July 23, 2010
Orthodox Judaism
Official statements, plus historical and contemporary statements on animals
General Information
Orthodox Judaism is the most conservative of the three primary branches of Judaism. Members of the Orthodox faith believe that both the Written Law (Torah) and the Oral Law (Mishnah) were given to Moses directly by G-d and that strict adherence to the Law is required of all Jews.
The Talmud (ancient Rabbinic commentaries on the Mishnah) is considered authoritative in questions concerning the Law's interpretation. Halakhah (the law plus its traditions and interpretations) affects every aspect of Orthodox life, infusing the mundane with divine significance and keeping G-d constantly in one's thoughts. Because Halakhah is a comprehensive system, it includes practices that govern humanity's relationship with G-d, with other humans, and with animals.
Number of Members Worldwide: 1.8 million
Numbers of Members in the U.S. and Canada: 600,000
Governing Body: Orthodox Judaism has no central governing body. Broadly speaking, Orthodox Judaism can be divided into two sub-groups: Modern Orthodox Judaism and Haredi Judaism, the latter of which includes Hasidic Judaism and Mitnagdish (non-Hasidic Haredi) Judaism.
In the United States and Canada, Modern Orthodox Judaism is the largest of these subgroups. The interests of Modern Orthodox Jews in North America are represented by several organizations, the largest of which are the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and the Rabbinical Council of America. The largest organization representing the interests of Mitnagdish Jews in North America is Agudath Israel of America.
Official Statements on Animals
There is no central governing body within Orthodox Judaism with the authority to issue official statements on matters of faith or practice.However, particular texts and traditions are considered normative across the Orthodox faith. Some of these texts and traditions concern humanitiy's relationship with the nonhuman world.
For example, each day, Orthodox Jews recite three prayers, with additional prayers recited on the Sabbath and on most Jewish holidays. The daily morning prayer includes Torah verses that bless G-d for creating and preserving animals, ecosystems, and human beings and that acknowledge the capacity of all creatures to know and praise their creator.
On the Sabbath during the winter, the afternoon prayer offers gratitude to G-d for creation. This prayer acknowledges that G-d cares about animals in themselves, independent of any use they may have for human beings. Additionally, there is a special prayer that devout Jews are required to recite when they see a beautiful animal. This prayer points to the need for humanity to recognize and appreciate the magnificence of all creatures.
In addition to prayers, certain written texts are considered to be authoritative within Orthodox circles. Among these texts is the Shulchan Aruch, a 16th Century guide to the practical application of Written and Oral Laws. Within the Shulchan Aruch, the concept of “tzaar baalei chaim” is affirmed and explained. According to this concept, it is forbidden "to inflict pain upon any living creature."
Some Talmudic scholars view tzaar baalei chaim as more than an injunction against causing pain to animals; they see it as a command to show animals compassion. According to this view, "Whoever has compassion for other creatures is shown compassion from Heaven; whoever does not have compassion for other creatures is not shown compassion from Heaven."
Historical References on Animals
Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon, also known as Maimonides or the Rambam, was a renowned 12th Century rabbinic scholar whose “13 Principles of the Faith” is widely accepted as the definitive distillation of Orthodox beliefs.
Maimonides taught that although Jewish Law permits the use of animals “when necessary,” great care must be taken to observe the compassion dictated by tzaar baalei chaim. Humanity must always remember, said Maimonides, that "the Universe does not exist for man's sake," that each animal "exists for its own sake," and that animals, like humans, experience both emotional and physical pain.
Indeed, said Maimonides, in some circumstances "there is no difference...between the pain of man and the pain of other living things." The Sefer ha-Chinuch, a 13th century Spanish commentary on the Torah, affirms the need for compassion toward animals, explaining that when a human soul "becomes accustomed to have pity...upon animals...[it] will likewise grow accustomed to be kind to human beings."
Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer—also known as Ba’al Shem Tov or the Besht—was the 18th century founder of Hasidic Judaism. According to the Besht, every creature is infused with Divine sparks. Early Hasidic rabbis explained that these sparks give all creatures vitality and that "there is nothing material which has vitality without holines."
Although early Hasidic rabbis saw all creatures as filled with Divine sparks and therefore holy, they continued to permit animals to be used for food, clothing, and other purposes, as long as the animals were treated with compassion and reverence. Despite rabbinic agreement that such uses were permissible, some rabbis were distressed by the plight of "resource" animals. According to these rabbis, a caged animal is equivalent to an imprisoned human being. Caged animals must be purchased and released since "'ransoming prisoners'...constitutes a moral imperative." Other rabbis prayed for "forgiveness" from animals and other members of creation because we have "sinned against them" both physically and spiritually.
Contemporary References on Animals
The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), which has a membership of nearly 1,000 ordained rabbis in 14 countries, states that all possible efforts must be made to prevent the suffering of animals during slaughter. “We must show sensitivity to needless animal suffering," says the RCA, "preventing it where possible, and minimizing it when unavoidable. This is particularly true when it comes to practicing humane methods of animal slaughter, a matter of great concern to rabbis in every generation.”
The RCA also encourages its members to partner with Canfei Nesharim, an organization dedicated to teaching Torah perspectives on environmental protection and animal welfare. On its website, Canfei Nesharim explains that several Torah concepts have a direct bearing on our treatment of animals. For instance, the concept of tzaar baalei chaim, explains Canfei Nesharim, is so comprehensive that it's injunction against causing pain includes sanctions against causing animals to “worry.”
In addition, continues Canfei Nasharim, the concept of shiluach ha-ken (sending a mother bird away before taking her young), not only attempts to avoid "causing pain to the mother," but also tries to protect animals from extinction by ensuring that some members of the species will always survive. This concept is a call to protect endangered species. The concept of migrash (keeping an open space around a city), continues Canfei Nasharim, demands that animal habitats be preserved and the concept of bal tashchit ("do not destroy or waste") forbids the wasteful destruction of G-d's good creatures.
In all our dealings with animals, concludes Canfei Nesharim, we must remember that we serve G-d when we heal "this fractured world" through loving kindness toward all G-d's creatures. "The callous uprooting of another creature's life force to sustain frivolous or reckless action is irresponsible," says Canfei Nesharim. "Our dominion over animals is based on our obligation to sincerely serve Hashem, thus helping manifest healing in this fractured world… our every action is dedicated to honoring His creation, performing His mitzvos, and directing loving kindness to all of those around us."
Sources and More Information
For references to the statements above, plus the full Orthodox Judaism entry, including links to documents and articles, click on this PDF.