BREAKING! Rubashkin Caught Using Meat Hook On Live Cows, Cutting Off Parts Of Ears While Cows Still Living – All Violations Of The Humane Slaughter Act

Watch more videos at PETA.org

Agriprocessors Gordon, Nebraska plant has been caught by PETA doing much the same things the Postville plant did – using a meat hook to partially rip out the throats of still-living animals. In this case, Rubashkin's workers also cut off sections of cows' ears to remove ID tags.

Here is PETA's brief video of this. It's easier to see the violations if you watch it this way rather than on the embedded video above.

One good thing is that Rubashkin is using standing shechita at Gordon. This gives faster bleed out, faster death and less pain overall than what takes place at Postville. Even so, sticking a meat hook into the gaping throat of a still-conscious animal is a violation of Humane Slaughter law. It is also immoral and cruel and perfectly in tune with Rubashkin's history.

And where, one must ask, is the OU? The KAJ? HaRav HaGaon Wiessmandl? The Crown Heights Beis Din? Where they always are – taking the money and looking the other way.

And the USDA? We know where they are, lost in the abyss of cronyism and corruption George Bush brought to Washington.

Now, here is PETA's take on what happens at Rubashkin's Gordon plant:

Experts in animal welfare, veterinary medicine, and slaughter systems reviewed the disturbing footage recorded inside the slaughterhouse and noted the following about the abuses documented by PETA:

• Cows remained conscious for as long as two minutes after their throats were cut open.
• A worker ripped into a conscious cow's throat with a metal hook in order to make the bleeding process go faster.
• Cows were handled improperly, resulting in fear and stress just prior to slaughter.
• Workers removed identification tags by mutilating live cows' ears.

Read all the expert statements. 

As noted above, this is the second time that PETA has uncovered abuse at an AgriProcessors slaughterhouse. The investigator's log notes from the 2004 investigation state that a "worker followed the rabbi and gouged a chunk of flesh out of the cow's neck and then pulled his trachea or esophagus … outside of his throat so that it hung down."

"When I was a boy learning the precepts embodied in the Jewish tradition, I was taught that the suffering of living things—tsaar baalei chaim—is morally and religiously intolerable. … What is depicted in this video is a mockery of these precepts, and a disgrace to Orthodox Judaism."
              — Dr. Bernard Rollin

The investigator's notes went on to say, "The first time I saw a cow stagger to his feet and walk around with his trachea dangling outside of his body, I thought to myself, this can't be happening—but after several days I knew better." Read more details about the first investigation.

             After the first investigation into AgriProcessors, the company promised to stun any animals who remained conscious after throat-slitting. Unfortunately, the second investigation proved that AgriProcessors has not lived up to this promise. Rather, AgriProcessors allowed cows to remain conscious for up to two minutes after their throats were slit, leading several experts to condemn the company's practices. Dr. Holly Cheever stated, "This method of slaughter as depicted on this tape is brutal and should be amended to provide a humane end for these animals."

Comments

How does that old saying go? Oh, yeah. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

These people are evil.

[Nachman]

To someone who knows zilch about Shechita You should have no say in this matter.
You, as most people have difficulty watching slaughter - period.
See Siman 23 in Yoreh de'ah what is not permitted IMMEDIATELY after Shechita in case animal "TAKES TIME" to expire. The issue is "MAVLIA DAM BA'EIVARIM" NOT "TZA'AR BAALEI CHAIM".
PETA is an organization who's soul purpose is to intimidate people who disagree with their SICK agenda.
As far as I know USDA inspectors had no issues concerning this matter until PETA came along.
The animal loses consciousness IMMEDIATELY.
Is it ugly to watch? Perhaps. So don't look!!

[Shmarya]

1. I worked in shechita.

2. I learned Isser v'hetter in Yorah Dayah.

3. The animal does NOT lose consciousness immediately.

4. What Rubashkin is doing violates US law.

5. That, for many haredim and Orthodox Jews it does not violate halakha is one very good reason for Jews to stop keeping kosher.

[Conservative apikoris]

That, for many haredim and Orthodox Jews it does not violate halakha is one very good reason for Jews to stop keeping kosher.

Surely what you mean to say is that Jews wishing to truly keep kosher should regard Othodox shechita as unreliable, and in the absence of truly kosher and humane shechita should become vegetarians (eat only fish).

It would would keeping kosher easier, because you'd only need a set of dairy dishes.

