About a month ago, we discussed the question of the morality of eating animal products here. The responses we received reflected a mix of reasons and arguments, along with the use of human concepts in reference to animals, which makes it difficult to have a substantive discussion.
There are actually two separate issues here. One is the very justification for killing animals for food purposes; including animal experiments to develop drugs, surgical techniques, and the like. The second issue is the way animals are raised, transported, and slaughtered for food.
Unfounded comparisons
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The first issue concerns a very fundamental question – is there a supreme authority that determines what is permitted and what is prohibited, what is moral and what is immoral? Are humans and animals on the same level, or is man in a completely different place compared to other creatures?
Anyone who listens to the propaganda of 'animal rights' organizations sees that this is actually the agenda that drives them. The very use of the term 'rights' in reference to animals says it all. Humans have rights and salmon have rights. They are all living beings and they all have 'rights'.
From there it moves on to heartbreaking comparisons between a mother who is robbed of her fetus and a cow who is robbed of her calf, or a hen who is robbed of her egg. The purpose of this terminology is to create an identity between human beings and animals. Hence the obvious conclusion – just as it is forbidden to kill a person, or to rob a baby from its parents, it is forbidden to kill animals and use eggs and dairy products. Recently, there have been calls to ban the use of honey, because it constitutes 'exploitation of bees'. Well, insects also have 'rights'.
This approach is completely contrary to the Torah's understanding. There is no comparison between animals and man. Immediately upon the creation of man, the Creator gave him dominion over all creatures and commanded: "And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Man is the purpose of creation, and all other creatures were created for his use.
Indeed, the Torah prohibits the unnecessary suffering of living beings. Therefore, slaughter must also be done in a way that causes the animal a minimum of suffering. But at the heart of things – human needs come before everything else, and if humans need animals, there is no moral question here and certainly no 'rights' of animals.
With permission and authority
Now comes the second issue, through the raising of animals. It is certainly appropriate to prevent them from suffering, and certainly not to abuse them. There has been great improvement in this area in recent years. Consumers can also influence this, by preferring free-range eggs, for example.
But here too the public is exposed to false propaganda, which paints an idyllic picture of the supposedly ancient times in contrast to the 'cruel' industry of today. In the past, there was industry, and there were markets, and there were Italians. Moreover, in the past, animals were used not only for food, but also for work, for cargo, and for transportation, and they were not treated with silk gloves.
To summarize: To the extent that it is possible to prevent unnecessary suffering from animals, this is certainly appropriate and right; but the very use of animals for human needs is certainly moral, and is done with the permission and authority of the Creator of all creatures, the source of morality and justice.
