What does Judaism teach about the proper treatment of animals?
Judaism teaches that we are forbidden to be cruel to animals and that we must treat them with compassion. Since animals are part of God's creation, people have special responsibilities to them. These concepts are summarized in the Hebrew phrase tsa'ar ba'alei chayim, the biblical mandate not to cause "pain to any living creature." While the Torah clearly indicates that people are to have "dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creeps upon the earth" (Gen. 1:28), there was to be a basic relatedness, and people were to consider the rights of animals. Animals are also God's creatures, possessing sensitivity and the capacity for feeling pain; hence they must be protected and treated with compassion and justice.
God made treaties and covenants with animals, just as with humans:
"As for me," says the Lord, "behold I establish My Covenant with you and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the fowl, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; all that go out of the ark, even every beast of the earth." (Gen. 9:9-10)
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground. And I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the land and I will make them to lie down safely. (Hos. 2:20)
The Psalms indicate God's concern for animals, for "His tender mercies are over all His creatures" (Ps. 145:9). They pictured God as "satisfying the desire of every living creature" (Ps. 145:16), "providing food for the beasts and birds" (Ps. 147:9), and, in general, "preserving both man and animal" (Ps. 36:7).
Perhaps the Jewish attitude toward animals is best summarized by the statement in Proverbs 12:10, "The righteous person regards the life of his animal." This is the human counterpoint of "The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His creatures" (Ps. 145:9). In Judaism, one who is cruel to animals cannot be regarded as a righteous individual.
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch eloquently summarizes the Jewish view on treatment of animals:
Here you are faced with God's teaching, which obliges you not only to refrain from inflicting unnecessary pain on any animal, but to help and, when you can, to lessen the pain whenever you see an animal suffering, even through no fault of yours. [Horeb, Chapter 60, #416]
2. Which Torah laws involve compassion for animals?
(1) It is forbidden to cause pain to any animal. Maimonides (1135-1214) [1] and R. Judah ha-Hasid (1150-1217) [2] stated that this is based on the biblical statement of the angel of God to Balaam, "Wherefore have you smitten your ass?" (Num. 22:32). This verse is used in the Talmud as a prime source for its assertion that we are to treat animals humanely. [3]
(2) "You shall not muzzle the ox when he threshes the corn" (Deut. 25:4).
(3) "You shall not plow with an ox and an ass together" (Deut. 22:10).
(4) "A person should not eat or drink before first providing for his animals." [based on Deuteronomy 11:15]
(5) Animals too must be able to rest on the Sabbath day. The kiddush (sanctification over wine or grape juice) that is recited on Sabbath mornings includes the following verse from the Ten Commandments:
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord, thy God, in it you shall not do any manner of work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your cattle, nor the stranger that is within your gates. (Exod. 20:8-10)
(6) It is forbidden to sacrifice a newborn ox, sheep, or goat until it has had at least seven days of warmth and nourishment from its mother (Lev. 22:27).
(7) "And whether it be ox or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day" (Lev. 22:28).
(8) We are forbidden to take the mother bird and its young together. The mother bird must be sent away before its young are taken. (Deut. 22:6-7).
(9) We should not boil a kid in the milk of its mother. (Exodus 23:19, 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21)
(10) Animals should be relieved from suffering:
If you see the ass of him that hates you lying under its burden, you shall surely not pass by him; you shall surely unload it with him. (Exod. 23:5)
(11) We must be vigilant for the well-being of a lost animal:
You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep driven away and hide yourself from them; You shall surely bring them back to your brother. (Deut. 22:1).
3. What are examples of kindness to animals shown by great Jewish heroes?
Many great Jewish heroes of the Bible were trained for their tasks by being shepherds of flocks.
Moses was tested by God through his shepherding:
While our teacher Moses was tending the sheep of Jethro in the wilderness a lamb ran away from him. He ran after her until she reached Hasuah. Upon reaching Hasuah she came upon a pool of water [whereupon] the lamb stopped to drink. When Moses reached her he said, "I did notknow that you were running because [you were] thirsty. You must be tired." He placed her on his shoulder and began to walk. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "You are compassionate in leading flocks belonging to mortals; I swear you will similarly shepherd my flock, Israel." (Exodus Rabbah 2:2)
The greatest Jewish teacher, leader, and prophet was found worthy, not because of abilities as a speaker, statesman, politician, or warrior, but because of his compassion for animals!
God also deemed David worthy of tending the Jewish people because he, like Moses, knew how to look after sheep, bestowing upon each the care it needed. David used to prevent the larger sheep from going out before the smaller ones. The smaller ones were then able to graze upon the tender grass. Next he permitted the old sheep to feed from the ordinary grass, and finally the young, lusty sheep at the tougher grass. (Exodus Rabbah 2:2)
Rebecca was judged suitable as Isaac's wife because of the kindness she showed to animals. Eliezer, Abraham's servant, asked Rebecca for water for himself. She not only gave him water, but also ran to provide water for his camels. Rebecca's concern for camels was evidence of a tender heart and compassion for all God's creatures. It convinced Eliezer that Rebecca would make a suitable wife for Isaac (Gen. 24:11-20).
The patriarch Jacob also demonstrated concern for animals. After their reconciliation, his brother Esau said to him, "Let us take our journey and let us go, and I will go before you." But "My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and the herds giving suck are a care to me; and if my workers overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord, I pray you, pass over before his servant and I will journey on gently, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come unto my lord, unto Seir" (Gen. 33:12-14).
taken from:
http://www.jewishveg.com/schwartz/faq_animals.html