[george]

Perhaps the lung is already damaged prior to shechita, rendering the animal a neveila.

[HAGTBG]

The animal loses consciousness IMMEDIATELY.

Your statement is in error. Agriprocessors argued that last time. Problem was they could never find a single expert to say that ... every expert I saw on prior video said the animals were concious. One can expect the same is true now.

Is it ugly to watch? Perhaps. So don't look!!

A very halachic attitude to not look or ask questions. Yeah, that's what I was taught in yeshiva. Right.

[Freddy]

When will somebody step in to stop this renegade Rubashkin family?? Over the past 2 to 3 years I have read numerous articles & publications regarding this family's shoddy practices. Once Again...here is another classic example of this family thinking they are above the law. It is clearly obvious to anyone that the Rubashkins have a total disregard of any laws that not only protect workers, but animals too. What truly amazes me is how anybody can stick up for this family or defend their conduct!

[Nachman]

IT DOES NOT VIOLATE HALAKHA!
I don't care what you "claim" you learned. This is one subject where I can challenge you to the T. So don't get me started. KIRUV MEESA(of any sort - That do not violate any of the 5 Hilkhot Shechita) after Shechita is discussed at large. The issue? MAVLIA DAM BA'EIVARIM...THAT'S ALL.

The Rabbis/Shu"bim in the plants are made of tough material and have no hardship in telling the staff what is permissable and what is not. Perhaps you are implying that NOBODY knows the Halakhot. Ever wondered why you didn't make it to the big leagues? You make big noise but have little knowledge in HALAKHA L'MA'ASEH.

My advice to you is; Sit yourself down to some sefarim and get acquainted with up to the day Halakha and stop whining all day long how bad this and that is.

Now this:
1. We Haredim as a whole attempt to serve Hashem in an ultra religious way.
2. We, as EVERYBODY else are not perfect and have MANY flaws.
3. Unfortunately the Yetzer Hora (evil inclination) "dances" amongst us and stirs up a whole lot o' trouble by causing Sinas Chinom - all in the cloak of Yiddishkeit. Should we therefore drop EVERYTHING and become atheists? Neh!
4. There are issues that I, like you would like to see addressed. From my perspective though, improvement is shown in many areas that previously lacked attention.
5. I am the product of BT parents and PROUD TO BE WHAT I AM! (B.T.W. I married into non BT family without any hardships and so did ALL my siblings)
6. I will also agree to the fact that many Rabbonim are out of touch with reality but nevertheless are Ehrliche Yidden. They have their place in this world and I envy their Olam Habba. (I personally like dealing with someone on the ball... but that's just a preference.)
7. We are strong and going stronger - many have left and in the end returned - I wonder why. (Yeah yeah yeah... I know there are those who left for good and "claim" to be VERY happy...)
8. Any other form of yiddishkeit is void of true meaning. Point blank! No excuses accepted You choose your way of life cause you want the easy way out. Sorry pal, it just dudn't work...
9. Hashiveinu Avinu L'Toratecha... V'Hachazireinu Bitshuva Sh'leima.

10. Sim Shalom Tova Uvracha Chein Vachesed V'rachamim Al Kol Yisrael Amecha!!!

[Alex]

I think that that's Ed who the worker is dealing with in the picture- the dude who still wont apologize for othodox jews blaming the holocaust on reform jews and than railed at me for being antisemetic when I came up with a theodicy that places the blame on him and his ilk.

Nachman - that's right, it could not have anything to do with what religious jews are saying or doing that pisses off secular jews - it is all the yatzer hara's fault.

nachman if you hate sinas chenam so much why don't you be a man and step up to the plate and apologize for orthodox jews blaming reform jews for the holocaust?

[C-G]

So, this is the plant ("Local Pride") that Agriprocessors opened in conjuction with the Ogala Lakota nation about a year ago- with some really nifty financial incentives:

"For every person living within the zone it employs — Native or otherwise — the company qualifies for a $3,000 federal tax credit."

and...

"The company got more help Thursday when Gov. Dave Heineman presented a $505,000 check to Rubashkin on behalf of the city of Gordon."

source: http://tinyurl.com/yosvxu

Yow. They've really accomplished so much, so quickly. Looks like another banner year for the chutzpah crop.

[A newly Mis' naged]

Let make it clear: I am not nor was I ever a card carrier member of PETA...

