🎤Kol-🐥Hayyah🐘 - קוֹל־חַיָּ֖ה
Toledot 5779: Rabbi J.J. Tilsen
Article from CHAI - Concern for Helping Animals in Israel
In Western civilization, hunting is seen as a noble and manly pursuit. In Greek and Nordic mythology hunters are heroes; in popular culture hunting is the epitome of manliness.
Jewish culture and law, however, take a different view of hunting. The "Great Hunters" of the Bible are viewed by the Sages of Israel as wicked men: Nimrod, whose very name means "one who rebels [against God]," and Esau, who is the utter antithesis of the spirit of Jewish Civilization.
Rashi, who lived some 900 years ago in France, comments on the first verse of Psalms, "Happy is the one who has not walked in the path of sinners" by saying that this means "one who does not hunt with dogs for sport or entertainment."
Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg, the most influential German rabbi of the 13th century, declared that "whoever hunts animals with dogs, as do the gentiles, will not [partake of the pleasures of the World to Come]."
The Shemesh [Tzedaqqah], writing in the early 18th century [1681-1740], forbade hunting as a profession and for sport. He said that those who hunt "have taken hold of the occupation of Esau the wicked, and are guilty of cruelty in putting to death God's creatures for no reason. It is a doubled and redoubled duty upon people to engage in matters which make for civilization, not in the destruction of creatures for sport or entertainment." He concludes that killing for purposes of trade would constitute trading in forbidden merchandise.
In Pahad [Yitzhaq], we find, "Moreover, since the gentiles and idolaters are accustomed to hunting animals and birds with weapons for sport and recreation, the prohibition of 'you shall not walk in their statutes (Lev. 18:3)' applies. Thus a person who indulges in this is unworthy of the name Jew."
Toledot 5779: Rabbi J.J. Tilsen
Article from CHAI - Concern for Helping Animals in Israel
In Western civilization, hunting is seen as a noble and manly pursuit. In Greek and Nordic mythology hunters are heroes; in popular culture hunting is the epitome of manliness.
Jewish culture and law, however, take a different view of hunting. The "Great Hunters" of the Bible are viewed by the Sages of Israel as wicked men: Nimrod, whose very name means "one who rebels [against God]," and Esau, who is the utter antithesis of the spirit of Jewish Civilization.
Rashi, who lived some 900 years ago in France, comments on the first verse of Psalms, "Happy is the one who has not walked in the path of sinners" by saying that this means "one who does not hunt with dogs for sport or entertainment."
Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg, the most influential German rabbi of the 13th century, declared that "whoever hunts animals with dogs, as do the gentiles, will not [partake of the pleasures of the World to Come]."
The Shemesh [Tzedaqqah], writing in the early 18th century [1681-1740], forbade hunting as a profession and for sport. He said that those who hunt "have taken hold of the occupation of Esau the wicked, and are guilty of cruelty in putting to death God's creatures for no reason. It is a doubled and redoubled duty upon people to engage in matters which make for civilization, not in the destruction of creatures for sport or entertainment." He concludes that killing for purposes of trade would constitute trading in forbidden merchandise.
In Pahad [Yitzhaq], we find, "Moreover, since the gentiles and idolaters are accustomed to hunting animals and birds with weapons for sport and recreation, the prohibition of 'you shall not walk in their statutes (Lev. 18:3)' applies. Thus a person who indulges in this is unworthy of the name Jew."