This expression of religious devotion has been applied to many ritual precepts; should we not apply it with equal diligence to precepts that affect other living creatures?
By engaging in acts of compassion, we become worthy of the blessing of our sages (Tractate Shabbat 151b): “God will show mercy to those who are merciful.”
Instructions:
- Based on your readings, and our class discussions;
- how can we apply the principals written above in a concrete way as consumers?
- What are the challenges that we face?
- What texts can we use to guide and support our behavior?
- How can we make a difference for future generations?
Please, remember to use the detailed instructions and rubric I gave you to help guide you on your responses and reflections. If you do not address specific criteria, you cannot receive credit for it.
Make sure you sign your name in the body of your entry so I can grade and give you credit.
Testing.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Anstey:
ReplyDeleteThroughout the Torah, those that go beyond G-d’s expectations are the ones who are coined most praiseworthy. As consumers in today’s modern world, many of us do not discern the large amounts of energy and other resources that we use up constantly. The general population does not feel obligated to follow bal tashchit, and as a result our world and its resources are depleting at a more rapid rate than ever. As consumers, there are many viable methods for pursuing a cleaner, more “eco-kosher” earth. The above principals, those of Tractate Berachot 20b and Tractate Shabbat 151b, can be applied to the everyday life of consumers. As the ‘art’ of kosher slaughter follows a strict procedure, so can we create a ‘strict’ procedure to follow everyday as a concrete checklist that keeps us consumers in check. In Leviticus 11:1-23, and Leviticus 11:44-45, G-d gives the Israelites the laws of Kashrut; some animals are abominable and impure, while others are clean and kosher. G-d tells us what we can and cannot eat. However, nowhere in the Torah does G-d specifically tell us how to work, invest, and purchase in a kosher fashion. What I mean by this is as follows: What if someone works for an anti-peaceful business that seeks to create new weaponry for war, ones that are designed to kill large amounts of people? What if someone invests in a corporation that does not treat its workers with respect, and pays them—illegally—under the legal minimum wage? What if someone purchases crops from a farming company, one that practices large amounts of deforestation for land? These are some of the challenges that we face when creating a concrete way to consume in an “eco-kosher” way. The principals of Tractate Berachot 20b and Tractate Shabbat 151b basically define being “eco-kosher”; they both state that exceeding G-d’s expectations of ethical kashrut makes one praiseworthy, and that those that are merciful to the earth as well as the living creatures that inhabit it will only be shown mercy from G-d. Transforming these principals into a concrete way for consumers is simple: reuse, reduce, recycle. This alliteration, although very cliché, covers a comprehensive amount of “eco-kosher” requirements. Reusing, reducing, and recycling all directly support bal tashchit, as they help preserve the earth. While these three actions help conserve the earth’s resources, another sector still has not been tackled: the merciful treatment of other living creatures. Shackling and hoisting animals is a very controversial topic that falls under this category. It is ethical to slaughter animals in a non-painful way, and shackling and hoisting is an example of unethical slaughter. This unmerciful treatment inflicts immense amounts of pain on the animals, specifically on the leg they are hoisted by. In order to tackle this issue, one must look at pain from the animal’s point of view: will stunning the animals relieve them of pain? Will hanging them upside down cause more pain? The halakhic law for kosher slaughter states that animals must be conscious and must be slaughtered without pain. Finding the answer to these questions as well as others will allow for a new route for future generations. Although as consumers we do not involve ourselves with the routine of kosher slaughter, offering helpful insight can never be detrimental. New ways, such as using a bolt gun to subdue to animal, allow for a cleaner, more ethical, and more “eco-kosher” world.
Daniel,
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post. I thought the idea of Reduce, Reuse, recycle was an extremely innovative way to consume products. I agree with you that bolt gun as well as any new innovations are essential in serving the spirit of G-d's law. I wonder what you think is our direct responsibility as consumers. What can we do to make a positive difference in the world. I agree with your point that it is extremely important to make sure animals are safe, but I want to know to what extent, as far as time and money, can companies sacrifice in order to do business properly? Overall, great post! I really enjoyed your points!
Emma Bloom
ReplyDeleteAlthough Tractate Berachot 20b states that “the Jewish people are praiseworthy for their desire to serve God beyond the letter of the law,” as modern consumers it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so. We, as Jews today, must extend the traditional laws of kosher to eco-kosher. Eco-kosher implies a broader sense of healthy and humane practice, improving the relationship between the human race and the earth. While in its traditional sense, kosher simply means the “code of proper ritual slaughter, proper separation of meat and milk, proper tithing of fruit,” this is merely following the letter of the law. Eco-kosher regards the spirit of the law that Tractate Berachit 20b so commends. The most concrete way to interpret the laws of ethical kashrut in the Talmud would be to follow the laws of ethical kashrut at its most basic level: tza’ar ba’alei chai’im (respect for living things). However, today, with the immense amount of pesticides used and our lack of conservation, bal tashchit has become increasingly important. These two principles, along with sh’mirat haguf, tzedakah, and b’rakhah and kedushah, make up those of “eco-kosher.” Leviticus 11:1-23, 44-45 spells which animals are okay to be eaten and those that are unclean. This is, however, chukim so explanations must be drawn from outside of the text. Since there is no direct clarifications in the Torah about how exactly to keep kosher, there has been much controversy in the past over issues such as shackling and hoisting. Genesis 9:1-4 permits eating plants as well as meat, but the challenge comes in that it does not explain how to work, purchase goods, etc. in a kosher manner. This is where we must apply our knowledge of ethical kashrut and eco-kosher above the laws of traditional kashrut. Rabbi Arthur Waskow describes this as a “balancing and synthesizing of the underlying values” over “an absolute sense of Good and Bad.” In order to make a difference for ourselves and future generations, we must begin to educate ourselves about where to work, invest in, and purchase from. It is imperative that we look not only at the aspects of “Biblical Kashrut,” but also at the ways in which employees and living things are treated and the impact of certain institutions on the earth.
