Why Judaism Permits Eating Meat: The Spiritual Meaning Behind Kosher Food and Animal Use

Musician Adi Madanes, a devoted vegetarian, once admitted that he struggles with one thing in Judaism — that it’s not a vegetarian religion. “According to Judaism, you’re actually encouraged to eat meat and fish on Shabbat and holidays,” he said. “How can I follow that if I don’t eat animals?”

While eating meat in Judaism is a permission, not an obligation, the question remains: Why does Judaism allow it? And beyond eating — why does it use animal products, like parchment from animal skin for Torah scrolls or a ram’s horn for the shofar?

From Adam to Noach: The First Permission to Eat Meat

Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri explains that until the days of Noach, humanity was entirely vegetarian. “Only after the Flood,” he says, “did God permit humans to eat animal flesh, saying: ‘The fear and dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth’ (Bereishit 9:2). Without that divine permission, we would not be allowed to eat meat at all.”

Rabbi Badush expands: “Kabbalistic writings describe five levels of creation — inanimate, plant, animal, human, and Jewish. Every level naturally longs to rise to the one above it. The plant is eaten by the animal, and thus rises to the level of life. The animal, in turn, desires to ascend to the level of humanity. That’s why the Torah permits us to eat meat from kosher animals — their souls are elevated when incorporated into the service of a human being.”

However, not all animals are suitable for this process: “Non-kosher animals tend to have harsh or negative traits including aggression, cruelty, and brazenness. When their meat becomes part of us, those traits can affect the human soul as well.”

The Elevation of Objects — From Shofar to Torah Scroll

How, then, does this principle apply to physical items like Torah parchment or shofar horns? 

“If an object serves human purpose — especially for a mitzvah, it too is elevated spiritually,” Rabbi Badush explains. “It’s actually an honor for an animal that the holy Torah is written on its hide,” adds Rabbi Batzri.

He continues: “That’s also why, on days of humility — such as Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur, we don’t wear leather shoes. On those days we must lower ourselves spiritually, not feel ‘above’ creation. On Yom Kippur, a day of forgiveness, and on Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning for the Temple’s destruction, we must sense our lowliness, not our dominance.”

Can a Jew Be Vegetarian?

“Yes,” Rabbi Batzri says, “one may choose to be vegetarian. The Torah commands us to rejoice on Shabbat and festivals with meat and wine — but only if that genuinely brings joy. If not, there’s no obligation to eat.”

“Vegetarians, Let Me Ask You Something”

Rabbi Eli Amar approaches the issue from a different angle: “Today we know that plants also have a form of sensitivity — even something resembling emotional response. When you cut a branch, the plant reacts chemically as if in distress. If someone claims it’s immoral to kill animals for food, how can they eat cucumbers and tomatoes? Just because plants can’t cry out doesn’t mean they feel nothing. Moral law, in Judaism, is not subjective — it’s determined by God.”

He explains that the Torah establishes a clear hierarchy: “Inanimate → Plant → Animal → Human. Each level supports the one above it. The human being may eat animals, but not their blood — symbolizing respect for life itself.”

The Ethics of Slaughter

What about cruelty — isn’t killing animals inherently violent? 

“God taught us precisely how to do it with compassion and awareness,” says Rabbi Amar. “Jewish shechita (ritual slaughter) is designed to cause no suffering. Unlike electric stunning or shooting, the shochet swiftly severs the two main arteries in the animal’s neck. Within two seconds, blood pressure in the brain drops, and the animal loses consciousness immediately.

“Reflexes may continue for a few moments, but the nervous system has already stopped functioning — the animal feels nothing. In fact, the soul’s departure through shechita is considered a refined, peaceful process. It’s carried out with mindfulness and care for every detail.”

Judaism doesn’t glorify meat-eating — it sanctifies it. It views consumption as a means of elevating creation, not exploiting it. The permission to eat animals comes with deep moral and spiritual responsibility — to honor life, act with compassion, and use the physical world in the service of something higher.