article really just skims the surface and is meant to get you thinking. What is your interpretation of the Talmud?
If you would like to learn more about Jewish Vegetarianism, the following websites will provide some answers: http://orbyss.com/jvna.htm is the site of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America. Additionally, Dr. Richard Schwartz has written many articles on the subject and has much to say about Jewish vegetarianism from a Theological perspective. His views can be read at http://aars.envirolink.org/ar-voices/Schwartz.
Marci Cooke is a freelance writer and photographer living in New Jersey.
Author's Note: This article would not have been possible without the help of Richard H. Schwartz, Professor Emeritus, Mathematics, from the College of Staten Island. He is also the author of Judaism and Vegetarians and Judaism and Global Survival. He can be reached at mailto:Schwartz@postbox.csi.cuny.edu
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