Shannon Delijani
DeleteI understand that it is important to have ethical business practices in order for something to be eco kosher, but I wonder whether ethical business practices should be something that is included in kashrut itself. Do you think that we should, as a society, extend our definition of kashrut to include business ethics? Or should we keep the two things separate. Technically I don't know if we should make business a part of a code of dietary laws. It seems like more of a moral dilemma than a dilemma of kashrut.
Eating kosher is definitely becoming harder to follow as the years go on. Even when we think we are eating kosher, we may not be, due to untruthful business practices. We, as Jews, should be able to go to a kosher market or restaurant or even butcher to get the kosher meat and food we want, but because of the change in some people's business practices, we don't even know if the meat is actually "glatt kosher." It is very interesting to find out that plants may not be kosher because there may be bugs that aren't kosher in them. We could go even further and say that most plants aren't kosher because they are sprayed with chemicals, like pesticides, which is damaging the earth and killing the bugs. This is inhumane, just like killing animals can be inhumane, so why is eating pesticides that were sprayed on the plants kosher?
DeletePamela Hekmat
ReplyDeleteAs modern Jews, not only are we responsible for respecting the food we eat and applying laws of Kashrut, however we must additionally show respect for other aspects of giving either the food we eat or the earths natural resources we consume. He must take initiative and understand the negative effects we are leaving on the earth which we may not be realizing. We must change our bad habits because we will leave our future generations with even worse conditions. An example of such a situation is with the farmers and those in the hidden background story of where the food we get comes from. The treatment of these farmers, their payment and their conditions are additional areas in which we should take consideration into. In order for an Eco-kosher environment, we must adjust and make changes to the ways in which these farmers and treated. We might not see their deep struggles that are hidden however we are definitely responsible for them. Examples of ways we can and have our future generations continue to help are by having the government check for the right treatment of the people and making their laws stricter, checking the numbers of workers and their payment being fair and not truthful to what they are promised to get. On our part, we can stop consuming the foods from companies that we know do not treat their workers right or large companies that likely have hired numbers and numbers of farmers which often leads to bad working conditions. An example is the Roncador Farm in Mato Grasso where workers must maintain more than 100.000 cattle and 9.000 acres of soybeans. These workers in forced labor had to work 16 hours a day every day of the week. The workers did not have beds nor sanity. Additionally, their only water provided them with unsanitary water. Debt bondage, a type of slavery, which does not allow workers to leave and the workers being put into increasing debt since goods were bought from the farm shop for very high prices. Unfortunately this issue is very common even though we may not see it nor be aware of it. Although federal and state labor laws are meant to protect workers, there are lots of violations of these laws in many factory farms in the United States. The majority of these workers are undocumented immigrants which are popular for hiring since they are less likely to complain about low wages and bad working conditions they deal with. Additionally, this way the owner can easily replace the worker when he or she dies. This goes against the rules of kashrut which say to treat the animal we consume respectively. Does this not include the right treatment of those providing us with the large amounts of food? That is why we must go beyond the meaning of "kosher" as Rabbi Waskow says. As it says in Tracatate Berachot 20b and Tractate Shabbat 151b in order for one to be "praised" they must exceed the expectations of G-d and serve G-d beyond the letter of the law". Our responsibility is to "express the needs of a Jewish community moving beyond the modern age- reaching back to learn from pre-modern Judaism, and reaching forward to a Judaism that does not yet exist" as Schachter-Shalomi puts it. Schachter-Shalomi adds that "just as the Jewish people experienced a crisis as it welcomes and celebrated the modern age, so it is now beginning to experience a crisis as it sees dangers and feels doubts about the modern age."
Therefore just as our past generations suffered from the dangers and applied we must follow with new dangers such as the issue with laborers in farming industries. As it applies for animals that they must be in sanitary conditions in order to be kashrut, same must the laborers, so why not expand this law of kashrut. Based on the idea of Tza'ar ba'alei chai'm, the respect for animals, we must extend this additionally not only to the respect of animals but also the respect of those laborers and basically humans in such industries for they too are created in the image of G-d. Some challenges we face are becoming more strict on our laws and watch carefully for the laws are usually went against without anything done about it. Another challenge is getting enough work done and being able to pay the workers, which would require less workers and less of the product. However, In my view it is worth it and something we have to do when people just like us are suffering and being highly mistreated.
ReplyDeleteShannon Delijani
ReplyDeleteThe Jewish People as a nation have evolved time and time again with the passing of generations. From the time that we were wanderers in the desert following the commandments of God passed to us from prophets to the present day sects of Judaism which guide our observances in the modern world, Jews everywhere have been tasked with finding ways to integrate the ancient teachings of Judaism with the constantly progressing world. The idea of animal rights has become a hot topic in recent years and it is the responsibility of Modern Jewry to mesh the teachings of the Torah with social contracts that exist in society today.
