Animal Chaplaincy and Moshiach: Forgotten Meanings of the Torah

We rarely think about this… We pray, we read the Torah, we speak about spirituality. But almost always — about human spirituality.

And what about animals? Cats, dogs, the birds in the yard? We tend to think they only follow instincts: to eat, to sleep, to play. But is that really all?

The Torah calls them nefesh chaya — “a living soul.” And if there is a soul, then there is spirituality. Maybe we simply have not learned to notice it.

Today, people are talking more and more about a new form of service — animal chaplaincy. For some, this sounds unusual, even strange. But if we listen to the Torah, it is not new at all. It is a return to the beginning.

In her book Sacred Sendoffs, Sarah Bowen writes that language shapes our perception. If you call an animal “it,” you strip it of its soul. And the Torah says the same, only in different words. In Bereshit we read that Adam gave names to every living creature. A name is not a label. A name is soul. And there too, animals are called nefesh chaya — “a living soul.”

Adam and Noah can be seen as the first animal chaplains in human history. Adam gave names to the animals, recognizing their essence and their spirituality. Noah, during the Flood, saved “every living soul” (nefesh chaya) by bringing them into the Ark two by two. Not for profit. Not for power. But for the sake of preserving life. That is what true service means: respect, care, and responsibility for all living beings entrusted to humanity by God.

And here we see the connection: Bowen and the Torah, though speaking in different languages and images, are saying the same thing. Animals have spirituality. They deserve respect. They are part of the Divine plan. That is why her book matters. She is not only a gifted writer — she has become a leader in the new ministry of animal chaplaincy, a ministry that brings us back to ancient truths.

Our sages taught: “Do not sit down to eat before you have fed your animals” (Berakhot 40a). At first glance, it seems a simple law. But within it lies a whole world. You are not the master. You are the guardian. The animal stands before God just as you do. In Kabbalah, this is called achrayut — responsibility. And through this responsibility, we connect to the Creator.

The prophet Jonah hears God say: “Shall I not have compassion on Nineveh, that great city, where there are more than 120,000 people… and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:11). Notice — God cares not only for people, but also for animals. Their lives matter to Him. Their suffering is not ignored in Heaven.

We often think humanity is central. But the Torah teaches otherwise: all creation is bound together by one thread. Even kashrut is not about hierarchy, but about different missions. Kabbalah teaches that every creature holds sparks of holiness (nitzotzot). Humanity’s role is to recognize them — and lift them back to their Source.

This is why animal chaplaincy matters today. To care for animals as spiritual beings. To honor them in life, to accompany them in death, to comfort the humans who mourn them. For many this feels new. But in truth, it is ancient. What was once at the margins is returning to the center.

And here lies something deeply messianic. It is said that when Moshiach comes, not only humans will speak, but stones, and trees, and animals will give voice. We remember: Moshe struck the rock with his staff instead of speaking to it. But the lesson is clear — even to a stone, we must speak. Even a stone deserves respect.

Today we might call this spiritual ecology. But the Torah has known it all along.

If we begin to listen to animals… if we learn to care for them, to speak to them, and not only to use them — we will hear what has always been true: all living beings are already praying with us.

And perhaps it is exactly this — respect and love for all creation — that will bring us closer to the coming of Moshiach.