People often seek outlets by attending various events. Sometimes, even if there seems to be no explicit prohibition against attending these events, something about them just doesn't feel right.
R’ Ovadia Yosef on Bullfighting
R’ Ovadia Yosef was asked if it was permitted from a halachic standpoint to go to a stadium to watch bullfighting. He unequivocally answered that this is completely against the ethos of the Torah.
He explained that bullfighting is part of the culture of sinners and cruel people, which is not in the portion of those who are descendants of Yaakov. As the gemara says there are three identifying marks of a Jew: merciful, bashful and they do acts of kindness... In bullfighting, the bull is starved and tortured before entering the arena and after they incite him... and we are taught that it is forbidden for a person to eat before he gives food to his animal. Also, the gemara recounts that Rebbe once instructed his maidservant who was sweeping up baby weasels that were on the floor to leave them be and quoted the pasuk v’rachamav al kol ma’asav, His mercy is upon all His creations. They then said in Heaven since he shows mercy, let us show mercy to him... One who enters a stadium to watch bullfighting and pays the entrance fee is a friend to a destructive person and is mesaye’a yedei ovrei aveirah, assisting those who commit transgressions...To go where people enjoy themselves on the cruelty of pain of animals implants that trait in the people who enjoy it and they destroy their souls. It is a mitzvah to promulgate not to attend such events.
Wrestling
Moving onto wrestling, a camp counselor once asked R' Mordechai Finkelman if he could go to a nearby wrestling match. R' Finkelman responded with a question: “You want to watch people hurt each other?” The counselor admitted he did. Rabbi Finkelman continued, “I’ve never been to a wrestling match, but I’m sure the crowd cheers and shouts things like, ‘Hit him again!’ Am I right?” The counselor nodded. Rabbi Finkelman then said, “That’s barbaric. A Jew should feel pain when someone else is hurt.”