The first step is to clearly understand what challenges we currently face. Jews must find new ways to define what is Kosher. It is no longer enough to say that the separation of milk and meat from a Kosher butcher is Kashrut in accordance with the laws given to us in Leviticus 11:1-23 and 11:44-45. There are hechshers to understand and different levels dictating the difference between Glatt Kosher, and Kosher Meat only, and Kosher-Style…etc. Then there is the issue of whether food is Kosher if it was not produced by ethical means.
One response to these challenges has been the movement towards Eco-Kashrut. This movements asks individuals to evaluate Kashrut on the basis of a different set of standards. According to Rabbi Arthur Waskow these standards includeTza'ar ba'alei chai'im, respect for all things that have life, Bal tashchit, not ruining the earth, Sh'mirat haguf, protecting our bodies, Tzedakah, sharing with the poor, and B'rakhah and Kedushah, or affirming the holiness of our actions. We are urged to take into account all of these standards when identifying food as kosher or unkosher. We need to ask whether the making of our food is polluting the earth with pesticides, ruining out bodies with excessive processing, or causing unnecessary pain for animals being slaughtered.
The ethical slaughter of animals is a prime example of individuals taking into account the spirit of a law rather than just the letter of the law. The intention behind kosher slaughter is to give the greatest amount of respect towards the animal that is giving its life for our nourishment. When animals are crammed together in awful living conditions, frightened, dirty, ill, and in pain, even if all of the laws of kosher slaughter are technically being followed the idea behind kosher slaughter is being neglected completely. It is important for us to take responsibility for seeing the bigger picture and understanding the effect of our actions.
The most important thing we, as consumers, can do to create a change for ourselves and for future generations is to take control of what we buy and be conscious of the fact that every dollar we spend is a vote for what we want to support and grow. If today we decide to support the growth of meat processors who raise grass fed organic cows without growth hormones, in the future unethical plants will not have the money to operate and will be forced to maintain the same standards of other companies who do have the right values. If all people who have the means to make informed choices start to take care, there will be more opportunity for those who don't have the means to choose ethical food processors.
Ashley Yashar:
DeleteShannon, this was really well written and it really made me think of me, as a consumer. The standards you mentioned from Rabbi Arthur Waskow can have a consumer think, "is what I'm doing good for me, and also for the world?" Being Kosher or a Vegetarian can show a sort of compassion for the treatment of animals and how they are slaughtered. I agree with what you mentioned for the future. It is in our hands, as the future generation for the world to come and spend our money on what we value. If we spend our money on things we agree with, we are putting our vote with what we believe is right.
Joey P
ReplyDeletePerfection is near impossible but people are always striving for it. Being the best in sports and never being wrong is physically and scientifically impossible. But attempting and striving for it is what counts. For example, Shaun White, a professional half pipe snowboarder, constantly tries to have perfect runs but the lack of perfection forces him to fall or mess up. To ensure that he is near perfect, he trains and focuses mostly on the behind the scenes. He has to go above and beyond to be the best he can be. Much like Shaun White, Jews have to go above and beyond to ensure they are following the rules as best they can. Kashrut forces people to separate meat and milk. Many Jews wait a good amount of time until they can have one or the other. For many of those Jews, that is the extent to which they care. Like Shaun White, a small percent cares about the behind the scenes, where the meat is from. Many do not realize that their food is coming from cows that stand uncomfortably in a clump throughout their lives; the animals later get slaughtered immorally, through shackling and hoisting. The problem is that people are not educated. Jews must be productive research. From the farm, for example, how the cow is fed and whether or not it is free-range. But this combination is very hard to find and is often very expensive. On average, a corn fed 16 ounce T-bone steak, is about 16 dollars. On the other hand, a grass fed 16 ounce steak is closer to 30 dollars. Is it possible to make people, mainly Jews, spend 30 dollars on every steak they eat? That is very hard to achieve, but the awareness is more important. If more people find out about the immortality of feeding and killing animals now, people of the future will be more aware of the problem. Kashrut, however, is just a single example of many ways people do not realize these types problems, the behind the scenes work. People do not normally pay attention to anything but the fact that they have the object. People tend forget about working conditions and days off. Every dollar people spend is a vote for that cause. Research and knowledge is the key to being perfect because all the “behind the scene” work is finished.
Emma Bloom
DeleteAlthough I agree that awareness is important, it is not the only component involved in facing the challenges that come along with kashrut. Awareness is the first step in creating an "eco-kosher" world, but awareness alone will not help future generations to change the flaws in living by the laws of kashrut. We must apply the knowledge that we acquire to fix problems in the treatment of animals, workers, and the earth itself. Future generations may continue to apply this knowledge and use advanced technology to take it further. As you mentioned, perfection in our treatment of living things cannot logically be achieved, but it may be drastically improved by our application of the knowledge we gather.
Daniel Anstey
DeleteJoey, I enjoyed your analogy to Shaun White about the Jewish people's motivation to follow ethical kashrut perfectly. This is a perfect example of someone who has gone above and beyond expectations. Therefore as Tractate Berachot 20b talks about how those who surpass G-d's expectations are praiseworthy, Shaun White must be praised for his determination. His actions can be modeled by the Jewish people in an "eco-kosher" way. Instead of arguing about the prices of a 16$ corn fed steak and 30$ grass fed steak, can we not take the initiative and do something about it? Jews could raise the incentive to purchase a grass fed steak, which would increase the supply and decrease its price. We could also pursue a cheaper way of feeding the cows to create high end steak, which as a result would make this production more efficient. Applying these "eco-kosher" principals to our everyday lives will allow us to become "more praiseworthy", and by easing the pain that animals feel before slaughter G-d will be merciful unto us. Progress is the key factor, and with innovation we can aid future generations and steer them away from destruction of the earth, keeping it bal taschit.
