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Judaism and Vegetarianism JUDAISM AND VEGETARIANISM JUDAISM AND VEGETARIANISM Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D. Lantern Books A Division of Booklight Inc. 2001 Lantern Books One Union Square West, Suite 201 New York, NY 10003 Copyright © Richard Schwartz 2001 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of Lantern Books. Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Schwartz, Richard Judaism and vegetarianism / by Richard Schwartz—[New and rev. ed.]. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-930051-24-7 1. Vegetarianism—Religious aspects—Judaism. 2. Ethics, Jewish. I. Title. BM538.V43 S38 2001 296.3'693—dc21 00-054577 STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT It is to be hoped that this major publication will not only adorn the bookshelf of many a Jewish home, but will also become a guide to an ever- increasing movement of Jews toward vegetarianism, born out of sincere religious conviction rooted in our most sublime teachings.—David Rosen, former Chief Rabbi of Ireland My own view is that a vegetarian diet may in fact hasten the coming of Moshiach (the Messiah). The more we live as if this were the messianic age the closer we are to it. Richard Schwartz’s Judaism and Vegetarianism is a powerful guide to moving self and society closer to Moshiach.—Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author, The Way of Solomon, and founder and director of The Virtual Yeshiva and Simply Jewish Richard Schwartz is changing the world and I am proud to be his friend. You do not have to be a Jew to read and enjoy Judaism and Vegetarianism. Richard has brilliantly written a most fascinating book, no matter what your religion. I found it to be one of the best books I’ve ever read.— Howard F. Lyman, President, EarthSave International; author, Mad Cowboy Why, I have wondered, are so many Jews today shifting toward a more vegetarian diet? In his scholarly and thoughtful style, Richard Schwartz demonstrates the profound imperatives at the heart of the Jewish faith that lead inexorably in a vegetarian direction. He shows us that to be a mensch today, to be a whole and healthy and fully human being, you have to bring your food choices into alignment with your ethics, and that means, for anyone who aspires towards peace and compassion, eating a plant-based diet.—John Robbins, author, Diet for a New America and The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World Thank God, and Professor Richard Schwartz, for a very accurate, very readable, very stirring book! The author’s intellectual integrity, moral passion, and simple human warmth help illustrate a hitherto almost unexplored, yet vastly important territory. His Jewish commitments are as profound as his ethical concerns are universal. The work is a challenge to mind and soul, a call to the conscience, and a guide for practical, necessary action. There must be much acclaim for this brave, pioneering, shiningly humane achievement.—Dr. Andre Ungar, Rabbi of Temple Emanuel, Westwood, New Jersey; former chairman of the Hebraic Studies Department, Rutgers University Jews like me who have (so far) not become full vegetarians will still (like me) find Schwartz’s analysis of the problems of meat-eating to be serious food not only for thought but for action to eat far less meat. And those who are drawn to explore the deeper meanings of Torah will find Schwartz a good and careful guide in this aspect of Jewish tradition. For us who are all the People of the Mouth—whether it is food in or words out—this is an important book.—Rabbi Arthur Waskow, author, Down-To-Earth Judaism: Food, Money, Sex, and the Rest of Life, Godwrestling—Round 2, and several other books Search no further, Richard H. Schwartz has covered all the conceivable aspects of non-meat-eating and the Jewish religion. —Marc Leepson, The Vegetarian Voice EXCERPTS FROM PUBLISHED REVIEWS OF EARLIER EDITIONS Schwartz makes his most original contribution by showing that for each of the standard arguments in favor of vegetarianism, there is a specifically Jewish approach which underpins the vegetarian position.—The Vegetarian Activist A brilliant book of outstanding merit....A classic that should find its way into every Jewish bookcase and certainly of interest to all others who love to widen their knowledge of the ancient and compassionate philosophies.—Victor Ruben, Jewish Vegetarian This is a convincing, compassionate, and comprehensive argu- ment...marshals overpowering evidence...amply documented.... [We] will be compelled to think most seriously about the issues raised in this provocative book.—Harry Essrig, The American Rabbi Professor Schwartz has presented us with impressive material supporting his thesis that a practical, healthy, and Torah way of eating is through vegetarianism.—Emunah Dr. Schwartz’s work should find a place in the home library of every thinking individual, religious or not. It should become required reading for high schools, and certainly in pre-marriage counseling....