Kind of a cross subject: Jewish Vegatarians

[drumminmama]

I'm pretty concerned about the comment's I'd get in veg, so DarrellK, may I have your indulgence?
What are your views on vegetarianism? Is there a mitzvah to consume meat, ever?
Since I use a beet on the seder plate, guess my leanings. (I'm also the veg borad mod)
I guess I'm looking for several POVs, from the different levels of observance and the different groups.

dm. who is rather hungry through Pesach, what with no thick, crusty 100 percent ww bread... although my matzah isn't bad.

[the dauer]

I think that using psycho-halachah vegeterianism can certainly be viewed as a mitzvah. We are after all required to limit an animal's suffering, and there is also the fact that Gan Eden was vegeterian. Eating meat was a concession by God after the flood. So there's plenty of reason to support vegeterianism to me although at this point in my life I do eat meat. But from a traditional perspective, it is not necessarily so welcome.

For the sake of this thread here are some relevant links:

ecokosher which is not always vegeterianism or even limitedto food--

http://www.ecojew.com/ecokashrut/

http://home.earthlink.net/~ecorebbe/id14.html

the second link addresses vegeterianism specifically further down the page.

And specifically for vegeterianism:

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/daily_life/Kashrut/Overview_Kashrut_Themes/Kashrut_Contemp_Concerns/Vegetarianism.htm

And that also links to more views on vegeterianism.

Dauer

[drumminmama]

Dauer, I was hoping you'd respond.
Thanks for the links.
There's a quote, and shame on me for slipping the rabbinic source, that says if you have less than a certain amount of $$ buy bread, more, buy (and eat) meat.
I'll try to track it down.
I've recently started attending a Chabadnik center, and they seem to feel no meat no meal. The rebbetzin's mother publishes cookbooks. I'd think they could have SOME dairy dishes!
I personally feel veg is the way to go, but I'm not an apostate Xtian, so no prostelytizing ;)
first reason: Tzaar baalei chayyim, but keeping care of the body Ha Shem gave me is up there, too.

[the dauer]

Well for Chabad there's plenty of reason to tell people to eat meat. That goes to the mystical reason, in which case it is of cosmic importance to eat animals. That mitzvah can help to restore the world back to the time before the shattering of the vessels. When you don't eat meat, you, as a Jew uniquely able to fulfill these mitzvot, are not doing your part to unite the Shekhinah with the Blessed Holy One. I think there's an askmoses (brought to us by Chabad) about this... Yes there is.

Being a vegetarian is compatible with Jewish law, but not with Jewish philosophy.

According to kabbalah, there are divine sparks hidden within every object in this physical world. When a Jew uses a physical object properly - either for the sake of a mitzvah or for the general purpose of serving G-d - that spark is released and becomes once again united with its divine source.

For example: using the hide of an animal for parchment for a Torah scroll or a mezuzah, using a table to study Torah, eating with the intention of being strong and healthy in order to be able to serve G-d with vigor, etc.

Eating meat with the proper intentions (or eats it on Shabbat or Yom Tov, which constitutes an actual mitzvah) is doing a favor to the animal. You are elevating it from the animal state to the divine state. To abstain from eating meats on grounds of cruelty to animals is absurd.

[Obviously, all the above does not apply to someone who is a vegetarian due to medical reasons.]


http://www.askmoses.com/qa_detail.html?o=2693

There are even stories of certain hasidic masters eating animals in order to raise up a reincarnated soul that due to its way of living in the past life had slunked down to a lower level (but only a real tzaddik could do such a thing.)

So for them I can understand where they're coming from.

Dauer

[drumminmama]

greetings, Dauer.

Since I feel eating critter is unhealthy, I guess I'm in line.
Peasach dinner was interesting: meaty dishes (i'm beginning to think the center kitchen, tiny is for meat only.) cow, gefelte fish, chicken. The kugel had chicken fat.
I had a lot of mushrooms and beets. And matzah.
I think I'll head over to Jews for the Earth next year!

[vinceneilsgirl]

Yeah...the Dauer is the man. Be looking in your PMs hon, because I need your advice on something. :)

I went vegan at 14 (I'll be 29 in Oct) and have been fruitarian for about 7 months now. I changed my diet for ethical reasons but I do see it as a mitzvah.