It is well known that in our tradition we always try to give our animals to eat first, before we partake of food. This is based on the second paragraph of the Shema: ונתתי עשב בשדך לבהמתך ואכלת ושבעת. Hashem says ‘I will provide grass in your fields for your animals, and only afterwards, you will eat and you will be satisfied.’
In our parsha of Behar however, we are told with regard to the produce of the sabbatical year, והיתה שבת הארץ לכם לאכלה – the produce of the land will be for you to eat, and only afterwards, ולבהמתך ולחיה אשר בארצך – and for animals and the beasts which are in the field - humans eating before animals.
And also we can recall details relating to Noach’s Ark. There with regard to food on the Ark, Hashem says והיה לך ולהם לאכלה – the food will be for you Noach, and your family, and for them the animals; the humans coming before animals. And also when Rivka showed such incredible chessed – loving kindness – to Eliezer and those with him, she said to him שתה וגם גמליך אשקה, drink and I will also draw water for your camels. You, before the camels.
So how is it possible therefore that there are so many incidents in the Torah within which humans are actually partaking before the animals? The Magen Avraham explains, we differentiate between food and drink. With regard to food, we give to our animals first but when it comes to drinking water, we can partake first. And the reason is that we’re having the same to drink as our animals are having.
Consequently, when they see us drinking and then afterwards they drink the same, they won’t mind. With food however, we sit down sometimes to a three-course meal, even a four-course banquet. It would be highly insensitive if our animals would watch us eating that incredibly delicious food and then afterwards we’ll give them just a few scraps, or something out of a can.
Consequently, with regard to food, we first feed them whatever we want to feed them, let them be full and satisfied, and afterwards we sit down to our meals. In the Ark, humans, that’s Noach and his family, and the animals all had the same to eat, so therefore they followed the rule of water. And so too in the Sabbatical year, the produce of the land was the same, for people and for animals; they followed the rule of water. But in a general sense, we first give our animals to eat.
Clearly emerging out of these passages is the important lesson that in order to be Hashem’s people, we need to be considerate to all of Hashem’s creatures. So let us also be considerate and pray with all our hearts for all those who need a recovery from sickness, for the release of the hostages, as well as praying for our soldiers and healthcare professionals, and Chevra Kadisha members worldwide, and for those who need healing, shidduchim, children and parnassah and may we be blessed to have the most awesome, gorgeous, beautiful, peaceful, healthy, amazing, relaxed, spiritual, sweet, and happy Shabbat.
