From the Rabbi’s Study…Shabbat, September 13,14, 2024/10,11 Elul 5784
This Shabbat Torah portion summary: Laws pertaining to marriage and family relationships, miscellaneous ritual laws, agricultural laws, and moral and humane laws.
Since so many people have animals as pets, on farms, or ranches this Sabbath the laws for kindness to animals. In ancient times the law was very concerned with the treatment of animals. Deuteronomy 2:10 states that it is forbidden to yoke a donkey with an ox. Due to the difference in size and strength of the animals, it would be cruel to the weaker donkey with the stronger ox. Deuteronomy 22:6-7 states that if one chances upon a bird with its eggs, one shall not take the mother along with its young. The Torah describes the ground of sympathy as the sacredness of the parental relationship. The mother bird is sacred because she is a mother. But if she is taken away, and does not see her young ones taken, she does not feel as much pain. This is an amazing insight of Judaism, according to the Torah the reward for not taking a female bird with its young is that of length of days.
In addition to the mitzvah of honoring the dead, being kind to animals, and restoring lost property, we also have the mitzvah for making a parapet for one’s roof! The Torah states that “you shall make a parapet for your roof…that you not bring blood upon your house” (Deuteronomy 22:8). In ancient times people slept on the roofs of houses. This prevents someone from harm or their life in jeopardy. Since the Torah is our guidelines to moral and ethical behavior in all aspects of our lives, it is not such a surprise that safeguarding our home would be required by biblical law.
As regarding one’s pets…Do you know that when feeding your pets, you Feed Them First? Then you may eat your meals. Farmers and ranchers feed their animals first before they eat their meals, and on the Sabbath they hire non-Jews to tend the animals (feeding livestock is considered work). If you have hens, like my daughter’s family, the coop has a unique feature that the hen laying eggs rolls into a separate area. The family retrieves the eggs when the hens are in the field. Those that have hens that are not just for egg laying allow the hen to remain with the eggs until the chicks hatch. Other pets that have litters, the young ones have to stay with the mother for a specific length of weeks until they can be taken away. Those that have fish…the mothers eat their young, so a special device separates the pregnant fish so the live babies are in a safe area, other aquariums have a lot of greenery for the babies to hide.
Now that you just read how much the Torah focuses on protecting and saving the lives of animals, how much more for a Jewish person to protect and save human life!
When war happens our people warn enemies to remove the women, children, and elderly to a safe place before the attack, and Israel did this for the civilians in Gaza. Today, one definitely sees the differences between the Jewish people and the enemies that Israel is fighting against.
May the Israeli leaders continue to strive to rescue the hostages and bring the war to speedy ending. May the world leaders stand strong with Israel! May all of us continue to speak out against Anti-Semitism, and continue to support Israel by buying products made from Israel, or through donations to Utah Jewish Federation, Magan David (ambulances and medical supplies), to name a few.
Am Ysrael Chai! Long Live Israel!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Helene Ainbinder
