Can you walk a dog on Shabbos? Can you pick up a pet, attach identification tags, feed an animal, or clean up after it?
In Ask the Rabbi Q&A #738, Rabbi Chaim Coffman discusses the halachic issues involved in caring for pets on Shabbos, including muktzeh, carrying, feeding animals, walking dogs, and cleaning up after pets. He explains that although animals generally may not simply be picked up and moved on Shabbos, there are circumstances in which caring for or walking an animal may be permitted.
The discussion then develops into a much deeper question: Do we have to understand a Torah law before we’re willing to obey it? Rabbi Coffman discusses why Torah observance cannot ultimately depend on whether a commandment makes sense to us. Using examples ranging from the prohibition against mixing wool and linen to the Torah’s laws of forbidden relationships, he explores the difference between trying to understand a mitzvah and deciding that we will only observe it if we agree with its reasoning.
The class also addresses the challenges faced by converts and others growing in Torah observance, particularly when Torah requirements conflict with personal preferences, family pressure, or the desire to find a compromise. Finally, with Rosh Hashanah approaching, Rabbi Coffman discusses divine justice, hardship and spiritual growth, suggesting that people honestly examine their actions rather than assuming that life’s challenges are simply unfair.
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