Is Traditional Jewish Practice Cruel to Animals?
It is certainly a paradox that Judaism is being accused by animal welfare groups. Jewish documents stand out clearly in comparison the very recent animal welfare activism, but that has not kept the latter from zealous, dogmatic and often disparaging attacks on the former. Just to refresh our memories, we should recall some of the Torah teachings regarding respect for animals: in the Ten Commandments, domestic animals have the right to rest on the Sabbath just like human beings (Exodus, 23,12); there is protection for the integrity of an animal’s body and it is forbidden to cut a member from a living animal for food (Genesis 9:4, according to a rabbinical interpretation); an plowing animal may not be muzzled and thus prevented from eating (Deuteronomy 25:4); it is forbidden to have different species of animals harnessed together for farm work (Deuteronomy 22:28); rabbinical tradition prohibits tza’ar ba’alè chaiim, the suffering of animals, for example even allowing cows to be milked on
