<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I have been distressed by a minority posting of what appears to be an insensitivity to tzaar baalei chayim.<div>Hence, this is my final posting on the topic.</div><div><br></div><div>The famous story of Yehuda HaNasi: A calf was being taken to the slaughter, when it broke away, </div><div>hid his
head under Rabbi's skirts, and lowed [in terror]. 'Go', said he, 'for
this wast thou created.' </div><div>Thereupon they said [in Heaven], 'Since he has
no pity, let us bring suffering upon him.' <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">Rabbi </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">was afflicted with a stone in the urinary tract and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">thrush for thirteen years. One day, his maidservant </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">was sweeping the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">house. Seeing some weasel pups lying there, she was about to sweep </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">them away. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">Rabbi said to her, “Let them be, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">as it is written: ‘God’s </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">compassion is over all God’s creatures” (Psalms 145:9). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">At that moment, it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">was said in heaven, “Since he is now </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">compassionate, let us be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">compassionate to him.” </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">And he was cured.</span> Bava Metzia 85a</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">When Moshe Rabbeinu was tending the flocks of Yisro in the wilderness, a lamb</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">scampered off, and Moshe ran after it, until it approached a shelter under a</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">rock. As the lamb reached the shelter, it came upon a pool of water and</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">stopped to drink. When Mosehe caught up with it, he said, “I did not know</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">that you ran away because you were thirsty. Now you must be tired.” So,</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">he hoisted the lamb on his shoulder and started walking back with it. The</font></div></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">Holy One then said, “Because you showed such compassion in tending the</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">flock of a mortal, as you live, you shall become shepherd of Israel, the flock</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">that is Mine.” (Shmos Rabbah 2:2)</font></div></div></body></html>