Ashley Yashar
ReplyDeleteShabbat 151b says, “God will show mercy to those who are merciful.” Does this apply only to humans showing mercy to each other? Or to all living creatures? If a Jew wants to be a more merciful consumer, he or she must conduct some in-depth research before making purchases. Some aspects of this topic include finding places that sell meat that were killed in a merciful manner, finding out what the terms “cage free” and “free range” actually mean, and finding a small scale, family-operated farm in the area, etc. If you do more research, you are more likely to make a kinder choice. Without knowing, we are standing “idly by,” as the Jewish World Watch says.
Though compassion is the obvious choice, many do not back up their values with their actions, because the compassionate choice requires more effort. Humane animal products are hard to come by in a regular supermarket, and people can only really be sure of what they’re buying when they know the producer. This means going to specific farmers’ markets at specific times which requires planning ahead, with little room for spontaneous shopping. For Jews, there is another complication. Once a religious Jew has found a humane farm to buy meat from, they must have the additional Kosher certification. In fact, finding both is not likely.
But things don’t have to be that complicated. There is in fact, an even more humane option than those stated above: eat plants and give up meat. Genesis 1:28-29 details life before the first sin and the fall from Eden. Back when everything was perfect, when there was no suffering, God did not only take man into account, but animals were given the same freedom from suffering. There was no killing in Eden. Only after the first sin was committed, did meat become acceptable. Jewish author, Isaac Bashevis Singer, went so far as to say, “In their behavior toward creatures, all men are Nazis. Human beings see oppression vividly when they're the victims. Otherwise they victimize blindly and without a thought.” This shows how, when we really think about it, our compassion is not enough when only extended to fellow human beings, while we turn a blind eye on the suffering we cause other creatures.
If conditions for farm animals are ever going to change, future generations must be educated. While I don’t plan on becoming a vegetarian, I do want to teach my kids about the choices that we make as consumers and why they are important. I can do this by practicing ethical consumerism in front of my kids, showing them that the extra effort and time is worth it to help create a more humane world. By doing this, I teach them “every dollar you spend is a vote for the world you want to live in.” Although I find the topic of slaughter uncomfortable, I can choose to be brave enough to discuss the matter with others, bringing light to the darkness, since so many people make poor choices just because they’re not aware.
Shelby Hay
DeleteAshley, I enjoyed reading your blog post. It was very interesting because you discussed how we should all be more careful about where we get our meat from and how that may not always be the easiest thing to do, it still is a safe choice. The quotes that you integrated into your post were very insightful. In addition, I liked how you were able to say your opinion with out it being informal to other readers. I agree that we all need to be more cautious of where our meat is coming from and how we should all check the packaging of the meat before we purchase it.
Hey Ashley, It is Joey Plutsky!!
DeleteI thought you did an incredible job. I especially enjoyed how you made it very easy in relate to. In the first paragraph, you help make a story meaningful by adding the "cage free" comment. Everything is clear and easy to understand. I also think Shelby made a great point how this is very much your opinion while still being formal throughout. This is a great essay. Thank You for your input!!!!!!
Shelby Hay
ReplyDeleteAfter being taught more about what Eco-Kosher is, it has really opened my eyes to various things. Such as, where our meat is being produced and how the vegetables are being taken care of, in addition to the people who are making all of it. Some challenges that I have noticed are that most people aren’t aware of are how plants are being treated. For me, I feel that pesticides have not been discussed enough. What are pesticides actually being used for? Are they helping the vegetables or actually hurting them? If pesticides are really killing the rodents and insects on vegetables, doesn’t it stand to reason that they are also slowly killing our bodies? These questions have me concerned. Rabbi Arthur Waskow talks about pesticides. He asks, “Are tomatoes grown by drenching the earth in pesticides ‘kosher’ to eat…?” Rabbi Waskow brings up another very inserting question. Are pesticides even kosher? Bal tashchit means, “not ruining” the earth. In Rabbi Waskow’s article it discusses more of Bal tashchit, as it states how the committee leans more against the poisoning of the earth, harming the plants. They say to “use less chemical pesticides” in order for the vegetables to grow more “naturally” or “organic”. Genesis 1:28-29 states that God said, “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food.” God has given us fruits and vegetables so we may eat them and take care of what he has given us. If we have to take care of these foods that were given to us by God, is it possible to still be putting chemicals on them? In an article that I have read recently read in the UK Mail Online, it talks about how they found out that young children are more likely to get cancer from fruit because of all the pesticides sprayed on the fruits. The article said “We need to be especially careful about children because they tend to be more vulnerable to many of these chemicals and their effects on the developing brain.” Even though it is very important to know where our meat comes from and how it is being treated, we should also know about more about the fruits and vegetables we buy, because you never know what workers are putting on these plants and how it can actually be affecting us.
David Shadi
DeleteHey Shelby, I like where you are going with this. I 100% agree with you that pesticides are not handed enough attention.One point that you discussed was, what if pesticides are not kosher? That is a nicely posed question but I think that most of the time they might be needed. And even if they are not I think there are more important kashrut AND eco-kashrut laws that are not being followed. One example might be the workers, how are they being treated? Also the company itself and how it is ran. It can even possibly go deep into how kosher the fruit is itself. Please do not get me wrong, I loved your post but I just wanted to put a few points of view out there. Thank you!
