Is A Jew Obligated To Eat Meat?

1:25uh, so that's the time when you need to do it. The second thing is if a person wants to be vegetarian or vegan, I'm not really sure what much of the difference is between the two. I think as a vegetarian you're still technically eating fish, and you're just not eating meat. Whereas as a vegan, you're not even eating eggs. You know, you're pretty much eating off trees practically, right? Okay, God bless you. Uh, so anyway, if somebody wants to eat trees, someone that wants to do that, that's fine. You know, it's probably a very difficult life, but you're probably going to look healthy. Listen, it's a... If you're doing it for health reasons... If you're doing it for health reasons, meaning you have a specific allergy to meat, or it causes you major problems, things like that, that's a specific issue that has to be evaluated individually. If you're doing it because you're merciful on animals, it's completely forbidden.

2:34Forbidden for you to be a vegan or vegetarian or anything because you're merciful on animals. Why? Because you do not have more mercy than God. If God instilled a rule into the world that the animals are to be eaten if they're kosher and eaten if they're not kosher by non-Jews, then that's the rule of the world. And if you think that's mean, then you are mistaken. And you're going against God. Why? Because God created the world where the animals are created for you, and truth be told, you cannot live without animals. You know all these people that fantasize and pretend they are not benefiting from animals because they're not eating the cow. Okay, you may not be eating the cow, but you're still using animals. Why? You have furniture, right? The furniture is not only wood; certain pieces come from animals. You have a hairbrush, right? The brush, where do you think the hair for the brush comes from? Created for you, and the truth be told, you cannot live without animals. You cannot live without animals. You know all these people that fantasize and pretend like they're not benefiting from animals because they're not eating the cow. Okay, you may not be eating the cow, but you're still using animals. Why? You have furniture - wait, the furniture is only wood? Furniture has certain pieces that come from animals. You have a hairbrush - wait, the brush, where do you think the hair from the brush comes from? You think it comes from your wedding? Okay, you have shampoo. Where do you think the shampoo comes from? Where do you think the soap comes from? Okay, you have shoes. Do you think shoes grow on trees, where you went to a palm tree and made yourself shoes? Like, where do you think you get your shoes from? You have a leather jacket, you have clothes, you have belts. You use animals. There's no way to avoid it. Okay, you may not want to ingest them, but you're still using them nonetheless.

3:59And guess what? When they're slaughtered by a rabbi, it's a much better way for them to die than when they're slaughtered, killed, shot, or electrocuted for your shoes or your jacket. So enough with the nonsense. You're doing it for mercy, it's wrong, it's heresy. Health reasons have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. And again, even in health cases, you should still have some for the sake of the mitzvah during those specific times. For example, myself, at some point during my life, as my body was, you know, changing. Uh, for some reason or another, it was decided that me and alcohol are not friends anymore. Not that I was ever a big drinker, but a few times a year, I used to drink scotch. My scotch was Johnnie Walker Blue. I would drink it, I don't know, three or four times a year—that's it. And uh, for some reason or another, as my body was changing, I started detesting...

4:59All alcohol. To the point where much of it gives me an allergic reaction. And I never had allergies. Growing up, I never had allergies. But I would have certain alcohol. Somebody would give me, I don't know, wine. And all of a sudden, my face started to have an allergic reaction. I have scotch, all of a sudden, an allergic reaction. Strange. Out of nowhere. So what do I do? Now, that means that wine for me is a no-no. I don't get along with wine. I don't get along with any alcohol. I have certain mitzvot, and there are certain times during the year, like Purim or other occasions, where I am required to have a drink, or even for Kiddush. So I have a little bit. I have a little if I can tolerate it, but as little as I can manage without failing to fulfill the obligation. If I simply can't take it, I'll have grape juice. Grape juice still fulfills the obligation, and I'm done. Many times, if I couldn't handle it at all, I wouldn't even have that. I wouldn't even have that. Why? Because it actually caused me physical pain. So, if it caused you physical pain, it's a different story—different story. But again, you should still try to fulfill the obligation if you can. If you simply can't because it creates major problems, then again, you'll have a reason not to. But it shouldn't be a new thing.

6:15Definitely shouldn't be for the sake of saving money. It definitely shouldn't be for the sake of mercy. It definitely shouldn't be for any of those other reasons. Really, the only reason not to eat meat is actually for health reasons, bottom line. That's really it. Or if your own situation is such that you can't afford it, it's a different story. But generally speaking, I think most people in today's world can afford it to some extent. Again, you don't need to eat meat all week. No one says you have to eat meat all week. In fact, the more righteous people among us usually eat meat only once a week, on Shabbat. They don't consume meat every day. Unlike Americans, who might eat a cow just for breakfast and a pig on top of it, it doesn't really work that way. Most tzaddikim don’t eat meat until Shabbat. You know, if you want to eat meat, you can. If you want to eat a steak for breakfast, bechavod, enjoy. But it's not considered normal. Not normal. I know in America, it's like having a couple of donkeys on your plate for breakfast with eggs on them; that's like, oh, breakfast here. Bed and breakfast. The cow that you eat is the size of a bed.

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