Sometimes it seems that many animals are of no use at all. Especially in the 21st century, their role in the economy seems to be over. But that only applies to a small part of the world. In most developing countries, animals still play an important role. And what is the use of elephants, monkeys and mice, for example? How does Judaism view this? It says in the Talmud, “Everything that God created has a purpose. Nothing has been created useless.”
Animal still important in economies in many parts of the world
Although animals play an increasingly less important role in developed countries, they still do so in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. They serve as the primary source of mechanical energy in agriculture, reports the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. That means that billions of people still depend on animals for food or for their existence. Today, some 78 million Asian buffalos are still employed as workers in the world.
What is the role of animals that cannot be used for energy or food?
The Torah teaches that everything in the world was created for the benefit of man who was himself created to serve the Creator. So what is the purpose of animals that cannot be used for energy or food?
The Jewish philosopher Maimonides wrote the following about it: Everything was created for man. Just because we don’t yet know the usefulness of some animals doesn’t mean it won’t become clear later. The only reason we don’t know its use is because we haven’t discovered it yet and we don’t know enough about the animals. Indeed, we did not know in the past that we could use monkeys and mice, for example, for medical experiments in which medicines could be developed.
In 2000 it was discovered that the blood of crocodiles contains an important substance that can overcome human infections by making antibiotics.
The importance of medicines and ecosystems
Many people think that some rare animals are only of interest to biologists and so they are of no use to humanity. But we don’t know the latter yet. It may well be that learning more about the animals can make them very important to humans.
In addition, animals are important for maintaining the ecosystem. They help keep the soil fertile, the water balance and contribute to the cycle of water, energy and nutrients. These are important elements for human prosperity.
Scientific American states: Even animals that humans are deem insignificant because they cannot provide us with medicine, food, etc., play a big role in the food chain… The less aesthetically pleasing invertebrates also play crucial roles in the base of the food chain, in nutrient recycling, energy flow, and so on. Without them, we would not be here! “ (Marianne Robertson, assistant professor of biology at Millikin University in Decatur, IL).
“Everything that God has created has a purpose. Nothing was created for nothing.” (Talmud).