Natalie Zakaria
ReplyDeleteIn Tractate Berachot 20b, it is said, "Jewish people are praiseworthy for their desire to serve God beyond the letter of the law". As time evolves and modernity increases, some of these obligations we have as Jewish people following the principals of God are harder to obtain. Being kosher means observing Jewish food laws, which would be considered the letter of the law. Now that times are changing and it has become harder to keep these, we must create a connection and a deeper relationship between our world and the human race while still incorporating humane slaughtering, and a healthy living; otherwise known as Eco-kashrut, for our betterment. This is the spirit of the law. In order for people to understand and apply the letter of the law with the spirit of the law, many steps have to take place in order to bring future generations closer together, abiding by these guidelines. In today's modernized population, Tzaar ba'alei chai'im is becoming harder and harder to abide by, although it is vital for our community as Jewish people. Many aspects of outside-life contribute to changes we need to make to apply Eco-kashrut into our lives, for our future generations as well. Our meat and poultry is raised in farms we don't necessarily have much information about. We don't know how working conditions can effect the animals we consume, or how they are treated. In Eco-kashrut we are obligated to create an ethical living and working space for everyone which can improve life for these animals and the people that raise them. This might lead to government involvement for more money to make certain steps to an Eco-kosher lifestyle happen. With these steps and involvement taken, we can in fact rise above the letter of the law into a healthier living space for our future generations to come. Another big factor to consider is the treatment of our animals and how not to conflict any pain on them. We need to treat other creatures mercifully and take extra caution for what we are about to consume not to feel pain. In the halakhic law for kosher slaughter, it is said that animals must be slaughtered without pain inflicted onto them, but they must be conscious. We must insure all of these different details and aspects to create a better, healthier, more ethical connection between God, our world, and what we consume. Our generations will then strive to do the same heading in the right path, going above and beyond the letter of the law. Us Jews must do what we can to simulate a more caring, healthier world; going the Eco-Kosher way.
Moshe Maleh
DeleteNatalie,
I loved reading your post but from the beginning I was wondering what the obligations you mentioned that are beyond the letter of the law? I understand that you say the letter of the law and principals are harder to obtain but is it only the connection and deeper relationship that we must serve for? I enjoyed how you brought in the subject/idea that the government may involve themselves with the slaughterhouses in providing more money to accomplish the Eco-Kosher lifestyle. Very well done!
David Shadi
ReplyDeleteWe as Jews are made in the vision of G-d. We are to be the best individual we can be, this follows laws that act as guidelines for our behavior. One law, Tractate Shabbat 151b, states, “God will show mercy to those who are merciful”. In the industrial world that we live in today, sometimes people do not think about where they can show mercy. If I told you that by buying a Hershey chocolate bar, you are not showing mercy, would you believe me? Hershey produces many chocolate products. These items are not made using mercy. This is due to the child and forced labor that Hershey puts some of their workers through in West Africa to produce their cocoa. This is obviously wrong, but we can change this, as consumers. As consumers we have all the power to make sure that companies do what is right, not wrong. The prompt talks of us to go past the letter of the law, and to the spirit of it. We can apply these principals with the power we have, money. Our money is a vote; the more we purchase an item the more the company will continue what it is doing. In this case, Hershey uses forced labor. Therefore, every time someone buys a Hershey item, it’s like telling Hershey to keep on using forced labor. Then again, if people stop buying from Hershey, their ways will change. This is the power we have as consumers to concretely apply these principals. We don’t use our power smartly though. We face challenges when applying these principles. Challenges like ignorance and willingness. Many know of Hershey and eat their items. What people don’t know is who gathers the ingredients and how they are treated. Reportedly, Hershey uses forced and child labor in West Africa to get cocoa. If more people knew of this, chances are that Hershey sales go down. At that point, which educated consumers are willing to stop consuming Hershey items? Will there also be similar, convenient options? But who makes these laws, and what are they? There are many different texts proving that Hershey isn’t an ethically correct company. There is a committee consisting of, ALEPH members, Rabbi Marshall Meyer, and Rabbi Rolando Matalon, along with other Jewish leaders. They questioned and explored Kashrut along with eco-kashrut. They spoke of purchases. A question they posed was, when choosing which companies to buy consumer goods from, should we factor in the facts of what else a specific company is producing? This text is asking us to look at our options. In this case, before we buy a Hershey bar, should we consider buying another candy bar that isn’t linked to wrong doings? Another group, The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, under the Heksher Tzedek Policy Statement and Working Guidelines, also speak of such behavior. They say a company should pay workers similar to regional and industrial averages along with offering affordable health insurance. Later on they talk about the workplace environment and the issue of previous controversies associated with worker pay and benefits. Hershey is violating all of these rules of eco-kashrut. But if a company follows these texts, it would be ethically correct. Nigel Savage, founder of Hazon talks about Eco-Kashrut based on traditional Jewish values. One of the values is Tzedaka, which through this lens translates to “Justice/doing what is right”. Another value that he talks about is Ozek, this means not to oppress workers. He also speaks of Ma’agalei Tzedek, which is an Israel based hekhsher for businesses that treat their workers fairly. These are all good guidelines for companies to follow. But for now, not every company is run this way. We need to prevent this behavior in the future, and it’s never too late to make a difference. The generations after us will run into the same problems. The most effective way that we can get them to apply these principals of eco-kashrut to controversies like this is by education. We can explain to them what the problem is, why it is a problem, and how to deal with it. If we can do this successfully, they will try to fix the problem and educate their children as well.