YET, This time I am thankful for their services. This is a major travesty. A cynical Chillul HaShem & Tzar Baley Chayim.
Rubashkin's place is in jail, for a long period of time! He is a heartless Mam'zer. This one is going straight to Gehenom... the sooner the better.

Rubashkin, I HATE YOU!
PETA was right (I hate to admit it) People like you are not better then the Nazis. The studies shows that every mass murder stated as an animal abuser. I hope you die in the same fashion those animals were killed by you.

[Nachman]

The Nazis PROTECTED the animal rights. YEMACH SHEMOM V'ZICHROM

[Nachman]

Alex.
It is ludicrous to blame the Holocaust on the reform etc. - what stupidity!
The Jews were punished a-s a w-h-o-l-e. All those that perished are KEDOSHIM!
Sinas Chinam is an issue but it is also taught that when another Jew does not adhere to the Mitzvoth PROPERLY he must be rebuked. If after several times he refuses to change his ways he may be hated.
I do not hate anyone per se, but please understand that our religion has constantly been under attack. The last ones we should expect it from are fellow Jews.
Yup Shmarya, now it's your turn to say "well that's exactly my point with this blog..."

[HAGTBG]

The Nazis PROTECTED the animal rights. YEMACH SHEMOM V'ZICHROM

And Nachman raises a major red herring...

Nachman, do you earn employment from Agriprocessors? Otherwise why confuse the business practices of this one company (and the attack on it) with kashrut generally?

[Neo-Conservaguy]

"8. Any other form of yiddishkeit is void of true meaning."

Thanks for setting millions of Jews straight on this matter. Really.

[Alex]

Okay so if a person just enjoys doing the terrible horrible heinous crime of eating cheezeburgers, and Nachman tells him not to do it three times, then the evil rotten cheezeburger eater is going to burn in hell!!!!!!!!!!!

We must stop the cheezeburger eaters for the existence of the whole world and the universe depends on every Jew not eating cheezeburgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alex]

joke, I just ate one! mua ha ha ha ha ha

[Michael Croland]

Shmarya, thanks so much for covering all this so quickly and thoroughly. I greatly appreciated being able to turn to your blog for all the developments in the story following the first AgriProcessors investigation (that's actually how I got interested in blogs in the first place!). As aggravating as it is that there's still so much animal abuse going on at an AgriProcessors slaughterhouse, I'm glad that you're leading the charge once again.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

You, as most people have difficulty watching slaughter - period.

Trotting out this old canard is a page right out of the "Gedolim" play book. It's predicated on the notion that no one expect "rabbis" have ever killed or witness the slaughter of a creature. It's basically a roundabout way stifling the asking of legitimate questions.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

Ever wondered why you didn't make it to the big leagues?

Nepotism?

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

To someone who knows zilch about Shechita You should have no say in this matter.

That's just a whole lot of hand waving to fend off legitimate questions. I know zilch about piloting the space shuttle, yet I'm allowed to ask why it has an apparent propensity to sometimes explode.

You do not seem to be interested in legitimate dialog.

[zdub]

These people are evil.

Are you talking about PETA?

http://www.doggienews.com/2005/06/more-information-on-peta-animal.htm

"Six million Jews died in concentration camps, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughter houses." -Ingrid Newkirk, President, PETA

Shmarya, please try to contain yourself. Because it sounds like you are actually encouraging people to stop keeping kosher, your problem obviously is not limited to the scumbag Rubashkins.

Who are you mad at now? The Al-mighty himself?

[Yos]

What a load of crap. If this is kosher then you might as well beat the f**king cow to death with a bat. There is no procedure here at all. A retarded goy with a swiss army knife could be a shechita if this is acceptable. Some people will defend sh*t for no other reason than to set themselve against an unfavorable reality.

If you eat meat in this day and age (unless you can truly trust the shechita) then you might as well be eating a bacon cheeseburger.

And no, I hate PETA, they're lunatics, but in this case they're unintentially doing a good thing.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

The animal loses consciousness IMMEDIATELY.

Do you have any proof of this?

I didn't think so.

Let's see what an expert has to say about this:

Several different scientific studies have shown that insensibility after the throat cut is not instantaneous.

Nowadays you aren't supposed to hate your fellow jew, even if he's been warned 3 times, because everyone is considered a tinok shenishba (captured infant), and we should only show love to each other. We can hate a person's deeds, but we always are supposed to love the person.

scott does not care about animals.

scott is jealous of the success of Rubashkin because scott had a little meat market that failed.

scott is just a sad failure and a sad fool.