—“Nutrition for Better Health,” Shirley Mandel, The Jewish Press By any standard of measurement, this is an extraordinary book; it covers a field never before explained. When you get through its pages, you might shake your head in bewilderment and say, “This is all so true, why hasn’t it been said before?”—Health Page, Simon Bloom, American Jewish Ledger It would be hard for anyone ethically sensitive—Jew or non-Jew—to read this book and not take up the vegetarian cause.—Paul Peabody, Fellowship of Reconciliation A titan in its glorification of the Jewish faith and spirit.—Rabbi Marcus Kramer, Staten Island Advance TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword . .x Preface to First Edition . .xi Preface to Revised Edition . .xv Rabbinic Endorsement . .xix Acknowledgments . .xxi 1. A Vegetarian View of the Bible . .1 2. Tsa’ar Ba’alei Chayim—Judaism and Compassion for Animals . .15 3. Judaism, Vegetarianism, and Health . .41 4. Judaism, Vegetarianism, and Feeding the Hungry . .61 5. Judaism, Vegetarianism, and Ecology . .79 6. Judaism, Vegetarianism, and Peace . .95 7. Questions and Answers/ Jewish . .103 8. Questions and Answers/ General . .131 9. B’tay-Avon: Have a Hearty Appetite! . .151 10. Jewish Vegetarian Groups and Activities . .159 11. Biographies of Famous Jewish Vegetarians . .171 12. Summary . .178 Appendix . .183 Notes . .199 Bibliography . .215 Index . .223 ix FOREWORD URN FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD SAYS THE PSALMIST (Psalms 34:15). As Professor Richard Schwartz effectively Tdemonstrates in this excellent book, meat-eating today—more than ever before—is harmful in a variety of ways. Conversely, we are able to personally enhance well being for ourselves, our society, and our environment through maintaining a vegetarian diet. I believe that there are compelling arguments to advocate vegetarianism even in an ideal human society, just as the late Chief Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook envisaged the messianic age as a vegetarian era on the basis of biblical texts. However, I recognize as an Orthodox Jew that these compelling arguments are not conclusive. Nevertheless, under present day conditions in modern society, involving, on the one hand, so much damage and danger as well as cruelty in the consumption of animals, and, on the other, the possibilities to have a healthy balanced diet without meat, perhaps as never before it is apparent that the consumption of animal flesh has become halachically unjustifiable. Those who seek to live in accordance with the most sublime values of Judaism will find Richard Schwartz’s book an inspiration and guide for an authentic modern Jewish life that fulfills the above mentioned injunction to “turn from evil and do that which is good, seek peace and pursue it.” Rabbi David Rosen Former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, President for Israel of IJVS Director of Israel Office of the Anti-Defamation League x PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION UDAISM AND VEGETARIANISM? CAN THE TWO BE RELATED? After all, what is a simcha (Jewish celebration) or holiday dinner J without gefilte fish, chopped liver, cholent, roast beef, chicken, and chicken soup? And what about passages in the Torah referring to Temple sacrifices of animals and the consumption of meat? Because of these factors, this book is the result of a leap of faith, an intuition that a religion that has such powerful teachings about compassion for animals, preserving health, feeding the hungry, helping the poor, and conserving resources must be consistent with vegetarianism. As I probed for appropriate Jewish teachings and concepts, I became increasingly convinced that to be more completely involved with the glorious goals and values of Judaism, one should be a vegetarian. While Judaism emphasizes tsa’ar ba’alei chayim, the prohibition against causing needless suffering for animals, animals are raised for food today under cruel conditions, in crowded, confined cells, where they are denied fresh air, exercise, and any natural existence. While Judaism mandates that we be very careful about preserving our health and our lives, animal-centered diets have been linked to heart disease, several forms of cancer, and other degenerative illnesses. While Judaism stresses that we are to share our bread with the hungry, seventy percent of the grain grown in the United States and over one-third of the grain grown worldwide is fed to animals destined for slaughter, as millions of people die annually because of hunger and its effects. While Judaism teaches that “the earth is the Lord’s” and we are partners with God in preserving the world and seeing that the earth’s xi xii JUDAISM AND VEGETARIANISM resources are properly used, a flesh-centered diet requires the wasteful use of food and other resources, and results in much pollution.
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