This week's reading left me, surprisingly, less moved toward vegetarianism than I thought they would. Here are some questions to get this week's discussion rolling....
Brook argues, strongly, that vegetarianism is "Torah's ideal." Many others echo his argument and sentiment. But I wonder, is vegetarianism the Torah ideal? Argue yea or nay (and support your argument with a text or two (or three)).
Inspired by the contest in The New York Times: how is it ethical to eat meat?
Gross uses Barry Schwartz to define eco-kashrut as a four-part ethical concern that brings together bal taschit, tzaar baalei chayim, shmirat haguf, and oshek to inform how, what and why Jewish (should) eat as they do. (pg. 257) What's missing, that is, should there be other ethical concerns that inform the way we do or don't (should or shouldn't) eat and, if so, what are they?
Does kashrut need to be distinctive--should Jews eat differently than non-Jews in some way or another--in order to be "authentic"?
And, finally, what triangles are operational in the concern about tzaar baalei chayim?
It is ON!
Welch's for Pesah? " Welch's Teams With Manischewitz in Battle Over Kosher Grape Juice " (NPR, 10/10/17)
2 comments:
I agree with the sentiment "less moved toward vegetarianism..." I think in large part because the arguments were weak.
The Torah's "ideal," ha! As if it is a unified document with no contradicting opinions. I can appreciate the Gan Eden "vegetarianism as ideal argument," however, there just seems to be too much meat. It's not a question of whether we SHOULD eat meat, but HOW.
Gen 9:4 - אך בשר בנפשו דמו לא תאכלו
It's assumed here that people eats the meatses. Just not with the life blood still in it.
Gen 32:33 - על כן לא יאכלו בני ישראל את גיד הנפש אשר על כף הירך עד היום הזה...
Again, assumed that people eats the meatses. Just not certain parts.
Dt 12:20 - כי ירחיב יהוה אלוהך את גבלך כאשר דבר לך ואמרת אכלה בשר כי תאוה נפשך לאכל בשר...
Eats the meatses if you wants it.
As a side note, I felt Brook's argument was a little heavy handed, quoting left and right, not necessarily connecting the "attribute" to the principle he espoused. Under Divinity he says "A spiritual view of the world recognizes the awesome power and beauty of nature, while it abhors destruction and desecration..." Spiritual view?! To recognize how it's NOT GOOD FOR US physically to raze the land to raise cows? A little farfetched.
Also, equating eating meat with the Nazis? A little distasteful, in my opinion.
On the dangers of vegetarianism. Maybe the soybean ISN'T the answer to all.
And for those who weren't around, or may not remember as vividly as me, Dan Medwin's 4th Year Sermon - 2009.
Brook strikes me as a little bit over-zealous in his arguments for vegetarianism being the highest form of kashrut as Jew can strive towards. Doesn’t Judaism also teach that an excessive quality (I believe Kohelet mentions the dangers of being overly righteous) about the danger of being “too pious” the pursuit of mitzvot? I could not help but hear a little “holier than thou” in his essay. He works so hard to suggest that vegetarianism is the best and that if we don’t become vegetarians it sounds like we’re bad Jews. Maybe because I want to justify that I like meat and I want to keep eating it?
In other news, what do you do if you’re a veggie (or perhaps even a vegan) during Pesach? What do you eat when they take away carbs for a week and you don’t eat meat? Luckily PETA had some suggestions.
And just to be fair, here are some more arguments from others against the “classic” arguments in favor of eating meat. Still want to have a hamburger but maybe that’s the Texas in me talking. Anyone for barbeque after class?
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