Justine Nour-Omid
DeleteDavid, I really like how you chose to write about Hershey's. It was really interesting because many people do buy their products regularly and are ignorant to what is happening behind the scenes. I reluctantly admit that I fall under this category. It's sad that so many of us are oblivious of what actually is happening. We are guilty of carelessly purchasing products without doing any research. The knowledge of what is happening in reality is actually a huge deal. It can make a bug difference. If more people became aware of Hershey's crimes, less people would support it by buying from them. I also really like what you said about how our money is a vote. And in this case a vote towards child labor. Overall, great job!
Justine Nour-Omid
ReplyDelete(Part 1)
Over the centuries, Judaism has drastically developed and evolved. What it means to be a Jew today is completely different from what it meant in ancient times. In the Torah it is written, “You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk”(Deuteronomy 14:21). This could mean that one cannot literally place a baby goat in its own mother’s milk and cook it. But it says more than that. It restricts the unethical treatment of animals. According to Rabbi Solomon Efraim Lunchits, “The purpose of Kashrut is to keep us humane.” In biblical times, this was easy. People would herd their own cattle. This law simply made ancient Jews act with ethical behavior. But, how does this law apply to us? In today’s culture, we don’t herd our own cattle, or slaughter our own animals. With industrialization, we get meat by driving to our local supermarket. We check for the hekhsher and purchase the meat. However, this may raise some concerns, like where does our kosher meat come from and what is happening there? Do our kosher meat suppliers really have ethical behavior? The Talmud (Tractate Berachot 20b) states that the Jewish people are praiseworthy for their desire to serve God beyond the letter of the law. We as Jews must live up to this expectation. Nowhere in the Torah is it written that Jews must inquire to ensure that their meat supplier is a Tzadik. However, with the movement of Eco-Kashrut, Jews begin to focus on more. Eco Kashrut is based on traditional Jewish values. This includes ‘tzaar baalei chaim’ or respect for animals and avoidance of suffering, ‘bal tashchit’ or not ruining or needlessly destroying, and ‘oshek’ or not oppressing workers. As consumers, we need to make sure we serve God beyond the letter of the law through Eco-Kashrut and the Jewish values it encourages. We need to make sure that our food is coming from somewhere where the earth, people, and animals are treated with humanity. We need to know if our food source is polluting the air, treating workers with disrespect, handling animals with cruelty, or using harmful pesticides. One example of such unethical behavior is the Agriprocessors chain of slaughterhouses and meatpacking factory based in Postville, Iowa. The company was charged with mistreatment of cattle, pollution, and a series of alleged violations of labor law.
Justine Nour-Omid
ReplyDelete(Part 2)
Agriprocessors plants stopped operating and Sholom Rubashkin, the highest ranking corporate officer was charged with financial fraud and sentenced to 27 years in prison. Agriprocessors’ meat may have been technically kosher because it passed all the rules of the “letter of the law”, or the literal translation of the text. However, it would not be ethically right to purchase meat from somewhere that engages in such corruption. They violate the “spirit of the law”. After this scandal, The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and The Rabbinical Assembly created a set of guidelines that must be passed for a product to receive the label of a Hekhsher Tzedek. This label signifies that the product follows the “spirit of the law” and the values of Eco Kashrut. In order to obtain the Heksher Tzedek, the employees of the company must be receiving decent wages and benefits, working in a safe and healthy environment, treating animals with respect, and not hurting the environment. It is important to help future generations with this issue. If we Jew consumers only purchase kosher products that are stamped with the Heksher Tzedek, and boycott immoral meatpacking plants we will be able to encourage better ethical behavior and eliminate those without it. John Maynard Keynes came up with his theory that he called Keynesian economics. This theory emphasizes the power of the consumer. If consumers do not purchase a product, the product will not be successful. In conlusion, we should only buy kosher products that contain the Hekhsher Tzedek label out of compassion to those that are hurt if we do not. And by engaging in acts of compassion, we become worthy of the blessing of our sages (Tractate Shabbat 151b): “God will show mercy to those who are merciful.”
Moshe Maleh
ReplyDeleteTractate Berachot 20b states that, “the Jewish people are praiseworthy for their desire to serve G-d beyond the letter of the law”, however this has become a progressively more difficult task for Jewish consumers to abide by. This verse from the Talmud explains that we must serve and follow G-d’s beyond his commandments. As consumers and modern Jews, it is imperative we show respect toward the food we eat while applying laws of kashrut. A term called “Eco-Kashrut” has been recently implemented for many Jewish people, which is incorporating humane slaughtering while maintaining a healthy living. One text that helps portray what Eco-Kashrut is Tractate Shabbat 151b and it states, “G-d will show mercy to those who are merciful”. This means that when you show acts of compassion toward living creatures, you will be shown mercy by G-d. While maintaining Eco-Kashrut, some challenges may arise. As consumers, these challenges could be the price difference for kosher meat, because it is much more expensive than unkosher meat. It is more expensive because it requires more maintenance and care. In addition, another challenge faced by kosher meat eaters, is that the accessibility of buying kosher meat is not always available for purchase at local markets. Often times, there may be no market that sells kosher meat near your home and it could be very difficult to find and purchase the meat. Leviticus 11:1-23, 44-45 explains in detail which animals are acceptable to be considered as kosher food to eat. When specified, there are a plethora of animals that cannot be considered kosher to eat. There are no explanations as to why these animals are known to be unclean, which is why they are called Chukim, laws with no logical explanation. In the modernized world, many pesticides are used and put into the soil, which brings up the topic of Bal Tashchit, not to destroy. This is only one important aspect of keeping Eco-Kashrut. In order to make a difference for future generations, we need to spread awareness to the Jewish community. Thus, this will create a more sustainable and humane environment for animals to be slaughtered.
