Reply To: know any frum vegetarians or vegans?

From R’ Sears’ book: “Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini (1833-1903), author of Sdei Chemed, cites the example of a well-known Kabbalist-ascetic who would never partake of meat. ‘It is forbidden to disparage such a person, God forbid,’ the Sdei Chemed warns. ‘Fortunate is his lot. He abstained even from wine, except when performing a religious precept.'”

I’m surprised that some posters have no problem with vegetarianism for health or taste reasons but think all other reasons are stupid or liberal or forbidden. Of course, it would be forbidden and against the Torah to be vegetarian because you believe animals have the fundamental right never to be eaten. But there’s nothing wrong with being vegetarian to avoid contributing to the severe violations of tzaar baalei chaim which are very common in this age of factory farming.

If anyone is interested in exploring this topic more, a draft of R’ Dovid Sears book A Vision of Eden is available online for free.