[Avodah] anti-meat rhetoric "according to Judaism"

[Jacob Farkas]

> On Fri, Jul 09, 2010 at 07:26:03PM +0300, Shoshana L. Boublil quoted from
> some Jewish Vegetarian argument:
> : 1) While Judaism mandates that people should be very careful about
> : preserving their health and their lives...
> : 2) While Judaism forbids tsa'ar ba'alei chayim, inflicting unnecessary pain
> : on animals...
> : 4) While Judaism mandates bal tashchit...
>
R' Micha Berger said:
> The definition of risk to health, "unnecessary pain", and hashchasah are not
> what the author presumes. Minor risk is permitted -- otherwise it would
> be assur to cross streets or drive. TBC is allowed as long as what the
> person wants (other than enjoying cruelty itself, eg bullfighting) is
> not within reach in another way. Similarly bal tashchis.
>
> The values needed to justify vegetarianism are inserted into the "while"s,
> not inherent in the dinim being cited.

I will agree that argument #1 (and to some degree #3,#4,#5, and #6)
cited is hyperbole, argument #2 is mostly accurate. The key issue is
factory farming though, and not necessarily the eating of meat. The
overwhelming majority of meat in this country is available through
this channel, and Kosher meat is no different.

I understand these arguments to suggest that we assess the reality
that goes into meat production, and consider the implications that the
act of eating meat has on the welfare of the animals and planet.
Granted, if the meat is pasture raised (as was the norm until the past
century), these arguments no longer remain.

Argument #2) Tza'ar Ba'alei Hayyim -- Cows raised in a feedlot have a
corn(or other grain)-based diet rather than a grass based diet. This
modification to the animal's diet is offset by antibiotics and other
procedures. The living quarters are cramped and the animals are knee
deep in their own Tzo'ah. Chickens live in cramped quarters.

I will be fair, though. I don't absolutely know know whether the cow
or chicken truly minds, is suffering, has the capacity to file a
complaint. For all I know, Kelapei Shemaya Galya, the cow is totally
oblivious to this treatment. But how would this be any different to
seeing a donkey Roveitz Tachas Masao? If it appears inhumane to us, we
are obligated to intervene on the animals behalf, even if we have no
means to ascertain that it actually "hurts" the animal.

Pasture fed animals have none of these issues. Their diet does not
require modifications to keep them from getting sick. They are not
confined to cramped indoor spaces. These are not unlike the animals
that were slaughtered for the past few thousand years. Chazal, and
leaders since, mentioned no explicit objection to eating meat, as
their animals were not subject to these conditions. For the most part,
our current Gedolim have not raised much objection either, a notable
exception being R' Moshe Feinstein regarding veal. I can only
speculate what his reaction would have been had he visited a feedlot
as well as a farm that raises pasture fed beef.

The argument ( #3) surrounding environmentalism, (#4) bal tashchis,
(#5) keeping bread from the poor, are all products from the same
questionable practice of Factory Farming. Absent of this process,
there would be less environmental impact (no need to grow the corn for
cattle, transport said corn, etc.). In a pasture model, there are
fewer animals per acre, and their cumulative waste has much less
negative impact as a result. Resources that go toward growing more
corn (peirush: governmental subsidies) and grain so as to feed the
cattle can be diverted to producing food lower on the food chain and
can arguably feed a greater number of people.

Again to be fair, I am not thoroughly convinced that poverty will be
abolished or otherwise severely diminished as a result of the
cessation of factory farming. And I doubt even further, that if all
the Kosher meat production shifts to pasture raised cattle, that these
changes will occur. In any event, the global shift towards factory
farming does have global consequences environmentally, as well as in
resource management and food distribution. This is worthy of
consideration, while not explicitly in violation of Bal Tashchis.

--Jacob Farkas