As a general rule, it is forbidden to bring animals into the synagogue, due to damage to the dignity of the place, and distraction of the worshippers● Rabbi Feinstein permitted a blind person to enter with his dog to the synagogue● Additional rabbis joined his opinion due to the great need, while other rabbis tended to forbid it because bringing a dog into the synagogue constitutes great disgrace● The main disagreement is about the general attitude toward dogs● Since hundreds of millions of people raise dogs in their homes, bringing a dog into a synagogue cannot be considered a great disgrace ● In times of need, in order to help a blind person or someone suffering from post-trauma to pray in a minyan, he should be accepted in the synagogue
Elul of War
With the beginning of the month of Elul, in order to awaken to repentance before the High Holy Days, I began reading every night in the book “Ma’aseh Be’Tzadik Ve’Alunka” (‘Story of a Righteous Man and a Military Stretcher’) by Rabbi Chaim Navon, published at the initiative of the Association of Hesder Yeshivas in partnership with Yedioth Books publishing house. The book contains life stories of the holy students of Hesder yeshivas who were killed sanctifying God’s name in war. Each chapter deals with one of the holy ones, and contains short segments of stories and descriptions of his unique character. There is no attempt in the stories and descriptions to exaggerate in order to glorify the characters of the holy ones, but to describe them as they are. Precisely because of this, their characters shine with wonderful light.
As yeshiva students, they strove to improve themselves, each in his special areas – in understanding, in diligence, in humility, in their military service, and most of them, in acts of kindness. Some of them could have been great Torah scholars, like one who managed to finish the entire Talmud twice before his Bar Mitzvah, but said he finished it once, so as not to be proud. They are so human and good, that the sorrow over their loss tears the heart, and when reading the nighttime Shema and saying the ‘Hamapil’ blessing while immersed in such stories, reflections surface and tears pour forth – how can we be worthy of their sacrifice, how can we comfort their family members, and how can we complete as much as possible what they did not have time to finish.
Is it Permitted to Enter a Synagogue with a Guide Dog?
Q: There is a blind person who wants to come to our synagogue with his guide dog. He requested this from the gabbai (sexton), and the gabbai refused, because he claimed that bringing the dog harms the honor of the synagogue and the worshippers. On the other hand, there were worshippers who believed the gabbai was wrong, and that the blind person should be received together with his guide dog, with honor. With whom is the halakha?
A: As a general rule, it is forbidden to bring animals into the synagogue, because the synagogue is intended only for holy matters, and bringing them into the synagogue harms its honor, and may distract the worshippers. The question here is: Is it permitted in such pressing circumstances?
Background on Guide Dogs
Starting about a hundred years ago, a way was found to help the blind through trained guide dogs. Initially, only a few people used them, but about fifty years ago, the use of guide dogs had already become common in the United States, and about fifteen years later, in Israel. However, there are blind people for whom keeping a dog is difficult for them or their families, and they prefer to walk more slowly, with the help of a cane.
About twenty-five years ago, some began to use dogs also for sighted people suffering from post-trauma (PTSD). The trained dogs give them a sense of security and relief from anxiety, and enable them to return to normal functioning. These dogs are trained to sense anxiety when it begins to creep into their hearts, or when a nightmare begins, and learn to approach the patient with affection and warmth, and calm him down.
Rabbi Feinstein’s Opinion to Permit
Already about seventy years ago in the United States (5713/1953), Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986) responded that it is permitted for a blind person to enter with his dog to the synagogue (Igrot Moshe, Orach Chaim I: 45), just as we found that our Sages permitted one who wants to learn Torah and is found on his way with his donkey, to enter with his donkey to the study hall (Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah 3:3). Similarly, it appears that Abaye, when he was a young student and orphan, under the guidance of his nanny, would go everywhere with a sheep (Berakhot 62a), and it is reasonable that he entered with it, to the study hall. It is possible that bringing an animal into the synagogue is considered a disgrace when there is no need for it, but for a great need, such as so the donkey or sheep won’t be stolen, does not constitute such a disgrace. Thus, in order that he not be excluded for the rest of his life from congregational prayer and Torah and Megillah reading, a blind person should be permitted to enter with his dog to the synagogue, and preferably, he should be seated along the sides of the synagogue so as to lessen disruption to those praying.
Rabbi Breisch’s Opinion to Forbid
On the other hand, Rabbi Yaakov Breisch (1896-1976), who was born in Galicia and served as rabbi of the Orthodox community in Zurich, Switzerland (Chelkat Yaakov OC 34, from 5725/1965), argued against Rabbi Feinstein, that it is forbidden to bring a dog into the synagogue because this is a great disgrace. And all that our Sages permitted, is to enter with a donkey or sheep to a study hall where Torah scholars are permitted to eat, but not to a synagogue. Moreover, it is possible that even to the study hall they did not agree to bring them in, but tied them outside the study hall. In addition to this, there is a serious concern that the dog will distract the worshippers, especially the young people, from prayer, and we have seen that our Sages established laws to prevent disturbances from prayer.
