…Thanks to Kalli for the title.
An exciting class, and a first of a kind for the Torah North Tzadikim – a remote session with the class from Bella Torah in North Carolina. The topic was veganism and the comments were many. The launching point was the podcast by Rabbis Jeremy Gimpel and Ari Abramowitz (Is Veganism Good for the Soul). In the podcast the radical Gary Yourofsky is held at a level of esteem – unfortunate given Gary’s comments that marginalize the uniqueness of mankind and attack the chosen people of G-d.
Gary’s militant style of veganism, the one the podcast is discusses, denounces the consumption or use of any animal products. This is the most common definition of vegan (although it is a minority view that subscribes to the militant approach). It is a viewpoint born out of the premise that the killing of animals for any reason is morally wrong. I wouldn’t be surprised if such a worldview stems from a culture infused with the evolutionary principals that place man on par, as it relates to intrinsic worth, with the animal kingdom. With this in mind, we ought to consider the following from the podcast
1) It is inconsistent with the entire council of G-d to suggest that the animal sacrifice was a concession to allow man to eat meat. The instructions to use animal skins for the tabernacle also suggests that animal slaughter is acceptable at least in certain circumstances.
2) Abraham served cheese and meat to his guests (one being G-d Himself, Gen 18). There is no mention of him sacrificing the calf, so it seems like the slaughtering of animal for food is acceptable. Yeshua eats fish (Mar 14, Jn 21 and others) and lamb (His last Seder) during His time on earth further establishing the acceptable nature of meat consumption.
3) During the reign of Messiah we will eat meat as we share in the pesach (Luke 22:18) and make sacrifice at the temple (Zach 14:16, xref Num 29:12-39). In fact it is a Jewish understanding that Messiah will serve meat at the banquet celebrating his victory over leviathan (Isaiah 27:1, Psalm 74)
4) Clearly the traditional understanding is that the consumption and use of animal products was acceptable with the long history of animals used for Torah scrolls, techellit, tefillin.
All this does not preclude the possibility some may choose to abstain from meat, at this time, in a way of dedication to Hashem. But it is done on false pretences if based on a belief that the killing of an animal is inherently immoral.
Vegan Soul mp3
TorahNorth 