[Shmarya]

I never had a meat market that failed.

But truth has never been a strong point for you Chabadniks, eh?

[M]

Not a comment--a question. I feel that it's important to eat meat on Shabbos and Yom Tov. I know that this website is mostly aimed at disparaging Lubavich. But is there any shechita that I can rely on to be machbid on Tsar Bar L'Chaim?

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

But is there any shechita that I can rely on to be machbid on Tsar Bar L'Chaim?

Probably not. In accordance with the הלכה, a סכין בדוקה (inspected sharp knife) is sufficient to address the issue ofצר בעלי חיים.

Clearly, animals are conscious for some period of time after שחיטה and can feel pain. I believe we have a long way to go to convince the rabbis of this physiological fact.

[Shmarya]

is there any shechita that I can rely on to be machbid on Tsar Bar L'Chaim?

I've heard good things, including good kashrut things, about Hebrew National under the Triangle-K.

I know that this website is mostly aimed at disparaging Lubavich.

It's aimed at telling the truth about Chabad and Orthodoxy.

[Nachman]

To all parties interested,
1. No, I'm not employed by Agri or offspring thereof.
2. I do not hate PEOPLE.
3. I hate their ACTIONS. I disagree valiantly with their way of life and their expectation that EVERY Haredi "come to their senses" and practice THEIR form of religion...
4. If you are not trained in shechita or Halakha thereof you have no say in the matter of KASHRUTH pertaining to Shechita.
5. You "KNOW" that you are a TINOK SHENISHBA? Most interesting - lol
6. I have proof regarding the animals state after Shechita.
Shmarya, if you'd like the proof drop me an email. For obvious reasons I do not want to discuss this on the blog. I'd be more than happy to do so off the record...

[John Diamond]

To M:

There are two sources of Truly Kosher Meat, Blackwings Kosher Bison and Rosenblatts Texas Kosher Beef. Cattle for these are free ranged grass fed only and Shechitah is performed properly in an upright pen per Dr. Temple Grandin.

John K. Diamond
Secretary/Treasurer and
Advisory Committee Member:
Jewish Vegetarians of North America

[Nachman]

Interesting who decides what TRULY Kosher meat is. - lol

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

If you are not trained in shechita or Halakha thereof you have no say in the matter of KASHRUTH pertaining to Shechita.

In other words, the cult demands blind allegiance to its leaders. No questions please. Kindly check your brain at the door.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

Interesting who decides what TRULY Kosher meat is. - lol

OMG! John Diamond has the temerity to have an informed opinion. Scandalous!

[Nachman]

Kashruth is a FACT not anyone's opinion.
Got it low life?

[Nachman]

N.U.
You seek not the truth. You love controversy.

[John Diamond]

To M:

Please kindly ignore the intervening rants and check out the two sources I mentioned on the web. These were brought to light by Shmarya in 2004-2005, during the first Rubashkin Shechitah Scandal.

John

I never had a meat market that failed.

But truth has never been a strong point for you Chabadniks, eh?
---------------
nonsense.

[Shmarya]

Why nonsense?

I never failed in business. When I co-owned the kosher meat market and deli it was solvent.

Perhaps your Chabad education has confused you. Your fantasies are not reality.

[normal jew]

If the results of a Bush presidency are that things that piss off the immoral, insane wackos at p.e.t.a. are allowed than I say 4 more years!

[Neo-Conservaguy]

Solomon's bison/beef also meets higher standards for animal welfare, as does Wise beef. It can be hard to find these products at the average kosher meat market or meat section in a supermarket.

[Neo-Conservaguy]

"I feel that it's important to eat meat on Shabbos and Yom Tov."

This belief, promoted strongly by Chabad in my personal experience, is open to argument. Are you aware of the historical setting in which the rabbinic statement "there is no joy without meat" was first promoted?

See this article for a quick introduction to the text and responses (note: I am not a vegan/vegetarian - yet):

http://torahvegan.blogspot.com/2007/06/joy-of-meat.html

[Peter]

IIRC the Chabad reason for eating meat is kabbalistic, not just about the "Joy": since it can happen that a person is chas v'shalom reincarnated as a lower animal for their grave transgressions, if the flesh of that animal is consumed for purposes of kedusha, then that soul will be elevated and its next gilgul will be a better one. Since the Shabbat meals are mitzvot in and of themselves, then provided that the food is kosher, it's all good. On a weekday, it would depend on the kavvanah of the person eating the food, -- if it were out of a ta'avah for meat, not such a good thing, and since it's hard for some of us to have completely elevated kavvanah in eating, seudot mitzvah are a good way to be safe.

