Many animal activists regard organized religion as an ideological opponent.
Concerning Judaism, this negative presumption is largely due to the
misunderstanding of two important biblical verses that, when properly
conceived, actually endorse the struggle to improve conditions for animals.

The first misunderstanding is that the biblical teaching that humans are
granted dominion over animals gives us a warrant to treat them in
whatever way we may wish. However, Jewish tradition interprets
"dominion" as guardianship, or stewardship: we are called upon to be co-
workers with God in improving the world. This biblical mandate does not
mean that people have the right to exploit animals wantonly, and it
certainly does not permit us to breed animals and then treat them as
machines designed solely to meet human needs. In "A Vision of
Vegetarianism and Peace," Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, Chief Rabbi of pre-
state Israel and a leading 20th century Jewish thinker, states: "There
can be no doubt in the mind of any intelligent person that [the Divine
empowerment of humanity to derive benefit from nature] does not mean the
domination of a harsh ruler, who afflicts his people and servants merely
to satisfy his whim and desire, according to the crookedness of his
heart. It is unthinkable that the Divine Law would impose such a decree
of servitude, sealed for all eternity, upon the world of God, Who is
'good to all, and His mercy is upon all his works' (Psalm 145:9), and
Who declared, 'The world shall be built with kindness' (Psalm 89:33)."

This view is reinforced by the fact that immediately after God gave
humankind dominion over animals (Genesis 1:26), He prescribed vegetarian
foods as the diet best suited to humans (Genesis 1:29). This mandate is
almost immediately followed by God's declaration that all of Creation was
"very good" (Genesis 1:31). This suggests that Adam and Eve's original
vegetarian diet was consistent with the stewardship that God entrusted to
them and to all humankind. Another indication of the true interpretation of
dominion is the Torah verse that indicates that God put Adam, the first
human being, into the Garden of Eden to "work it and to guard it." (Genesis
2:15)

The second error of some animal activists is the presumption that the
biblical teaching that only people are created in the Divine Image means
that God places little or no value on animals. While the Torah states that
only human beings are created "in the Divine Image" (Genesis 5:1), animals
are also God's creatures, possessing sensitivity and the capacity for
feeling pain. God is concerned that they are protected and treated with
compassion and justice. In fact, the Jewish sages state that to be "created
in the Divine Image," means that people have the capacity to emulate the
Divine compassion for all creatures. "As God is compassionate," they teach,
"so you should be compassionate."

A rabbinic teaching that we should imitate God is Hama bar Hanina's
interpretation of the verse, "After the Lord your God you shall walk"
(Deuteronomy 13:5): "How can man walk after God?" the ancient sage asks. "Is
He not called a 'consuming fire'? Rather, what is meant is that man ought to
emulate the attributes of God. Just as God clothes the naked, so you shall
clothe the naked. Just as God visits the sick, so you shall visit the sick.
Just as God comforts the bereaved, so you shall comfort the bereaved. Just
as He buries the dead, so you shall bury the dead."

In his classic work Ahavat Chesed ("The Love of Kindness"), the revered
Chafetz Chayim (Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin) discusses this teaching
at length. He writes that whoever emulates the Divine love and compassion to
all creatures "will bear the stamp of God on his person." Rabbi Samson
Raphael Hirsch, a leading 19th century Jewish thinker, also discusses this
idea: "You can know God only through His acts of love and justice; and, in
turn, you too are called upon to act with love and justice." Concerning the
biblical concept that human beings were created to "serve and safeguard the
earth" (Genesis 2:15), Rabbi Hirsch states that this actually limits our
rights over other living things. He writes: "The earth was not created as a
gift to you. You have been given to the earth, to treat it with respectful
consideration, as God's earth, and everything on it as God's creation, as
your fellow creatures--to be respected, loved, and helped to attain their
purpose according to God's will...To this end, your heartstrings vibrate
sympathetically with any cry of distress sounding anywhere in Creation, and
with any glad sound uttered by a joyful creature."

Hence, as the Lord is our shepherd, we are to be shepherds of voiceless
creatures. As God is kind and compassionate to us, we must be considerate of
the needs and feelings of animals. To this we may add that by showing
compassion to animals through a vegetarian diet, we help fulfill the
commandment to imitate God's ways.

Critics of religion may be correct in asserting that the various religion
communities are not doing enough to end the many horrible abuses of animals
today. However, the correct response to this failure is not to scorn and
repudiate religion altogether, but as much as possible to enlist the
religious world in the common cause of eliminating the cruel misuses of
animals.

Jewish tradition clearly forbids any display of cruelty toward animals. In
Hebrew, this is called tza'ar ba'alei chayim, the biblical mandate not to
cause "pain to any living creature." Psalms 104 and 148 speak of the
worthiness of the animals of the field, creatures of the sea, and birds of
the air before their Creator. Psalm 104 depicts God as "giving drink to
every beast of the field," and "causing grass to spring up for the cattle."
Perhaps the Jewish attitude toward animals is best summarized by Proverbs
12:10: "The righteous person regards the life of his or her animal." In his
explanation of this verse, the Malbim, a 19th century biblical commentator,
explained that the righteous person understands the nature of the animal,
and hence provides food at the proper time, and according to the amount
needed. He is also careful not to overwork the animal. According to the
Malbim, the tzaddik (righteous person) acts according to the laws of
justice. Not only does he act according to these laws with human beings,
but also with animals.

In conclusion, it would be a tragic mistake for animal activists to dismiss
the various religious communities as unconcerned with the plight of animals.
Rather, we all should seek ways to transcend our philosophical differences
and find a common ground on which we may stand together for the benefit of
animals and humankind.

Rabbi Dovid Sears is the director of the New York-based Breslov Center for
Spirituality and Inner Growth. He is presently completing a comprehensive
anthology of original translations and essays entitled The Vision of Eden:
Animal Welfare and Vegetarianism in Jewish Law and Mysticism. His previous
books include Compassion for Humanity in the Jewish Tradition, The Path of
the Baal Shem Tov: Early Chasidic Teachings and Customs, and The Flame of
the Heart: Prayers of a Chasidic Mystic.

Dr. Richard H. Schwartz is the author of Judaism and Vegetarianism (see
reviews at http://www.Jewishveg.com/rev.html), Judaism and Global Survival,
and Mathematics and Global Survival. He lives on Staten Island, New York,
where he is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the College of Staten
Island, City University of New York. His more than 100 articles on the
Internet can be found at http://jewishveg.com/schwartz.