Being an Omnivore - Practical Parshah - Behaalotecha

Autoplay Next

Being an Omnivore: Practical Parshah - Behaalotecha

Torah views meat-eating as a luxury, not a right. When is it appropriate -- and inappropriate -- to use animals for food?

Audio:	Listen to Audio \| Download this MP3
Topics:	Vegetarianism, Parshah, Meat, Behaalotecha

By Mendel Kaplan

Rabbi Mendel Kaplan is the Spiritual Leader and Executive Director of Chabad Flamingo in Thornhill, Ontario, serving one of Canada’s most dynamic Jewish communities. He also serves as Chaplain of the York Regional Police Service. He is an active member of Toronto’s Vaad HaRabbanim (Council of Orthodox Rabbis), and a voting member of the COR Kashruth Council of Canada’s executive rabbinical board. Rabbi Kaplan is featured regularly on many local television and radio shows. He is a sought after speaker, with hundreds of lectures on Chabad.org. He and his wife, Faygie, are blessed with eight children. Artistically endowed, the rabbi enjoys drawing, sketching and creating charcoal portraits.

More in this section

45:00
Fringes (Tzitzit)
1:00:51
When to Argue
1:13:01
Healing

Join the Discussion

Sort By:

NewestOldest

5 Comments

Itzchak Jacob Cohen Crown heights , Brooklyn via JewishTV iOS December 26, 2022

Rabbi Mendel Kaplan
Thank you for your priceless Torah teaching.
May Hashem bless you and protect you
And your possession, and especially
Have peace upon you.
Thank you. Reply

Adam Israel June 5, 2012

Thanks Rabbi I have been listening to your weekly dvar torah for about 2 months now. All I can say is thanks. Wish I could hear you speak in person. I haven't even bothered listening to others...I don't want to get let down.

ישר כוח Reply

Chaya Sao Paulo, Brazil June 21, 2011

Eating Meat After The Flood After the flood, G-d said to Noah that meat could be eaten, "..if your soul desires it." I have always thought it odd that G-d did not refer to a bodily desire, but to the soul. There is no real physical reason to eat meat, unless one has a special problem. Even vitamin B12 can be gotten from suplements. Meat, like smoking, can cause disease. Doctors these days are telling us to cut down on meat. Protein can be gotten from other sources. Why should we be like animals who eat other animals? Reply

binh tran fremont, ca June 21, 2011

Omnivore Thanks Rabbi Kaplan, this teachings sure help me clarify my own question, the part where the one bringing the offering also has to eat and that is a commandment. Thank you very much Rabbi, always. Reply

Diane Tinton falls, NJ June 5, 2011

Once vegetarian I don't know whether this is a question posed by a reader or a proposed question by the Rabbi, but from my humble understanding of Gen 9:6 explicitly and directly gives us the directive to eat meat. This deduction realized that the Flood obviously destroyed vegetation that was able to supply sufficient meat-like nutrients to humans which was no longer available. Reply