Cohn, Jacob. The Royal Table - VWC: Faculty/Staff Web

BASES OF THE DIETARY LAWS 11
found it necessary to make a concession to his weakness
and permit Mm a wider latitude in the choice of food. 10
Furthermore, upon emerging from the ark, Noah and his
sons feared a famine. They did not have the vegetable
foods to eat, because these had been destroyed by the flood;
and it would take a whole season before a new crop could
be raised. What was to be done in the meantime? To
relieve their vexation, flesh was permitted to them. 11
After
all, man is the crown and purpose of creation and all else
in this world was brought about to serve him in some way.
With respect to man's needs, animals are accounted as
grass. 12 Nor was it an encroachment on the rights of
animals to offer them as food to man. All flesh had become
corrupt before the flood they had bred with those
not of their kind and deserved extermination. Noah was
a righteous man and was saved by his own merit; but cor-
rupt animaldom had no right to this boon: it was saved
merely in order to provide for Noah's needs, 13
Moreover,
the continued existence of the world and its creatures was
insured by Noah through his sacrifices. "The Lord smelled
the sweet savor, and the Lord said unto His heart, I shall
nevermore curse the earth as I have done . . . and I shall
10 The Torah made many concessions to human weakness; e g,
Deut. XXIT. See Rabbi A. I. Kook ft^Kipm m&Tl&n pp 9-10.
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