Q & A
About your animals
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Is it true that one may not eat before feeding their animals?
What is the source for this?
- Yes, this is correct.
- The source for this halacha is the Gemara in Berachos 40a.
- Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: It is forbidden to eat before feeding one’s animals
as it is written, “And I will provide grass in your field for your animals & you will eat & be
satisfied” (Devarim 11:15). - The Torah lists animals before people to teach us that we must provide food for our
animals before we are permitted to eat. - The Maharam MiRutenberg (quoted by Magen Avrohom 271:12) holds that this is
a Torah prohibition, derived from this pasuk. - However, the Mishnah Berurah (Beiur Halachah 167, s.v. U’mikol) writes that
according to most poskim this drasha is not a Biblical source but rather an "asmachta"
(an allusion to a Rabbinic prohibition from a verse in the Torah). - Nevertheless, if an animal is suffering from hunger & one withholds food, this is a violation
of tzaar baalei chaim (causing undue pain to animals), which according to many is a
Torah prohibition.
What is the reason that the rabbis required us to feed animals first?
- As noted in the previous Halacha Yomis, most poskim maintain that the obligation to
feed animals before oneself is a Rabbinic imperative (Beiur Halachah 167, s.v. U’mikol). - There are several suggestions why the rabbis required that we feed our animals before
we eat.The Yad Efrayim (OC 167) writes that there are times when a person behaves
inappropriately & Hashem sustains the individual so he can feed his innocent animals. - As a humbling measure, one should think that perhaps G-d granted me life to care for my animals & therefore it is proper to feed the animals first.
- Sefer Chareidim writes that we are required to feed animals first, because it is forbidden
to cause animals undue pain (tzaar baalei chaim). - By feeding the animals first, we ensure that we will not violate tzaar baalei chaim
- Sefer Chareidim also writes that feeding animals first shows compassion & is a fulfillment of "v'halachta b'dracha" (following the ways of Hashem).
- Yalkut Yosef (OC 167, n. 9) points out that from the wording of the Rambam it seems that feeding an animal first is not a true Rabbinic obligation, but rather, appropriate behavior.
- The Rambam (Hilchos Avadim 9:8) writes that it is “proper ethics & the way of wisdom to
be kindly & to feed one’s animals before one eats.” This implies, there is no actual Rabbinic requirement. - Yalkut Yosef speculates that this is why this halachais not found explicitly in Shulchan
Aruch, though it is alluded to (OC 167:6). - According to the Maharam MiRutenberg, feeding animals first is a Torah obligation &
requires no explanation.
Which animals are included in the obligation to feed first?
Does this also apply to household pets such as dogs, cats, birds & fish?
- Although the pasuk (Devarim 11:15) which is the source of this obligation, refers to
grass-fed animals, such as cows & sheep, poskim write that the obligation to feed our
animals before we eat pertains to any animal that one is responsible to feed. - In fact, the Birkei Yosef (OC 157:4) writes that the Ariza”l admonished a student who
had neglected to feed his chickens before he ate. - The Sheilas Yaavetz (1:17) writes that this includes even fish which are dependent on
being fed by humans. - However, the Sheilas Yaavetz writes that there is room to be lenient regarding cats &
dogs.
1. Cats & dogs by nature are hunters & scavengers.
2. If a cat is not fed, it can hunt for birds & mice.
3. A dog will rummage through the garbage or dig up an old bone. - Furthermore, Chazal (Shabbos 155b) say that it takes a dog 3 days to digest its food.
He concludes that it is proper to feed cats & dogs before one eats, but there is a basis
to be lenient.
I am not home, and my animals have not yet been fed.
Am I obligated to go home & feed them before I can eat?
- The Sheilas Yaavetz (1:17) writes that the obligation to feed animals before eating
applies even if one is away from home. - The animal owner is required to go home & feed the animals or instruct a neighbor to do so.
- Nonetheless, Teshuvos Keren L’Dovid (47) demonstrates that as soon as an
arrangement is made for the animals to be fed, one may eat immediately, even before the animals are fed. This is because once someone else has agreed to feed the animals, they
are no longer the owner’s responsibility. The prohibition of eating before animals only
applies to those animals for which one is solely responsible. - Similarly, Yad Efrayim (OC 167) writes that the reason we do not typically see farmers
racing to feed their animals before eating is because most Jewish farmers have hired help
who are responsible to feed the animals.
I have not yet fed my animals. May I take a drink before feeding them?