He further added: ” In addition, and this is the main reason in my view… due to our many sins, which have led to such a weakening of Judaism, especially in these countries, if we open an opening the size of the eye of a needle, it will open a door as wide as the entrance to the Temple, and some “rabbi” will be found who will permit this, who will claim that he is relying on a great scholar, and will say that it has already been permitted to let a dog into the synagogue in cases of urgent need, and he, as a “rabbi,” will determine on his own, what is considered an urgent matter, and, heaven forbid, it may result in a great desecration of the Name, since the Christians forbid the entrance of dogs to their places of worship, in contrast to the synagogue, where it would be permitted.”
Additional Rabbis Who Forbade
Generally, those who forbid believe that bringing a dog into the synagogue constitutes a great disgrace, and in addition, the dog may frighten the worshippers, especially the children, and thereby disturb the prayer. We also found in the words of our Sages, negative things about evil and dangerous dogs. And so wrote Rabbi Moshe Malka, Chief Rabbi of Petach Tikva, in ‘Mikveh HaMayim’ (5:21): “There is no greater contempt and disgrace than this to the house of prayer.” And so wrote Rabbi Chaim David Halevi, Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, in ‘Mayim Chaim’ (3:16). And so wrote in ‘Yalkut Yosef’ (151: 25) in the name of his father the Rishon LeTzion, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. And so wrote Rabbi Kasher in the Chumash ‘Torah Sheleimah’ (15 in supplements Section 10, in the footnote); ‘She’arim Metzuyanim BaHalakha’ 13:2; ‘She’arei Moshe’ 151:1 (by Rabbi Steinberg of Kiryat Yam), and ‘Mishnat Yosef’ 9:53. And Rabbi Amar tended toward this in ‘Shema Shlomo’ 4:3. They suggested tying the dog outside the synagogue, and one of the worshippers would guide the blind person on his way.
Additional Rabbis Who Permitted
On the other hand, those who permit believe that bringing a guide dog into the synagogue does not constitute great disgrace, and therefore, for such a great need, it is permitted to bring it in. So wrote the Lubavitcher Rebbe (Igrot Kodesh 18:6, 5736). And so is the opinion of our teacher and mentor, the Rishon LeTzion, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu (Ma’amar Mordechai part 2, Orach Chaim 14), Rabbi Pinchas Toledano (Morocco and London; Brit Shalom part 1, Orach Chaim 16), Rabbi Elyashiv (‘Me’nashim BaOhel’, p. 125), Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky (Da’at Noteh part 1, Prayer 68) and Rabbi Aviner in Piskei Shlomo 1, p. 120.
Foundation of the Disagreement
It appears that the main disagreement is about the general attitude toward dogs, and consequently, whether bringing them into the synagogue is considered a great disgrace. Until modern times, except for individuals – mainly kings and nobles – it was not customary to raise dogs for enjoyment. They only raised them for guarding purposes, and they were considered mainly as barking and threatening, and bringing them into homes was considered something contemptible and disgusting. In contrast to a donkey, which was considered acceptable and desirable in the house, since it served for riding, and carrying loads. To this day in Islamic countries and in ultra-Orthodox communities, it is not at all customary to raise dogs, and therefore, bringing them into synagogues is considered a great disgrace.
On the other hand, in the last hundreds of years in Europe and other economically developed countries, growing numbers of people have been raising dogs for enjoyment, until today, hundreds of millions of people raise dogs inside their homes, and pay a lot of money for buying, and caring for them. In the process, they learned to use them for treatment, and aid purposes. Therefore, from their perspective, bringing guide dogs into the synagogue in pressing circumstances, and for great necessity, is not considered a great disgrace.
Trained Dogs
Moreover, from the words of those who forbid, it appears they were not familiar with dogs, and especially not trained dogs. Therefore, they feared that the dog would bark and relieve itself in the synagogue, not knowing that these dogs are trained not to bark without reason, and not to relieve themselves, except at organized times and places. They also argued that non-Jews do not agree to bring dogs into their houses of worship, and did not know that in Western countries, many non-Jews agree to this.
To give perspective and clarify how much we’re talking about a professionally prepared dog, it should be noted that the price of a guide dog for the blind is about one hundred and fifty thousand shekels, and it accompanies the blind person for about eight years, and then goes into “retirement” as a pet (according to the Israeli Center for Guide Dogs). Training a service dog for treating those suffering from post-trauma is simpler, and therefore, its price starts from thirty thousand shekels.
Practical Halakha
After hundreds of millions of people raise dogs inside their homes, bringing a dog into a synagogue cannot be considered a great disgrace, and therefore, in times of need, to help a blind person or someone suffering from post-trauma to pray in a minyan, he should be accepted in the synagogue. To minimize disturbance to the prayer arrangements, it is proper to arrange a place for him at the back of the synagogue, not far from the entrance.
However, in communities where the worshippers are not accustomed to meeting dogs and loving them, bringing the dog into the synagogue is perceived as desecration of the holy, and consequently, also disturbs the intention of prayer. And in such cases, one may rule in accordance with the rabbis who prohibited admitting these dogs.
If possible, it is preferable to educate the public to have compassion on the blind person, or the one suffering from post-trauma, and to bring him into the synagogue with his dog. For there is no commandment or virtue in relating to a dog as a contemptible animal. And apparently, as the years pass, awareness of the benefit in dogs increases, and they are perceived as a more respectable animal, and consequently, more rabbis permit bringing them into the synagogue.
This article appears in the ‘Besheva’ newspaper and was translated from Hebrew.
