From: engelson-sean@CS.YALE.EDU (Sean Philip Engelson)
Subject: Re: Vegetarianism & Halacha (was Re: Following Sedar tradition)
Organization: Yale AI Mobile Robotics Project
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 19:04:02 GMT


In article <1992Apr7.011152.1@acfcluster.nyu.edu>, broner@acfcluster.nyu.edu writes:
|> > There are two types of questions I'll attempt to answer, (a)
|> > does halacha allow vegetarianism, and (b) does the Torah prefer
|> > vegetarianism.  Naturally, I think both answers are "yes", which
|> > conclusion I shall try to justify.  Enough preamble, on to the meat,
|> > er, fruit of the article...
|> 
|> My wife and I used to be strict ovo-lacto vegetarians ala "Diet for a small
|> planet", so I have no problem with your desire to limit meat consumption.
|> But, if Halacha prefers vegetarianism, why all the laws of shechita and 
|> kashrus regarding meat? Why would the Torah play a mind game with us, rather 
|> than give a clear directive, in this issue? 

Well, one could very well ask the same question about the laws of "y.fat
to'ar", but the consensus is that the taking of a woman in war was improper,
but apparently unavoidable, and hence the elaborate restrictions.  I would
argue that a similar argument applies with regard to the laws of shechita. 
There certainly appears to be a preference that meat eaten be of sacrifices,
which are a completely different matter anyway.



|> > Another question that is asked is "Would you eat Qarbanot
|> > [sacrifices]?"  The answer to this is an unequivocal "Yes!" ...But even were 
|> > animal sacrifices reinstituted, I would eat
|> > from them, as my objection is to the *needless* killing and eating of
|> > animals; qarbanot clearly serve an important purpose.  I do, after
|> > all, wear leather tefillin.
|> 
|> Good, so it's not meat you object to, it's you're procupation with waiting for
|> Moshiach that prevents overly enjoying meat. I'm deeply impressed <g>.

Indeed, after discovering that the Sages would have instituted a ban against
eating meat after the Destruction but people couldn't abide such, my abstinence
means all the more.

|> > The third main halachic objection to vegetarianism is that it is
|> > associated with avodah zarah [idolatry], and hence should be avoided
|> > as a matter of mar'is `ayin [something which, while not itself
|> > forbidden, looks like a forbidden act].  
|> 
|> I have had many vegetarians at my Shabbos Tish, and have found that they fall
|> into (basically) two different groups. Those that simply pass the meat plate to
|> the next person, and those that make a major issue of their vegetarianism. It
|> is the latter group that I think can be associated with avodah zora. They place
|> their "ism" on a pedestal, and make their "ism" more important than anything
|> else...even Torah, which at the very minimum "allows" us to eat meat.

I agree, although I must note that discussions of "why don't you eat meat" can
turn into attacks (even unintentionally---trust me, I've heard all the
vegetarian jokes already!).  This can get tiresome, and not everybody has the
patience to deal with it calmly.  Also, you can't characterise the
"vegetarianism" of such people per se as being "avodah zarah-like", rather
their attitude towards Torah.  There are many such people who are not
vegetarians, and indeed many who are quite conventionally frum in practice.

Chag kasher vesameach!
			-Shlomo-
-- 
Sean Philip (Shlomo) Engelson		May He who makes peace on high
Yale Department of Computer Science	Mercifully make peace for us
Box 2158 Yale Station			And for all of the House of Israel
New Haven, CT 06520				And let us say: Amen.