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Related Does one have to feed his dog, parrot, or goldfish before eating according to this Gemara?

The gemara in Gittin 62A teaches that one should feed his animals before he, himself eats. I have seen others who write that the care of an animal including feeding it satisfies tza'ar ba'alei chayim.

As the feeding of the animal is elevated to the role of "mitzvah" (that is, the fulfilling of an halachic obligation) does the food used get elevated in its sanctity as well (having been used for a mitzvah)?

As a practical application, my 4 minim, having been used for a mitzvah on Sukkot, have to be treated with a certain level of respect, and according to some, should be used for a mitzvah. Can I feed my lulav to a cow, or my etrog to whatever animal eats etrogim because feeding is a mitzvah?

And does the food left in my dog's bowl, which I set aside to be used to feed him (thus it was established there for the sake of a mitzvah) need to be disposed of in a particular manner because it has been elevated through its use for a mitzvah?

rosends
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  • We say something becomes a תשמישי מצוה when it was used for a מצוה. We would have to investigate if this applies to all halachos. I would be very surprised. For example, the Mishnah Berurah says one shouldn't cut their tzitzis if they're too long with a knife, but should rather use their teeth to cut it. Would one's teeth therefore become תשמישי מצוה? – robev Oct 24 '21 at 14:33
  • Is cutting them a mitzvah? (one also wonders if one should make a bracha before feeding an animal...) – rosends Oct 24 '21 at 14:46
  • No, but your question was about the fulfilling of an halachic obligation. If one wants to cut their tzitzis, the halacha obligates using one's teeth – robev Oct 24 '21 at 14:47
  • I used that phrase as a parenthetical definition of mitzvah. – rosends Oct 24 '21 at 14:47
  • I know, but that's not what mitzvah usually means. Since you expanded the meaning of mitzvah to mean fulfilling of a halachic obligation, then my example is included. If you mean only things that are actual mitzvos, for example the sign being it's counted in the 613 or one makes a blessing, then feeding of one's animals I would think would be excluded. As far as I know, it isn't counted as a mitzvah by any of the Rishonim, and only by Sefer Charedim (an early Acharon). If I'm not mistaken, the Rambam doesn't even mention it as an obligation in his Mishneh Torah. – robev Oct 24 '21 at 14:52
  • What about eating on shabbos and Yom Tov? Or better, the leftover matza and Maror by the seder? Are these all considered tashmishei mitzvah?? – Chatzkel Oct 24 '21 at 15:00
  • is cutting tzitzis an obligation? And isn't tzaar baalei chayim at least a miderobonon mitzvah? – rosends Oct 24 '21 at 15:00
  • @Chatzkel all interesting questions about what is "elevated" to some status which demands that it be dealt with in a "sacred" or respectful way. – rosends Oct 24 '21 at 15:01
  • @rosends I already addressed this in my second comment. If one wants to cut their tzitzis, the halacha obligates using one's teeth. Same with shechitah. Is one obligated to shecht meat? Or, if one wants kosher meat, they must shecht. Is one obligated to divorce their wife? Or, if one wants to separate from their wife, they must give her a get. Note the former is a machlokes Rishonim if it's included in 613, since it's not obligatory, but everyone includes get in 613. – robev Oct 24 '21 at 15:04
  • @rosends And isn't tzaar baalei chayim at least a miderobonon mitzvah again, depends what you mean by mitzvah. It's not included in the seven mitzvos derabanan that Rav Dovid Vital counts. In any event I believe we pasken tza'ar baalei chaim is a Biblical prohibition. Either way, it would seem feeding your animals first is simply a halachic obligation, as you wrote. If so, my example is included. – robev Oct 24 '21 at 15:07
  • Does the halacha obligate one to use one's teeth? You wrote, "For example, the Mishnah Berurah says one shouldn't cut their tzitzis if they're too long with a knife, but should rather use their teeth to cut it" Could one just pull them apart, or use a spoon? Or are teeth now the only way to perform this "obligation" (if it even is one). – rosends Oct 24 '21 at 15:18
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    @rosends I concede your point. New example: Bedikas Chametz. One must use a candle. Can I use that candle for chol? Although, that's a Rabbinic obligation. I need to think of a post-Chazal "obligation". – robev Oct 24 '21 at 15:24
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    Tzaar baalei chaim is a prohibition. Do we ever call something we use to avoid a prohibition a cheftza shel mitzvah? – Micha Berger Oct 24 '21 at 17:35
  • Side-note: people in the tzitzis biz usually use plastic preschool scissors, or ceramic ones. You don't need to use your teeth, even if the MB didn't picture people having a non-metal tool available. – Micha Berger Oct 24 '21 at 17:36

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In regards to your second question, there is a fundemental difference between a lulav and the left over food. Namely, your lulav itself was sued for a mitzvah, whereas the leftover food was not. It may of been set aside for a mitzvah, but was never actually used since in the end it was not eaten.

Same can be said for left over matzah or maror, food from seudas mitzvah etc. In fact the same is said for leftover oil of shabbos candles as well as other left overs of a mitzvah. Since in the end they were not actually used, but only set aside, they are permitted to be used as normal. Unless the person had in mind to dedicate the entire amount to the mitzvah even if it would not be needed, in which case it would be assur.

Tosfos in Shabbos 44A mentions this as the reason we do not use the leftover oil of Chanuka while we do use the leftover from Shabbos and even leftover from Succos. He explains that the difference is that by Chanuka the person specifically wants to dedicate it all out of his love for this mitzvah, whereas by the other cases, if it is not needed he does not mean to dedicate it.

שבנר ושבקערה אסור ור' שמעון מתיר - ואחר השבת מותר אפי' לר' יהודה וה"נ תניא לקמן גבי נויי סוכה אסור להסתפק מהן עד מוצאי י"ט האחרון אבל בתר הכי שרי וקשה לר"י דמ"ש מנר חנוכה דתניא כבה ליל ראשון מוסיף עליו בליל ב' ומדליק בו כבה ליל ח' עושה לו מדורה בפני עצמו מפני שהוקצה למצותו ואומר ר"י דנר חנוכה עיקרו לא להנאתו בא אלא לפרסומי ניסא ומשום חביבותא דנס אינו מצפה שיכבה אלא מקצה לגמרי למצוה אבל נר שבת להנאתו בא יושב ומצפה שיכבה ולכך מותר

robev
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Chatzkel
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