Genesis 1:29.

[hindupridemn]

Every "herb and fruit" but not animal is given to mankind to eat. Is this an allusion to vegetarianism?

 

[Levite]

Every "herb and fruit" but not animal is given to mankind to eat. Is this an allusion to vegetarianism?

There are numerous midrashim (exegetical parables of ancient times) that say that in the Garden of Eden, people were vegetarian, and only began eating meat once they ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. There are even a couple of midrashim that say that God introduced them to the eating of meat, since the text says that, once they realized they were naked, God clothed them in garments made of animal skins; and of course, we do not kill animals only for skins, but we use every part of the animal we can, and meat is only good for eating; therefore, clearly God also showed them how to cook meat to eat, from the animals whose skins He used in preparing the garments.

Other commentaries say that, because we as Jews are permitted only kosher animals to eat, and these animals are all herbivorous, when it says that humans were given permission to eat every kind of growing thing, the text is implying, "and also those animals which graze upon growing things," and that the original intent was that everyone eat only kosher animals-- an intent people changed after leaving the Garden.

A few modern scholars have opined that the Edenic vegetarianism represents a goal we should all aspire to re-acquire: that vegetarianism is a lost ideal of our tradition. So far, the idea has not picked up a widespread acceptance in mainstream Judaism, but some individuals find it inspiring.