I run across this topic a lot, so I thought it was definitely blogworthy. I often meet Jewish vegetarians or am asked if we are encouraged not to eat meat. While I think there are many Jews, both religious and not religious, who are vegetarians, I don’t think the Jewish tradition either encourages or discourages vegetarianism. Meat-eating began with the time of Noah. After the Flood, G-d told Noah that he was permitted to eat animals as long as they were cruelly slaughtered. Before then, all people were vegetarians, and in appreciation for Noah’s saving the animals and righteous behavior, … Continue reading →