We often have guests from a mixed men’s and women’s yeshivah which is dedicated to exploring the “spiritual” side of Jewish life and observance. While we are more traditional, my husband and I study Kabbalat Chassidut (Kabbala as it is passed down through the Chassidic Rebbes) and we also try to dedicate ourselves to spiritual issues. Inevitably, we often receive requests for vegetarian meals on Shabbat, since many of these empathetic students have gained a certain spiritual awareness and do not want to eat another living thing. What is Judaism’s position on eating meat?
Adam and Chava (I am using the Hebrew word “Chava” because the English name “Eve” has the unfortunate connotation of “evil”—and why should Adam be let off the hook!) were vegetarians. G-d gave them permission to eat all the plants (save the fruit from one tree) and not the animals. It was Noah who was rewarded with the privilege of eating meat for saving the world during the flood. However, meat was to be eaten compassionately; eating a limb from an animal that was still living was and is prohibited. Kosher slaughter is believed to be especially humane, because the vein in the neck is cut with a very sharp knife, and the animal dies instantly. The fact the meat was offered in the Holy Temple is proof that Judaism does not frown on meat eating, and yet, there is so much in the Torah about treating animals and the rest of G-d’s creation with respect. Eating meat, according to Jewish law, is not considered inhumane, as long as it is slaughtered properly, and people are discouraged from over-indulging in meat.
However, today, many people believe that things are different. Live exports, transporting animals for hundreds of miles in trucks with little food, water or room to move is the fate of many animals which are designated for kosher slaughter nowadays. Chickens are often kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions, and people are concerned with the risk excessive meat eating has on health (the Torah enjoins us to eat meat on holidays because it is something we don’t eat every day. This implies that eating too much meat is not something approved of.) Many people argue that, when the Temple is rededicated, kosher slaughter will be humane once again, but right now, it is neither healthy nor compassionate.
I hear this argument many times, and I am sympathetic, even though I am not a vegetarian. I know vegetarians who span the spectrum of Jewish life, from Reform to Chassidic. We are encouraged to eat meat on Shabbat and on holidays, but we are not forced to do this if we find meat disgusting (ask a Rabbi for further details). The point of eating meat is to bring joy to the day, and if fails to make one happy, it is not a sin to forego meat.
However, when the Third Temple is rebuilt, we will once again offer meat as a sacrifice and eat the Paschal lamb on Pesach. I think that, by that time, the killing of the animals will be done in such a humane way that no one will object.