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ReplyDeleteAs a member of the Conservative Jewish community I feel I have the responsibillity to treat my neighbors will respect and equality. As a consumer, I feel there are many options for me to choose from. Some common factors in choosing a restuarant are convience, quality, and pricing. Many people do not take into account the ethics of the owner (who you are paying money to). As it says in The Talmud (Tractate Berachot 20b)The Jewish people are praiseworthy for their desire to serve G-d beyond the Letter of the Law. It is our responsibility as Jewish consumers to take into account the Heksher Tzedek guidlines of a restuarant in making our decision on where to eat. (Tractate Shabbat 151b) states that those who show mercy to their employees deserve to have mercy shown to them. I believe that those who treat their employees well deserve to thrive and prosper. If a consumer is deciding between two restuarants, the behavior of the owner should impact a consumers decision making.
ReplyDeleteThe challenges owners face are simple, living “eco-kosher” owners will have to spend more time, effort, or money. An owner’s goal is always to spend the least money possible and make the most. High margains give an owner less risk while giving him more oppurtunity to make money. Resturaunt owners such as my Grandpa are dealt with constant decisions to keep themselves profitable while making their employees and customers happy. My Grandpa’s bussiness plan was to keep his employees and costumers happy and the rest would follow. He has created a community at his resturaunts. Keeping the same employees for two decades and having his costumers coming back daily/weekly.
My grandpa belives in the value of running a well functioning and honest bussiness. He is an extremely smart busniess man who understands the value of his employees and once he finds a gem he makes sure to keep him. As I do not intend to compare my grandpa to G-d, I feel as an owner he can relate to the principles of (Tractate Shabbat 151b): “God will show mercy to those who are merciful.” My grandpa believes in mutual respect and fair treatment of his employees and costumers. He feels that if he keeps them happy they will find a way to repay him. Rabbi Arthur Waskow encourages us to use "good practice" in the workfield. Waskow describes Eco Kashrut as doing the right thing. He encourages us to do what we believe is morally just under a large list of criteria. Waskow encourages that we treat others the right way and follow Eco-Kashurut under by all means necessary.
I think future generations should put more of an emphasis on following the laws of the Heksher Tzedek. When a consumer goes to a resturaunt, they have the right to know whom they are paying their money too. I think the only way to regulate restaurants is to give a Heksher Tzedek grades along with the sanitation grades. This will really help the public understand how restaurants are being run while also encouraging restaurants to get a higher grade. I believe that without public gradings of restaurant sanitation, restaurants would be more inclined to neglect sanitation. As important as sanitation is, I believe that the morals, treatment of workers, and way the restaurant is operated should be held to a very high level as well. Incentives and opportunity for prizes and positive publicity can really encourage consumers to want to choose one restaurant above another.
Keren Givol
ReplyDeleteIn the Jewish tradition we are thought to be created in the image of G-d. We are given our bodies and are expected to return them just the way we received them. Based on this, we must take care of ourselves and do everything in our control. We must show respect not only to our bodies but also to the animals and our environment. We cannot take advantage of what we were given and ruin anything for future generations. We must change our bad habits so we can be healthier and our environment will be respected and clean. Eco Kashrut means “good practice” it talks about Sh’mirat Haguf as well as Bal Tashchit (Eco Kashrut packet pg 42). Sh’mirat haguf literally means “protection of ones body.” We have an obligation to indirectly take care of the animals because what the animals consume is what we consume. If we feed these animals fertilization enhancement drugs then these animals will be subject to poor health quality which will in turn harm us because in feeding these animals the drugs we consume them as well. We can make a difference for future generations by ensuring that the animals that we eat are raised naturally and kept in a natural environment. Instead of with unnatural produce boosters. In addition, another contributing factor to the insalubrious life style is the constraining housing for these animals. This affects them both physiologically and physically which makes for even more magnified lack of protection. Due to these constraining living quarters these animals encounter trying situations such as broken bones, and the farmers render these parts of the animals’ body unusable. Because of this the world encounters Bal tashchit; this calls for a waste of objects as well as labor. Another problem is that farmers inject harmful chemicals into the ground so that the animals are forced to unknowingly consume these chemicals, which happen to accelerate their growth and maturity. This again violates Bal tashchit because in order to keep the earth from being ruined we must avoid “poisoning he earth with chemical pesticides in order to grow food”. (Eco Kashrut packet pg. 42) If we begin to show mercy to these animals, our bodies and our land then G-d will show us mercy through health and happiness in our lives. Because as it states “God will show mercy to those who are merciful”.
Kyle Latin
ReplyDeleteTractate Shabbat 151b states “God will show mercy to those who are merciful.” This is based on the concept of Tza’ar ba’alei chai’im, which means, “concern for the ‘distress of those who possess life’.” Although most people eat animals often, there are still ways that we can be merciful towards the animals before they are killed. This mercy does not mean that a person must directly take care of the animal that they are planning on eating. However, we can show mercy for the animals through the power that we have as consumers.
