Living Torah: Is Vegetarianism a Jewish Value?

The Torah portion of Noah raises a lot of issues of vegetarianism vs. eating meat.

By Rabbi Ari Enkin, Rabbinic Director, United with Israel

The week’s Torah portion of “Noah” (Genesis 6:9-11:32) raises a lot of issues of vegetarianism vs. eating meat.

Is it moral to eat meat? Is vegetarianism a legitimate lifestyle? What are the limits on showing compassion to animals?

When man was first created and during the immediate generations thereafter, it was forbidden for people to kill animals for food.

That being said, man was allowed to slaughter animals as sacrifices as a sacrifice to God – as Abel did. This was permitted because sacrificing an animal to God elevates the animal to a higher spiritual state.

However, man was also permitted to eat animals that had died on their own.

So we see that there was no inherent ban on eating meat, nor was there a need to live a vegetarian life.

However, after the Flood, God gave man permission to kill animals for food. A number of explanations are offered for this shift.

According to one approach, since the animals owed their survival to humans (Noah), man became permitted to kill them for food.

Strengthening man’s right to use animals, Noah earned God’s guarantee that He would never again destroy the world — saving animals for all time.

Other explanations suggest that man was weaker after the flood and needed meat for strength. Also, when Noah left the ark, there no vegetation had yet regrown. What would Noah and his family eat? Once meat was permitted to Noah, it became permissible to humans for all time. There are other explanations as well.

Meat or Vegetables?

So is there any reason to avoid eating meat?

Eating is a holy act. There are literally dozens of rules that can revolve around a single meal, from the food that may be eaten to the blessings that must be recited before and after eating.

In fact, the Talmud tells us that when we come up to Heaven, the first question God asks is: “Did you taste every enjoyable fruit that I put on Earth?” In other words, if something is kosher and permissible for consumption, we should enjoy it!

From this perspective, meat ranks high as it is considered to be an honorable and prestigious food. As such, it is the primary food served at festive meals, such as on Shabbat and holidays, weddings and other occasions. Meat is permitted and there is no need to refrain.

On the other hand, compassion for animals is a major principle of Judaism.

For example, it is forbidden to cause needless pain to animals. One must come to the aid of a suffering animal “even if it belongs to your enemy.” A person may not eat until his own animals are first fed. Animals must rest on Shabbat. It is forbidden to kill a cow and her calf on the same day. And hunting as a sport is frowned upon, to say the least.

To say that eating meat is immoral, is severely offensive against the Torah and God, Who clearly permits doing so.

But those who choose a vegetarian lifestyle due to personal preferences, health needs, or concerns about the available supply of kosher meat are completely permitted to do so.

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