The Cholent: Double Rabbinic Reinforcement on Chanukah, Save the Shrimp
The least Kosher Cholent yet
Constant Berachot
There is a discussion surrounding the lighting of Chanukah candles as to whether one is required to recite the blessing of “She’asah Nisim” (that He did miracles for us) each and each time one sees the chanukiyah/menorah lit up in the streets. At face value, it is unclear what the rabbis are trying to accomplish by having us recite this bracha possibly hundreds of times. But the more I think about it, this actually become really nice, especially when it come to the conclusion of why we do not actually do this.
What I think the rabbis are trying to accomplish is a full recognition of the source of this miracle. For all of the other mitzvot in which there is an aspect of “Pirsumei Nisa” (publicizing the miracle), there is an extended service that accompanies it. On Pesach, it is the seder and the recitation of the Haggadah, and on Purim, the other rabbinic holiday on our calendar, it is the reading of the megillah, which also takes about half an hour. But on Chanukah, the event is over in a matter of seconds, and while the candles may last a while, our role in it is very passive. But now if the requirement is to go out into the street and revel in the lights and bless Hashem for that miracle (perhaps for the same half-hourish requirement as the other two holidays I mentioned) then now we have an active aspect to the main event of the holiday. It is a way by which we can extend our involvement in this mitzvah that is otherwise fleeting.
So why don’t we practice this way? It is for another reason, and that reason is that we don’t say unnecessary blessings, which also happens to be a rabbinic interpretation, as by the strict letter of the law there is probably no issue with saying the “She’asah Nissim” beracha as long as the intent is proper. However, we are dealing with a rabbinic holiday and as such the requirements are higher to pass this threshold to make a blessing. But what I see here is a reinforcement of the rabbinic prerogative, those who make the rules are the same ones who rein them in, thereby making an even greater exclamation of the rabbinic aspect of this holiday.
The Shrimp Welfare Project
It being the internet, there is no shortage of stupid arguments taking place out there, and I came across one earlier today as I was browsing this month’s link dump on Astral Codex Ten.
Apparently, there is a charity that will take your money and use it to sponsor machines that will stun shrimp prior to them being harvested. Recent research has shown that shrimp have acute pain sensitivity. As such, they need to be electrically stunned (presumably less painful than suffocating?) and then suffocated before you eat them.
Like any silly argument, there is no reason to get involved, but this is The Cholent, and I can do what I want here, and maybe I’ll add a little Torah perspective to the mix.
First, it goes back to the same thing I said about growing pig organs for human transplantation. The animals are ours. Our ability to measure shrimp pain (is it even possible to do this) is a relatively new phenomenon and Hashem has already told us the humane ways to kill our food (that is, suffocation for seafood is fine). You also don’t have to eat food that was alive if you don’t want to (though there may be an obligation on Shabbat and holidays).
This blog post above makes some dubious equivalencies between humans and shrimps (news flash: there are none, shrimp are not sentient) and even still I don’t understand why there is a line being drawn on shrimp. How does making something less inhumane solve our issue with suffocating them? I’ve stuck my finger in the socket of the yahrtzeit board like everyone else and it isn’t fun. What does shocking add?
Also, what problem exactly does this solve? If you don’t like what they do, don’t eat shrimp. For the other people who do eat shrimp, it clearly isn’t a problem for them so why meddle in their food consumption and marginally raise the cost of their food for something they don’t care about. The Venn diagram of people who like shrimp so much they can’t live without it, and the people who care so much that their shrimp feels pain while suffocating is very, very small (if it exists at all, perhaps the 11 people who work at the Shrimp Welfare Project? What do they do all day? How did they find each other? So many questions!).
We can also take a Torah perspective on the flip side. Perhaps all crustaceans have the ability to feel pain. And guess what entire class of animals is not allowed to be eaten by Jews? Yup, crustaceans. So there you have it, the Torah wins either way.