If somebody wants to make sure that they are only eating animals that were treated ethically before being slaughtered, they can make sure to purchase only foods labeled with a heksher. As consumers, we have the power to indirectly control how companies are run. If a majority of people has stopped purchasing products from one company and started buying from a more ethical company, the first company will try to get their customers back by seeing what they are doing wrong and trying to change their ways. If this company chooses not to change how they run their business, the lack of sales will be an issue for them and may even put them out of business, leaving the more ethical company on top.
Some people, such as myself, take a further approach and don’t eat meat at all. Genesis 9:3 says “Every creature that lives shall be yours to eat.” This shows that God allows humans to kill animals as long we are slaughtering them for food. However, Genesis 1:29 says, “I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food.” This shows that while we are allowed to eat meat, we have the option to be vegetarians. It is one of the challenges we face as Jews. We are permitted to eat only plants, but also being allowed to eat animals makes that difficult. God gave us these animals for food and we still must treat them ethically. This results in the simple approach of being a vegetarian and not having to kill animals at all. Vegetarianism also has many health benefits, which follows the idea of Sh’mirat haguf, which means the protection of one’s own body.
Beyond the idea of controlling what we eat and how we prepare it, there is also the idea of Eco-Kashrut. Eco-Kashrut is the idea of not just our relationship with animals but also our relationship with the Earth and follows the concept of Bal tashchit, which literally means, “not ruining the earth”. This concept is very important in our modern world because of the horrible things that people do to this planet. People are polluting the air and water, destroying farmland by spraying tons of pesticides, and wasting energy. We are not just consumers of the products we buy but are also consumers of our resources. Eco-Kashrut is the idea of preserving the resources we have so that our future generations can appreciate them. However, people are going through water, land, minerals, and oil at alarming rates. If you were to compare the Earth to a cow going in to slaughter, you would realize that we are not treating the Earth in an ethical manner. Some ways to keep our Earth kosher are by buying only organic foods, not eating foods that contain hormones, protecting nature/wild life, and making sure not to waste the things that we have.
Shaynee Rosen
ReplyDeletePersonally I am not a consumer, since I am a vegetarian. However, others who do consume animal products should treat animals equally to human beings. In the sense that humans are created in the image of G-d and are respected by other humans, just like animals are created in the image of G-d, but we do not respect them nearly as much as humans. Humans and animals are similar because animals and we were both created to live. Humans are not treating animals equally, since they are killing and eating them for their own benefits. They wouldn’t kill and eat another human, so why do they do it to animals? This shows inequality between humans and animals, automatically putting humans higher than animals, and treating them with much more respect.
Most people in the world are just eating these animals however they like, as if they were never living creatures before they were killed, to satisfy them. We, as Jews, have it much harder because we have to make sure that the animals are killed in a humane way with rabbis supervising to ensure the meat is kosher for us to eat. We have to go through a specific process for each animal that is killed, so we are not causing as much pain to the animal as other slaughterhouses might do. This makes it more challenging to eat at restaurants because it limits the options on the menu for us to eat. It also cost more to get kosher meat, so if some people can’t afford to spend that much on food, they may not be able to eat meat if they keep kosher. The reason why it costs so much is because kosher meat is more rare compared to regular meat, considering Jews only make up 2% of the population. Therefore, we don’t need to make as much kosher meat than regular meat. It also takes much more work to kill and prepare a kosher animal properly, and possibly require more people to be hired. The more people working, the better, so they can complete all the work that needs to be done according to the Torah, in order to make the meat kosher to eat.
To ensure that the animals we are eating are kosher, many steps are involved. First to make sure animals are kosher, we have to only eat beasts of the earth that “has cloven hooves and chews it’s cud” (Lev. 11:3; Deut 14:6). There are also other laws for the other animals, such as eating winged swarming things, saying how a few winged insects are specifically permitted, but the Sages are no longer certain which ones they are, so all of them have been forbidden (Lev 11:22). Of theses animals that may be eaten, the birds and mammals must be killed in accordance with Jewish law (Deut. 12:21), which restricts us even more because it is not just by which animals are kosher, but have to be killed in a certain way, as well. This shows that in Judaism we support humane behavior and that it is not only about the animals we are allowed to eat but we go even further and say that it has to be killed humanely. To explain the way the animals must be killed, the law, “All blood must be drained from meat and poultry or broiled out of it before it is eaten,” shows one of the steps that have to be done before we are allowed to eat it, as a kosher animal. The reason why the blood has to be drained is because the Torah prohibits “consumption of blood” (Lev. 7:26-27; Lev. 17:10-14). After all the steps that must be done to kill the animal properly, according to Jewish law, we may not be eating kosher. This event can happen if we are eating milk and meat at the same time. There is a law that states, you cannot “boil a kid in its mother’s milk” (Ex. 23:19; Ex. 34:26; Deut. 14:21), which means that we are not allowed to eat milk and milk together, just in case we are eating a kid that was cooked in it’s mother’s milk. These are just a few of the laws that Jews have to follow.
There is a whole list of laws to learn in order to make sure that we are following them correctly and eating kosher meat. We have to teach these laws to our future generations, in order to make a difference. We don’t want them treating animals how most people do now, which is inhumanely and carelessly torturing animals. Even better, to teach them the benefits of being a vegetarian, which is the best way to show that we, as humans care for G-d’s beautiful creations. They need to learn that all these animals are created in the image of G-d and that they should be treated with respect and be able to enjoy their own lives, just like we wouldn’t want anyone to kill and eat humans. Vegetarianism is the most humane way of treating animals.
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