By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Shmos 17:12 it says do not eat blood. Yerushalmi Yuma 8:3 says from here we see that drinking is part of eating as it says do not eat blood. Gemara in Brachos 40a discusses when one says, “Prepare the animal food.” When one already said Hamotzie but did not yet eat if it is considered a hefsek. Rav Shshes says that since one can not eat before his animal therefore it is not considered a hefsek. We find this in Krias Shema where it says, “I will give food to the animals,” and then it says, “You shall eat and be satiated.”
Reb Yonasan MiLunil explains that just like in creation grass is ready for animals but as far as humans are concerned there is a cooking process needed and there are seasons where food is ripe, so too one should feed animals first. From this it sounds like it is derech eretz but not actually a command. The Rambam in Hilchos Avadim 9:8 is also mashma that way that Chassidim HoRishonim would feed their animals and slaves first based on Gemara in Kesuvos 61a that there were two chassidim one would feed his servant first and the other would not and Eliyahu Hanavi would go to the one who fed his servant first. The Biur Halacha 167:6 also concludes that there is no chiyuv Min HaTorah just a middas chassidus. The Tshuvos Maharam 42 says it is an issur deOraysa to eat before your animal.
The Yad Efraim explains the reason why one should feed his animal first is because one does not know if he has enough Zechuyos to deserve it. By giving the animal food first one is acquiring a zechus. The Orach Meisharim writes that the main reason is that we are worried that if he will eat first, he may be so distracted and forget to feed his animal. The Shailos uTshuvos Yaavetz 17 says it is an inyan of Tzaar Baalei Chai and since the animal is reliant on you therefore you must feed him first. Based on this shitta if an animal can find its own food one would not be required to feed him first.
When it comes to drinking the Ohr Hachaim says that from the passuk in Chukas it says you will drink and give your animals to drink and from the story of Rivka giving Eliezer to drink and then the camels, it is mashma that humans get to drink before animals. The Ohr Hachaim explains that since when it comes to drinking the life of a human in danger comes first. Therefore, in Chukas and in the case of Eliezer and the camels the human drink first. In the event that all things are equal there the animal should drink before the human. The Shailos uTshuvos Ksav Sofer Orach Chaim 32 says that animals get to drink before humans. The Magen Avraham argues and says in all cases humans drink before animals.
There are a few reasons why one could drink before his animals. Yad Efraim says that only for food do we need an extra Zchus but for having water one does not need the extra Zchus. The Melo Haomer says that since humans don’t need a lot of water whereas the animals need a lot of water therefore a human can drink first. The Shailos uTshuvos Har Tzvi 70 says the pain of thirst is worse for humans than for animals. Reb Yonasan MiLunil said that food requires prep for humans and not for animals therefore animals eat first but on the other hand water does not require prep so therefore humans get to drink first.
May we all be zocheh to have all the zchuyos of keeping tzaar baalei chaim
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