Ask the Rabbi #31

August 20, 1994; Issue #31

This issue is dedicated in the memory of Roslyn Seltzer-Leventhal

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Contents:

Putting animals "to sleep."

Assorted Shabbat questions

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Putting animals "to sleep."

Richard from Mt. Vernon, NY, wrote:

As a "follow-up" to your answer about Euthanasia, is it Halachically permitted to put animals "to sleep"?

Dear Richard,

The prohibition against causing pain to animals is a serious one, and is treated as such by Jewish Law, which not only forbids man from causing pain to animals, but also bids him to help relieve the pain of animals.

I spoke to Dr. Kaufman, a Jerusalem veterinarian, to find out what putting animals to sleep involves, and under what circumstances the procedure is done. She told me that, in general, she would do this only for animals that had been in an accident and the ensuing treatment would be too costly, or for pets dying and in pain.

Though, when Dr. Kaufman was working at the Tufts University Animal Clinic, a woman wanted her dog "put down" for an unusual reason: She had just redecorated her house, and her "lovey, lovey, koochie koo" no longer matched the decor! Even though Dr. Kaufman suggested giving the dog up for adoption, the lady refused, stating that if she couldn't have her "lovey, lovey" then no one could!"

The general method for putting an animal to sleep is to give it Phenobarbital, an anesthetic. Once the animal is unconscious, it is given an overdose. The method for putting many animals to sleep at one time is to gas them with Carbon Dioxide, an anesthetic that eventually stops their breathing. In short, every effort is made to make the process painless.

I asked Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, shlita, about the ruling in this case, and he told me that it would be Halachically permissible to put an animal to sleep since it is a painless procedure. However, there is a Kabbalistic tradition, he notes, that forbids the ending of any life.

Rabbi Aryeh Levin tells a story about a walk he once took with Rabbi Kook. While they were walking, Reb Aryeh "absent-mindedly" pulled a leaf from a tree. Rabbi Kook stopped and asked him why he did that. "Why I did what?" responded Reb Aryeh. Reb Aryeh relates that Rav Kook illustrated to him how one should be very careful about life, even the life of a leaf.

Sources:

Shemot, 23:5.
Talmud - Tractate Shabbat 128b.
Shulchan Aruch - Choshen Mishpat, 272:9.

Assorted Shabbat questions

Michael Steinberg from Syracuse wrote:

Are magnets "muktza" on Shabbos?

Dear Michael,

Normal magnets are not muktza on Shabbat. Of course, they may be used only for activities permitted on Shabbat.

Source:

"The Halachos of Muktza" - Rabbi P. Bodner, Lakewood, page 23.

Ira Rosen from Rutgers asked:

May one use a tap on Shabbat that has a water filter attached to it, given that it separates certain items from the water? The filter is permanently attached. Does it make a difference if the filter must be turned on?

Thank you for your time.

Dear Ira,

It is permitted to use the filters you have described on Shabbat as long as the water is potable even without the use of the filter -- and the filter is there "just to be extra safe." I assume that is the case where you live. In terms of "turning it on," as long as you did not need to throw an electrical switch, it would be permitted to "redirect" the water to the filter from the spigot.

Source:

Rabbi Yehoshua Neuwirth - Shemirath Shabbath 3:56.

Elias in the Old City of Jerusalem wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

I run a Shabbos playgroup for children. Occasionally, one of them will cause a disruption, and I want to eject the child from the group. Is this "borer" (the prohibition against "forbidden selecting")?

Dear Elias,

"Borer" is only an issue if there is a mixture of two or more components. If the children are not heaped up in a pile or the like, the prohibition of borer does not apply. If they are in a pile, then either scatter them first, or pull the offender out from the pile for immediate "use." BTW, was this question serious?

Source

Rabbi Yehoshua Neuwirth - Shemirath Shabbath 3:1-3.

Written by Rabbi Moshe Lazerus, Rabbi Reuven Subar, Rabbi Avrohom Lefkowitz and other Rabbis at Ohr Somayach Institutions / Tanenbaum College, Jerusalem, Israel.
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
HTML Design: Eli Ballon, Michael Treblow

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