[Neo-Conservaguy]

Thanks for the qabbalah perspective on eating meat on Shabbat. I enjoy noting the various forms of external belief and practice that gets codified into established religions - no matter how crazy or superstitious - and qabbalah/zohar and Judaism is a favorite example. Just saying.

[PishPosh]

Just to inject a bit of levity into the whole meat eating chat here.
A rich man came to his Rabbi and told him that he would like to become more pious and stop eating meat and start living on bread. The Rabbi jumped up at this statement and told the rich man that under no circumstance should he deny himself what his wealth can buy him and that if he can afford to eat meat then he should continue.
Well the rich man left totally befuddled and the Rabbis talmidim gathered around him and asked why the Rabbi had discouraged this man trying to be more pious and simple by stopping to eat meat.
The Rabbi answered them. Look this kind of fellow eats meat and enjoys it, so at the very least when it comes time to give tzedaka he will give thinking that at least if he eats meat, the poor should at least have bread. But if he gets all high falutin righteous now and starts eating bread only, he will think the poor should go eat stones.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

Kashruth is a FACT not anyone's opinion.

No, not always. A Jew can decide, on an individual level, to make something forbidden on himself (נרד איסר). In this case, you have decided to mock a Jew for insisting on a higher standard ofצר בעלי חיים.

Got it low life?

You're projecting.
כל הפוגם במומיו הוא פגום

[onionsoupmix]

I viewed that video several times and it is much less damning than PETA's first one. It is not clear from this one what the worker is cutting off or taking out and how conscious the animal is.

That said, I think I'll try going vegetarian for a while.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

You seek not the truth. You love controversy.

You're projecting again.

[John Diamond]

Hi Onionsoupmix,

Kudos to you for going vegetarian for the time being.

Please go to the top of this blog and download "expert statements" to understand what actually occured.

[Nachman]

When I say Kashruth is a FACT not an opinion I mean do not confuse YOUR Chumra(?) with Kashruth. It may be Kosher even if it hurts your feelings...

[steve]

It may be Kosher even if it hurts your feelings

I don't mean to hurt your feelings either, but Rubashkin is NOT kosher.

[John Diamond]

To Nachman:

There are some fundamental Torah FACTS regarding how we are to utilize animals as food sources:

1. Animals are to be free ranged and their diet to consist soley of the green herbs that grow out of the ground. (Genesis 1:30)

2. Animals are to be rested on Shabbat. (Ten Commandments)

3. Prohibition of any unecessary pain to animals.

4. Prohibition of "Carnivorous Gluttony" (Quail Affair)

Note: This prohibition was given BEFORE permission to slaughter animals ouside of the Central Sanctuary for food.

5. Proper Shechitah is one swift cut with a perfectly sharp knife which severs the trachea and main arteries to the brain to insure that the animal dies as quickly and as painlessly as possible. According to Dr. Temple Grandin, who has observed proper Shechitah, the animal is dead in less than one minute.

6. Animal that has been slaughtered is not permitted to be touched until dead.

If we compare these fundamental Torah Requirements, we may observe how very few, if any, are part of modern day "Kosher Animal Agriculture Establishments"

[Joanne]

In fact, “Kosher” actually means "fit" or "proper," and if we are to guarantee that the meat that we consume is truly fit, or Kosher, we must be sure that the animals we consume live and die humanely. Unfortunately, many people seem to focus on the letter of the law with regards to Shechita and forget the spirit of the law.

I have written the OU to ask for specific Kosher processing plants that use humane procedures, including lack of electric prods and the use of upright pens, but they insisted that Shechita is performed humanely at all facilities they certify. When I first asked them about inversion pens, they claimed that the animals are “inverted slowly,” thereby making the process humane.

I wrote the OU a second time, stating I would not eat Kosher meat unless they gave me a list of plants that did not use shackling and hoisting or inversion pens, and they responded with the names of specific companies. I have not verified this list, nor figured out which brands of beef they package. In addition to the list below, I believe that Hebrew National also does not use these methods.

