Feed your animals first

דברים י״א:ט״ו

וְנָתַתִּ֛י עֵ֥שֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ֖ לִבְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ

וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ׃

Deuteronomy 11:15

I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle

and you shall eat your fill.

ברכות מ׳ א:א׳

דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אָסוּר לָאָדָם שֶׁיֹּאכַל קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתֵּן מַאֲכָל לִבְהֶמְתּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ״ וַהֲדַר ״וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ״.

Berakhot 40a:1

As Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: a person may not eat before feeding their animals, as it says: “And I will give grass in your fields for your animals” first and only then: “And you shall eat and be satisfied” (Deut 11:15).

Sending the mother bird away

דברים כ״ב:ו׳-ז׳

(ו) כִּ֣י יִקָּרֵ֣א קַן־צִפּ֣וֹר ׀ לְפָנֶ֡יךָ בַּדֶּ֜רֶךְ בְּכָל־עֵ֣ץ ׀ א֣וֹ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶפְרֹחִים֙ א֣וֹ בֵיצִ֔ים וְהָאֵ֤ם רֹבֶ֙צֶת֙ עַל־הָֽאֶפְרֹחִ֔ים א֖וֹ עַל־הַבֵּיצִ֑ים לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח הָאֵ֖ם עַל־הַבָּנִֽים׃(ז) שַׁלֵּ֤חַ תְּשַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־הָאֵ֔ם וְאֶת־הַבָּנִ֖ים תִּֽקַּֽח־לָ֑ךְ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ֖ יָמִֽים׃ (ס)

Deuteronomy 22:6-7

(6) If, along the road, you chance upon a bird’s nest, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs and the mother sitting over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the mother together with her young.(7) Let the mother go, and take only the young, in order that you may fare well and have a long life.

Rabbi Yehuda haNasi was one of our most important sages. He was responsible for compiling the Mishna in the 2nd century CE.

The extract comes as part of discussion about the personalities and habits of various rabbis.

We are told that Rabbi Yehuda haNasi suffered from such terrible stomach problems that his stableman would feed his animals at the exact time that he (Rabbi Yehuda) went to the toilet so that the sound of the cows mooing would drown out the sound of his screams!

Here the Talmud discusses why Rabbi Yehuda suffered so badly and how it was that his pains eventually stopped.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and the animals

בבא מציעא פ״ה א:ו׳-ז׳

ע"י מעשה באו מאי היא

דההוא עגלא דהוו קא ממטו ליה לשחיטה אזל תליא לרישיה בכנפיה דרבי וקא בכי

אמר ליה זיל לכך נוצרת

אמרי הואיל ולא קא מרחם ליתו עליה יסורין

וע"י מעשה הלכו

יומא חד הוה קא כנשא אמתיה דרבי ביתא הוה שדיא בני כרכושתא וקא כנשא להו

אמר לה שבקינהו כתיב (תהלים קמה, ט) ורחמיו על כל מעשיו

אמרי הואיל ומרחם נרחם עליה

Bava Metzia 85a:6-7

The Gemara stated that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s suffering came upon him due to an incident. What was that incident that led to his suffering?

There was a certain calf that was being led to slaughter. The calf went and hung its head on the corner of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s garment and was weeping.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to it: Go, as you were created for this purpose.

It was said in Heaven: Since he was not compassionate toward the calf, let afflictions come upon him.

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The Gemara explains the statement: And left him due to another incident.

One day, the maidservant of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi was sweeping his house. There were young weasels [karkushta] lying about, and she was in the process of sweeping them out.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to her: Let them be, as it is written: “The Lord is good to all; and His mercies are over all His works” (Psalms 145:9).

They said in Heaven: Since he was compassionate, we shall be compassionate on him, and he was relieved of his suffering.