In Parshat Ki Tetze we learn about compassion for animals
from the following psukim (Devarim 22:6, 7): “If you should chance upon a
bird’s nest before you on the road in any tree, or on the ground with
fledglings or eggs and the mother is sitting on the fledglings or on the eggs;
do not take the mother with her offspring. You must surely send away the mother
and the offspring take for yourself, so that you will benefit and will live
long.”
According to the Sefer HaChunch, we can learn from here that
God’s desire is for the endurance of all of his species.
If we as people can ensure that the animals are well taken
care of and that none of them will become extinct then we will be rewarded with
a long life in this world as well as eternal souls in the world to come.
This reward is measure for measure. If we watch over God’s
creatures, then God will watch over us.
I saw a beautiful story about a panda researcher in
her mother.
I am not saying that we have to go that far out of the way,
but it is important that we respect all of the creatures that God created.
The Gemara in Avoda Zara 3b talks about what God does during
the during the day: For the first three hours of the day, God sits and involves
Himself with Torah study, during the second three hours, He sits and judges the
entire world, once he sees that the world is deserving of annihilation He
stands up from the Throne of Judgment and sits instead upon the Throne of
Mercy, during the third three hour period, He sits and provides nourishment for
the entire world- from the horns of the antelopes to the eggs of the lice,
during the forth three hour period, He laughs with the Leviathan sea creature.
We see from here that in addition to studying Torah and
judging the world God concerns himself with the well being of the animals and
so should we.