A & H, Inc., 3498 Third Avenue, Bronx NY
A. D. Rosenblatt Kosher Meats, LLC, 5530 Charlestown Dr., Dallas TX
Alle Processing, 56-20 59th Street, Maspet, NY
Alony Glatt, 5840 W 37th Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale FL
Bierig Bros. Inc., 3539 Reilly Court, Vineland NJ
Bridgewater Quality Meats, 301 Main Street, Bridgewater SD
David Elliot Poultry Farm, Inc. 300 Breck St, Scranton PA
E & G Food Inc., 5600 First Avenue, Brooklyn NY
Empire Kosher Poultry, River Road, Mifflintown PA
Fine Foods of the Americas, Inc., 3126 John P. Curci St., Bldg. 4C, Bay 4, Pembroke Park FL
Fischer Brothers & Leslie, 230 West 72nd Street, New York NY
International Glatt Kosher (5438), 5600 1st Avenue, Brooklyn NY
Jack Glatt A/K/A Kings Glatt Mark, 936 Kings Highway, Brooklyn NY
Marvid Poultry, 5671 Industrial Boulevard, Montreal North QC CANADA
Musicon, Inc., 385 Scotchtown Road, Goshen NY
Quality Glatt Meats, 6156 S. Eastern Ave., Commerce CA
Real Kosher Sausage Company, 9 Euclid Avenue, Newark NJ
Romanian Kosher Sausage, 7200 N. Clark Street, Chicago IL
Suffolk Kosher Poultry, Barnes Road, Moriches NY
Vineland Kosher Poultry, Inc., 1182 S. Mill Road. Vineland NJ
West Side Foods, Inc., P.O. Box 740456, Bronx NY
Wise Kosher Natural Poultry, 685 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn NY

[John Diamond]

Joanne,

Thanks for your very interesting post!!

The OU not giving you the whole truth.

I can attest that A.D Rosenblatts is reliable, but you have to live around Dallas, TX to get their meat. The others you will have to check out in depth for yourself.

The OU's comment ["Shechita is performed humanely at all facilities they certify."] is an outright lie.

Their total lack of enforcement re: AgriProcessors facilities, both in the USA and South America is a horrible Chillul Hashem in the eyes of the nations.

Alle, a South American operation, is a major problem, which Bruce Friedrich of PETA has brought to their attention last November and very little, if anything, has been done to rectify the horrible inhumane slaughter that takes place there.

If you email me at (jdiamond4@cox.net) and give me your address, I will send you the audio CD's of a debate between Nathan Lewin, Agri's Attorney and Bruce Friedrich, that took place last November in an Orthodox Synagogue in NYC. What is on these CD's will put the issues that you are concerned with in proper perspective.

There is another reliable source, Blackwings Kosher Bison, under OU supervision, which may still be in business and ships frozen.

[John Diamond]

Hi Joanne,

Blackwings Kosher Bison is still in business. Check out the website below.

http://www.mercola.com/forms/bison.htm

[steve]

The OU's comment ["Shechita is performed humanely at all facilities they certify."] is an outright lie.

Is that the only thing they're lying about? Why don't you ask them who is controlling the labels at Agri, or about the hand-picked mashgichim, or about the money under the table, or about the closed door policy, or about the messichist shochtim. Then add it all up and ask yourself, "Can this possibly be kosher, according to ANY standard"? Any fool can see that there is a major scandal and coverup going on.

[Rav Ovadya Yosef re: Cruelty to Animals]

An important Torah value is to avoid inflicting gratuitous pain on animals (Tzaar Baalei Chaim). The Gemara (Bava Metzia 32-33) indicates that Tzaar Baalei Chaim is a Torah level prohibition. According to the Gemara (Berachot 40a), it is improper to eat before one has fed his animals. The Gemara (Bava Metzia 85a) relates a story of a calf that stuck its head beneath Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi’s coat to escape the slaughterer’s knife. Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi told the calf that it should go to the slaughter, for this is why it was created. The Gemara relates that Hashem brought travails upon Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi as punishment for his failure to pity the calf.

The following Halacha demonstrates the priority Chazal accord Tzaar Baalei Chaim. The Gemara (Shabbat 128b) permits helping an animal that fell into a water ditch on Shabbat by supporting it with a pillow, even though it is a violation of the rabbinical prohibition to render an item Muktzeh on Shabbat. The pillow was not Muktzeh when Shabbat began and becomes Muktzeh when it is placed beneath the animal on Shabbat. Chazal waived this rabbinical prohibition because of concern for Tzaar Baalei Chaim. This passage in the Gemara is codified as normative by the Rambam (Hilchot Shabbat 25:26) and Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 305:19). In fact, this Halacha serves as the basis for the Shulchan Aruch’s (O.C. 305:20) permission to ask a non-Jew to milk a cow on Shabbat. Rav Ovadia points out that it is rare for Chazal to waive a rabbinical prohibition relating to Shabbat. Tzaar Baalei Chaim is one of the very few considerations that merit such a waiver.

