Sometimes my children are not happy about my decisions.

They insist that I share with them the reason why I decided that they can’t have a sleepover tonight, or why they can’t take off a day of school or some other issue.

I often do share my thinking with them but occasionally they are not old enough or mature enough to understand so it just comes down to “because I said so” which is really challenging for them to hear!

When we study the Torah, we try to understand the reasons behind the commandments. Some are easier to find a reason for and others are more difficult and then of course there are those commandments where it is just God’s word and the reason is just beyond us.

Why does the Torah prohibit plowing with your ox and donkey? On the surface, this is difficult to understand. Can we suggest a reason for this commandment?

One possibility is the gap in strength between the ox and the donkey. When it comes to plowing, the ox is the most powerful animal. If we would pair the ox with the donkey, it would be uneven and put pressure on the donkey to try to keep up with the ox. Oxen are better suited for pulling heavy loads while donkeys are best suited for carrying heavy loads. We don’t want to cause pain to the donkey.

Here is another idea found among the Biblical commentators.

The ox is a kosher animal while the donkey is not.

What makes an animal kosher?

The Bible tells us that a kosher animal must have a split hoof and chew their cud. For example, a pig has a split hoof but does not chew its cud hence it is not kosher. An ox has both a split hoof and chews its cud making it a kosher animal while the donkey has neither sign.

What does it mean to chew the cud? The animal, like an ox, will chew its feed and then swallow it. They will regurgitate it back up and continue to chew. This process can take hours.

So here is the idea. Imagine a donkey and an ox are plowing together. The donkey will eat and swallow its food while the ox will continuously chew for hours. The donkey will be pained by seeing the ox chewing and become jealous thinking that he has nothing to eat!

What do these two suggestions have in common?

They both require us to be sensitive to the needs of the animals. The way we treat our animals goes a long way in shaping our personalities.

Kindness expressed to animals will translate into kindness towards people. Being kind is a muscle that needs to be developed and exercised. Ultimately the more we practice kindness the more kind we will be.