Inconsistent with Judaism, doesn vegetarianism elevate animals to a level equal to that of people?
Concern for animals and a refusal to treat them brutally and slaughter them for food that is not necessary for proper nutrition (indeed, is harmful to human health) does not mean that vegetarians regard animals as equal to people. The test of our behavior toward animals should be, as the British philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) put it, “not can they reason, nor can they talk, but can they suffer?” And, the great Jewish philosopher Maimonides felt that animals are like people in fleeing from pain and death. 9. If Jews don’t eat meat, won’t they be deprived of the opportunity to do many mitzvot (commandments). There are other cases where laws were provided to regulate things that God would prefer people not to do. For example, God wishes people to live at peace, but he provides commandments related to war, because He knows that human beings quarrel and seek victories over others. Similarly, the laws in the Torah related to slavery are a concession to human weakness. As indicated be