The Torah expresses its concern for Tzaar Baalei Chaim many times. The Mitzva to unload a donkey from its heavy load, the prohibition to muzzle an animal while it is threshing, the prohibition to plow with two different types of animals, and the angel reprimanding Bilam for needlessly striking his donkey, are a few examples of expressions in the Torah’s that we not harm an animal needlessly. Part of Eliezer’s test of Rivka’s character was to see if she also gave water to his camels. Sefer Hachinuch (Mitzva 550) explains that a reason for the prohibition to plow with two different animals is concern for Baalei Chaim. The different species might be incompatible and working together might torture the animals.

Acharonim express concern for Tzaar Baalei Chaim. A prime example of this concern is Rav Yechezkel Landau’s (Teshuvot Noda Biyehuda Yoreh Deah 2:10) ruling forbidding recreational hunting because (among other reasons) of Tzaar Baalei Chaim. Rav Landau writes that in the Tanach we find recreational hunting as an activity of people of poor character such as Esav and Nimrod.

Similarly, the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh (Vayikra 17:11) asserts that we have no right to kill an animal needlessly. This, he writes, explains the seemingly odd requirement of the Mishna (Sanhedrin 2a) to convene a panel of twenty-three judges to determine if an animal deserves to be put to death. Indeed, the Rama (Darchei Moshe Orach Chaim 316:2) writes that one who hunts with dogs will not participate in the feast of the Livyatan upon the arrival of the Mashiach.

Eat Rubashkin's and Support Victims of PETA Terror!

I eat Rubashkin cows, not PETA bull!

[John K. Diamond]

To the one who posted the previous post:

Whoever you are, you should be utterly ashamed of yourself for dishonoring a former Chief Rabbi of Israel.

The following link may be helpful in adding perspectives on "animal sentience" to these discussions:

http://www.ciwf.org.uk/education/animal.html

"A huge increase in scientific research on animal sentience is beginning to answer some of the questions about animal sentience and animal consciousness, although many unsolved mysteries and questions remain for future study and debate. This will be one of the most exciting areas of biology in the coming decades. And the answers have big implications which are being explored by philosophers and lawyers. How should we treat other animals? What are our responsibilities to them? Do they have rights?"

A related question might be to what extent humans demonstrate consciousness, sentience and compmassion.

[Klonymus Anonymus]

Why are you so biased against Judaism and for PETA? I suppose you will try to deny it, eh? Then I'm sure you won't mind posting news that is critical of PETA just as you post so many things critical of Judaism. There is plenty of news of all the crimes and cruelty that these fanatics perpetrate to get their way. www.petakillsanimals.com

[Shmarya]

http://www.petakillsanimals.com/about.cfm

"PETA Kills Animals" is a project of the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the full range of choices that American consumers currently enjoy. In addition to malicious animal-rights activists, we stand up to the "food police," environmental scaremongers, neo-prohibitionists, meddling bureaucrats, and other self-anointed saints who claim to "know what's best" for you.…"

The CCF is run by a food industry lobbyist. It has a history of misrepresenting both PETA's actions and the truth.

[Michael]

For the record, if anyone lives near a Wegman's (a great supermarket on the East Coast-though not really in the NYC Metro Area)www.wegmans.com, they carry Solomon's Organic Glatt kosher Beef. They have one of the best kosher packaged foods dept of any regular supermarket I've ever seen. BTW, Solomon's is produced by Bridgewater Quality Meats in Bridgewater, SD. It's the company that produces the Bison available on the mercola.com website.

[Edie]

Amazing to listen to these old people argue about some old form of slaughter and actually believe that GOD WANTED IT THAT WAY! I am quite sure that GOD did not want any of his beloved creations to suffer just so you can serve them up on the dinner table.

For crying out loud, this is 2007. The reason those "Laws" came about was because people were stupid, not educated about medicine, and did not have the resources we have today.

Its so easy to use "God" as an excuse to do whatever you want..but ...most of those posts come from a society that thinks its ok to bomb another because of a land dispute that is thousands of years old...so.....nuff said.