- The Magen Avrohom (167:18) quotes the Sefer Chasidim who writes that although one
is not permitted to eat before feeding their animals, drinking is permitted. A proof of this
may be derived from Rivka Imeinu who gave Eliezer water to drink before she offered water
to his camels. If Eliezer would not have been allowed to drink before his camels, surely Rivka would not have offered him water first. - The Chayei Adam (1:45) offers a different proof based on a pasukin Bamidbar (20:8). G-d instructed Moshe to provide water for the congregation first & then for their animals.
- The Ksav Sofer (OC 32) argues that logically there should be no difference between eating
& drinking. - Nonetheless, the Mishnah Berurah (167:40) rules in accordance with the Sefer Chasidim that drinking before feeding animals is permissible.
- Why in fact would drinking be different than eating? Har Tzvi (OC 90) offers 2 explanations.
1. The discomfort of thirst for humans is a greater discomfort than the discomfort of hunger. Although we are expected to wait to eat until after our animals are tended to, we are not expected to wait to drink
2. If one begins a meal before feeding their animals, the meal might drag on & this could
lead to forgetting to feed them altogether, but drinking is short & there is no reason to
be concerned that the animals will be overlooked.
I have not yet fed my animals. May I take a snack before feeding them?
- The Magen Avrohom (167:18) writes that it is forbidden to taste any food before feeding" one’s animals.
- However, the Taz (OC 167:7) infers from the wording of the Gemara in Brachos (40a) that
a snack would be permitted. Furthermore, the Taz argues that this can be inferred as well
from the pasuk which is the source of this obligation: “And I will provide grass in your field for your animals & you will eat & be satisfied” (Devarim 11:15). Animals must be fed before one eats a full, satisfying meal, but a snack can be eaten even beforehand. - The Ksav Sofer (OC 32), as well as many other poskim, points out that the ruling of the
Taz does not seem to fit with the Gemara (Gittin 61a) which states that one may not taste
any food before feeding one’s animals. Therefore, one should follow the ruling of Magen Avrohom & even a snack should not be eaten before feeding one’s animals.
I recited the bracha of Hamotzi, but before I took a bite of bread,
I realized I had not yet fed my animals. What should I do?
- The Rama (OC 167:6) writes that lichatchila (ideally) one should take a bite of bread &
then feed the animals. However, if the person told someone to feed the animals before
taking a bite, it would not constitute a hefsek (interruption), which necessitates a new
bracha. This is because feeding the animal is a pre-requisite for the meal & therefore
bidieved (after the fact), it is not considered an interruption. - The Mishnah Berurah (Beiur Halacha 167, s.v.U'mikol) explains that the Rama held
that it is preferable to take a bite of bread before feeding the animals because eating
before feeding animals is a Rabbinic prohibition according to most poskim, while reciting a bracha livatala is an issur diorayso (Biblical prohibition). - The above is true if one recited hamotzi. However, after reciting the bracha of netilas
yadayim before hamotzi, the restrictions of interruption are less severe & it would be
acceptable to ask someone to feed the animals before reciting hamotzi. (see Mishnah Berurah 165:2).
How many times a day must I feed my animals?
Do I need to feed them every time I want to eat?
- Sefer Mishnas Chasidim maintains that one must always feed one’s animals before
eating. He offers the following proof: The Torah records that Eliezer arrived in Aram
Naharayim towards evening & no doubt he fed his camels in the morning. Still we see that poskim derive halachos regarding feeding animals first from this episode. - However, the Tiferes Yaakov (Mishnayos Shabbos 16:2) writes that it is not logical to
require animals to be fed according to human eating patterns. Rather, they need only be
fed at their typical feeding times. - The Eishel Avrohom [Buchach] (OC 167:6) is even more lenient. He writes that to fulfill
the obligation of feeding animals first, it is enough to give them a small amount of food in
the morning. One may then eat before feeding the animals a full meal. He writes that this
is the common custom & he never heard objections to this practice.
I have guests to feed and animals that need to be fed.
Which takes precedence?
- The Tiferes Yaakov (Mishnayos Shabbos 16:2) writes that one must feed guests
before feeding their animals. He bases this on the Gemara (Shabbos 127a): “Rav
Yehuda said in the name of Rav, caring for guests is greater than greeting G-d’s
presence.” If the mitzvah to feed guests is so important, it stands to reason that it
supersedes the obligationto feed animals.
- Similarly, Igeros Moshe (OC 2:52) writes that feeding babies or small children who
can't feed themselves takes precedence to feeding animals.
- The Ksav Sofer (OC 32) entertains the possibility that any seudas mitzvah
(any obligatory meal) such as seudas Shabbos & Yom Tov is a greater priority than
feeding animals. However, he concedes that this is a novel position & it requires further
proof before being implemented.
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