A bill seeking to ban importing fur was postponed. The bill, if passed into law in Knesset, would have a direct impact on Israel’s shtreimal industry.
The bill is authored by MK (Kadima) Ronit Tirosh, intended to protect the rights of wildlife. The bill seeks to prohibit importing fur from eastern Asian areas, including China. Opposing the bill was MK (Yahadut HaTorah) Rabbi Menachem Eliezer Moses, who explained this would interfere with shtreimals worn by chareidim as well as the felt hats they wear during the week, made from the fur of rabbits and other animals.
Moses and Tirosh reached an agreement by which the bill will not face a Knesset vote until it is modified to accommodate the needs of the chareidi community to permit the future manufacture of shtreimals and felt hats.
Moses mentioned during a Knesset committee meeting on the bill that due to the merit of Am Yisrael not changing its names, language and dress code, were are still in existence today, stressing the importance of the traditional chassidic garb. He added that Torah law is quite explicit, and one is not permit to cause pain and suffering to animals, stating halacha demands that we act accordingly to avoid such an unwanted reality.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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18 Responses
Shtreimal’s are worn by Litvishe Gedolim like Rav Elyashev, Rav Shlomo Zalman zt’l, etc. as well. Rav Hutner zt’l wore a Spudik.
It’s nice to know that when Israel is having to deal with a Nuclear crisis, a Palestinian crisis, and an economical crisis (I think the statistics say 1 in 4 Israeli is below the poverty line), Mrs. Tirosh still can find time to worry about a bunch of rabbits!
Wild life do not have “rights”. Hashem created the world for man and he has a right to use animals for food or clothing.We use leather from animal skins for shoes, belts, tefilin, parchment for Torah scrolls etc. We eat meat, wear furs, etc. Why pick on the shtreimels? This is another “krum” idea from the animal rights activists.
Joseph – the article says chareidim, not chassidim. chareidim includes litvish as well.
Animal “Rights” is goyish! They dont have “rights.” There is something called tzaar ba’alay chaim” but that doesnt apply if you will be using the animal for a purpose. The gemora talks about using the blood of a bird for something — when you are not eating it! These wakkos are completely misguided on what “pain” and “touture” is for an animal. Maybe the meshugina Temple Grandin could converse with the animals and find out what the pain is? Or Pres Clinton could tell them, “I feel your pain.” Or we could tell all these people, ” YOU ARE ALL A PAIN!”
LBK – Good point. I skimmed the article too quickly.
THE NODA BIYEHUDA IN shut Y”D #10 PASKENS theres no tzar baalei chaim when killing an animal see PNEI SHLOMO pg. 20 bava basra who also discusses the topic. as far as the importance of striemel wearing a story comes to mind the sainted rebbe of klausenberg was approached by a chossid before rosh hashanna. the chossid told the rebbe that he bought a new striemel and that will have us merit a year of life.the rebbe answered that such holydays have nothing to do with such shtoosim!
#4 & #6 – I don’t know where you got your idea from. Yes, absolutely an animal can be killed for a purpose (food, its skin, etc.) but that does not negate the isur of tsar ba’alai chaim. Why do you think, for example, that a shchita knife can not have any imperfections in the blade? Do you seriously believe that animals do not feel pain, or that it is ok to inflict pain (just because you’ll be using the animal “for a purpose”)? No point in debating it here – Ask your Rav!
While Hashem created the world for people, there most considerate laws concerning His other creations are contained in our Holy Torah, to the point of being more compassionate than what laws have been for people during history. Somewhere I read that a Ben Torah tries to handle EVERYTHING better than the average man. Be kind to animals. It will not lower one’s madrayga.
#11 – Well said!
I believe it was in Austria in the 1920 when a Rav saw a person kissing a dog on the street. He said where they kiss dogs they will kill man. AND THEY DID. Watch anybody with too much kindness to animals
to AinOhdMilvado: I didn’t say anything about tzar baalei chayim being involved. You don’t have to cause an animal tzar by killing it to eat or use it’s skin or fur. Of course hunting for sport is wanton killing and that is wrong.
NeveAliza, Hashem gave us animals not just to eat. If we are forbidden from eating minks or sables, does that mean we may not kill animals so we may derive pleasure from their skins and hides?
In places such as Russia, a Russian sable coat was not just a luxury but a necessity of life. You can’t compare the warmth of a fur coat to the warmth of a wool or down coat.
The Goyim are allowed to eat whatever animals they want no matter how disgusting that may sound. We are permitted to take the skins and hides and then sell the flesh to Goyim for profit. They have a very real role.
With all due respect to minhagim, a possible benefit if they pass this bill, and they start using artificial fur, will be the lower cost of the item, as well as lowering the amount of money that some people need to raise for weedings, when they don’t have enough money of their own, and because of this minhag , they need to schnor some additional 2-3000 dlls.
obviously we don’t have the full text of this bill here, but who says a ban on importing fur from the east means we can’t have hats/shtreimals? why not get the fur from a non-communist country?
Incidentally, the title of the article is wrong. The bill probably says nothing at all about shtreimals, according to the article. But given the source, an inflammatory title is to be expected.
NeveAliza – I did some research on this subject to answer your question. To make things simple (I.E. instead of quoting all the sources) I will make a general statement instead.
1) It seems to be the consensus that killing an animal does not fall under the גדר of צער בעלי חיים. Furthermore, it is permissible to kill an animal if it benefits mankind in any way.
To answer your first question, the killing of animals merely to take pleasure (I.E. the thrill of it) is forbidden. Such pleasure is not called “benefiting” mankind.
Furthermore, to answer your 2nd question of killing minks for their skins, the answer is that it is clearly permissible. You may not feel the need to wear a mink coat, but being that it does provide warmth it is permitted.
2) The problem that unfortunately gives strength to such misguided people such as PETA is that most of us do not research the sources which permit the killing and treatment of animals. It is clear from an abundant of sources in the Torah, Gemorah, and Halachic seforim that Hashem created animals to benefit mankind. The axiom that “we share this world with the animal kingdom” is unfounded. Animals were purely created for the sake of man. If man did not exist there would be no need for Hashem to give continuity to the world. (See Rashi, Bereishis 1,1)
bem684, to whom do you direct your criticism?
the author. every Spira article is titled to provoke emotion in the reader. every “article” is really an op-ed with an agenda.