Fur and More

Here's to more catching up!!

Day 173: Should a Jew Wear Fur?

In continuing with our theme of preventing cruel treatment of animals, we are posed with an age old question: is fur okay to wear?

As one might expect, there are many opinions but two main ones are presented: if the animals were killed in a relatively humane manner, it might be kosher to wear the fur. However, if the animals were treated badly and killed in an inhumane manner, it might not be kosher to wear the fur.

Rabbi Telushkin suggests checking into how the animals were killed, but that leaves me with a question. If one were to inherit a fur coat and still want to uphold the principle of tza'ar ba'alei chayim, how would they be able to check into the history of the coat? Ideas?

Day 174: When Giving Enough Is Not Enough

How are we so lucky that such wonderful, intuitive, empathic individuals exist in our world? And there are many of them! Each, I'm sure, with their own strengths. I just want to learn from them all.

I'd like to share a story that was told in the book today instead of interpreting it on my own. I don't believe it needs any extra explanation or any other thoughts added to it:

Once before Passover, someone came to him with the following question: “Rabbeinu, can a person fulfill the obligation of drinking the four glasses at the Seder with milk?”

“Are you ill?” the Rav asked him.

“No,” the man replied. “Thank G-d, I’m in good health, but wine is very expensive this year and I have no money for it.” The Rav took out 25 rubbles from his pocket and gave them to him. However the man did not want to accept it, and he said, “Rabbi, I came to ask a question, not to ask for charity!”

“This money,” said the Rav, “is a loan until G-d helps you. You can pay me back after the holiday.”

The man took the money, thanked the Rav, and went back home. As soon as he left, the Rebbetzin asked her husband, “Why did you give him 25 rubbles? Enough wine for four glasses costs only one or two rubbles!”

Rabbi Yosef Dov smiled and said, “You heard his question: Is it permissible to fulfill the obligation of drinking the four glasses at the Seder with milk? If he was going to have meat during the Seder, he wouldn’t be able to drink milk. I understood from what he said that he had nothing for the holiday, so I gave him enough that nothing would be lacking for him.”

(http://www.hevratpinto.org/tzadikim_eng/125_rabbi_yossef_dov_soloveitchick.html)