Animals and nature

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

they and every kind of wild animal, livestock, crawling creature, bird, and winged creature.

“If one’s offering is a peace offering and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present it without blemish before the LORD.

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.

For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,

The Sages taught that acts of kindness are superior to charity in three respects: Charity can be performed only with one’s money, while acts of kindness can be performed both with his person and with his money. Charity is given to the poor, while acts of kindness are performed both for the poor and for the rich. Charity is given to the living, while acts of kindness are performed both for the living and for the dead. And Rabbi Elazar said: Anyone who performs charity and justice is considered as though he filled the whole world in its entirety with kindness, as it is stated: “He loves charity and justice; the earth is full of the kindness of the Lord” (Psalms 33:5). Lest you say that anyone who comes to leap and perform an act of kindness may simply leap and do so without scrutiny, the verse states: “How precious is your kindness, O God” (Psalms 36:8). It is a precious and rare occurrence to perform an act of kindness properly. One might have thought that even a God-fearing individual does not always encounter the opportunity to perform acts of kindness. Therefore, the verse states: “But the kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him” (Psalms 103:17).

GEMARA: The mishna teaches that an animal that generates enough revenue to cover the costs of the food that it eats shall work and eat while in the finder’s possession. The Gemara asks: And must he care for the animal forever? Rav Naḥman says that Shmuel says: He cares for the animal until twelve months pass. This is also taught in a baraita: If one finds any living being that works and generates enough revenue to cover the costs of the food that it eats, e.g., a cow or a donkey, he tends to them until twelve months pass. From that point forward, one assesses their value, sells them, and places the money aside for the owner.

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Yosei, said: All acts of charity and kindness that Jews perform in this world make great peace and are great intercessors between the Jewish people and their Father in Heaven, as it is stated: “So said the Lord, enter not into a house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them, for I have taken away My peace from this people, says the Lord, both kindness and mercy” (Jeremiah 16:5). “Kindness”; this is referring to acts of kindness. “Mercy”; this is referring to acts of charity. This indicates that when there is kindness and mercy, God is at peace with His people.

As for the good land, its vegetation cometh forth by permission of its Lord; while as for that which is bad, only the useless cometh forth (from it). Thus do We recount the tokens for people who give thanks

For divorced women a provision in kindness: a duty for those who ward off (evil)

And there is not a beast in the earth but the sustenance thereof dependeth on Allah. He knoweth its habitation and its repository. All is in a clear Record

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Charity is obligatory everyday on every joint of a human being. If one helps a person in matters concerning his riding animal by helping him to ride it or by lifting his luggage on to it, all this will be regarded as charity. A good word, and every step one takes to offer the compulsory Congregational prayer, is regarded as charity; and guiding somebody on the road is regarded as charity

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way, there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst and came out. Meanwhile he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, "This dog is suffering from thirst as I did." So, he went down the well again and filled his shoe with water and watered it. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him. The people said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?" He replied: "Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate (living being)." (See Hadith No)

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The people of Yemen have come to you and they are more gentle and soft-hearted. Belief is Yemenite and Wisdom is Yemenite, while pride and haughtiness are the qualities of the owners of camels (i.e. bedouins). Calmness and solemnity are the characters of the owners of sheep

Nature is the law that generates cause and effect; God is the source of all pleasure and pain. God, dwelling in the heart of Nature, experiences the qualities that Nature brings forth; and His affinity towards these qualities is the reason for His living in a good or evil body.

Purity, passion, and ignorance are the qualities that the law of nature brings forth. They fetter the free spirit in all beings.

Agriculture, the protection of cows, and trade are the duties of a trader, in accordance with his nature. The duty of a servant is to serve, which also agrees with his nature.

If one should desire to live in this world a hundred years, one should live performing Karma (righteous deeds). Thus thou mayest live; there is no other way. By doing this, Karma (the fruits of thy actions) will not defile thee.

As the sun, the eye of the whole world, is not defiled by external impurities seen by the eyes, thus the one inner Self of all living beings is not defiled by the misery of the world, being outside it.

Yama said: Ask for sons and grandsons who shall live a hundred years, many cattle, elephants, gold and horses. Ask for lands of vast extent and live thyself as many autumns as thou desirest.

Let us live so very happily, loving among the hostile. Among hostile humans, let us live with love. Let us live so very happily, healthy among the ailing. Among ailing humans let us live healthily.

You don’t become a noble one by harming living beings. One harmless toward all living beings is said to be a noble one.

Creatures love happiness, so if you don’t harm them with a stick in search of your own happiness, after death you will find happiness.

Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence: “Good, good fellow, is giving! Even when one has little, giving is good. And it’s also good to give out of faith. And it’s also good to give legitimate wealth. And it’s also good to give intelligently. And it’s also good to be restrained <j>when it comes to living creatures.

A wise person living at home benefits many people. Neither by day or at night do they neglect their mother, father, and ancestors. They venerate them in accord with the teaching, remembering what they have done. One of settled faith and good nature venerates the homeless renunciates, the mendicant spiritual practitioners, knowing their good-hearted qualities. Good for the king, good for the gods, and good for relatives and comrades.

‘Those who give with faith and a clear and confident heart, partake of food in this world and the next. So you should dispel stinginess, overcoming that stain, and give a gift. The good deeds of sentient beings support them in the next world.’”

Salok, Fifth Mehl: In Your Mercy, You care for all beings and creatures. You produce corn and water in abundance; You eliminate pain and poverty, and carry all beings across. The Great Giver listened to my prayer, and the world has been cooled and comforted. Take me into Your Embrace, and take away all my pain. Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the House of God is fruitful and prosperous. ||1||

The Lord feeds and sustains all living beings; He blesses them gifts of restful peace and fine clothes. He created the jewel of human life, with all its cleverness and intelligence. By His Grace, mortals abide in peace and bliss. O Nanak, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, Har, Har, Haray, The mortal is released from attachment to the world. ||23||

All beings and creatures have become kind to me; my Lord and Master blessed me with His Kind Mercy. Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord, the Destroyer of pain; His glory is so great! ||2||9||14||

Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with. May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows? ’Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power; / ’Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more. / Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see; / Your inner being guard, and keep it free.

When the Tao prevails in the world, they send back their swift horses to (draw) the dung-carts. When the Tao is disregarded in the world, the warhorses breed in the border lands. There is no guilt greater than to sanction ambition; no calamity greater than to be discontented with one’s lot; no fault greater than the wish to be getting. Therefore the sufficiency of contentment is an enduring and unchanging sufficiency.

The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind. To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good;—and thus (all) get to be good. To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere (with me), I am also sincere;—and thus (all) get to be sincere. The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps his mind in a state of indifference to all. The people all keep their eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children.