Yehoshua Kahan [tf#3 17
states>>..we are taught that animals do have
souls..>>
There are in fact three technical terms used which I would
translate
loosely as (1) CHAI = life, (2) NEFESH = life force, and (3)
NESHAMA = soul
(I believe the Zohar has two other terms...Chaya and yechida
making 5).
"Life (chai)" in the Torah can refer to animals and man but not to
plants,
while secular science considers plants also "alive". Similarly, the
Torah
considers that animals and man both have "nefesh" = life force.I
would
suggest that Nefesh is the capacity of an organism to "adapt" to a
hostile
environment and overcome it (as animals and man can do).However only
man
has a Neshama-a soul from G-d.
>>The proof of it is they have emotions>>.
This is
certainly a respectable view however there is a controversy among
the early
authorities on why Judaism prohibits curelty to animals: One view
is that
animals "do" have emotions and hence the prohibition. But another
view (e.g.
Rambam in Guide to Perplexed) is that animals are in effect just
machines.
They appear to have emotions. The Torah prohibited cruelty to
these animal
machines so that we can practice and perfect our treatment to
our fellow
humans.
Although this view appears cold and austere it surprisingly is
sensitive.
In fact it gives a response to Sonia Bloomfield Ramagem >>my
beloved male
dog.. died..how does halachah suggest we deal with it>>.
The Rambam's
response is that Sonia's affection for the dog should be a
further stepping
stone to her relations with people. E.g. let her take a pad
and list all
the things she has done for her dog. Let her then list all her
close
associates. Has she done all the same things for all her friends?
This
will give meaning to the death.
Russell Jay Hendel, Ph.d, ASA rhendel @ mcs drexel edu