Animals are among the most important “educational tools” that God provided to humanity in order to teach them to be “givers.” While animals can’t communicate with the same ability as humans, they are God’s creations, and express basic feelings such as pain, hunger, satisfaction and, many would argue, loyalty and love.

In this week’s Torah portion, Eikev, we learn an important lesson. Jewish law teaches that when a person assumes responsibility for an animal, whether a pet or a farm animal, care of the animal becomes a top priority. In Talmud Berachot 40a, Rabbi Judah quotes Rav as saying: “It is forbidden for a person to eat until they have fed their animals, since the verse states, ‘and I will provide grass in your field for your cattle,’ and only then does it say, ‘and you will eat and you will be satisfied’” (Deuteronomy 11:15).

It is from the matriarch Rebecca that we learn about kindness to animals. When Eliezer, Abraham’s Damascan servant, who is seeking a wife for Isaac, meets Rebecca at her town well, she gives him a drink of water and then she says: “I will draw for your camels as well, until they have done drinking” (Genesis 24:19). Rebecca ran to the well numerous times to ensure that the camels were properly satiated. The reason she did not offer to water the camels first was because they were not hers. Additionally, there is an opinion that water, unlike food, should first be given to humans for the sake of pikuach nefesh, saving a life.

While the obligation does not include animals at large (such as stray cats), the principle itself is intended to make people much more aware of the ways in which they can be kinder to all animals and, of course, to all people.

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