Question:
Were going on vacation to Spain and would like to know if its permissible to watch a bullfight.
Answer:
My apologies that I didn’t get to answer you for a while.
It is not permitted to go to watch bullfights. The reason being because our torah teaches us to be compassionate even to animals, as we have a specific mitzvah not to pain an animal and even if an animal it carrying a heavy oad we have to help the owner unload it so the animal won‘t be in pain. A bull fight is the exact opposite of this. The bull is starved beforehand to make his hungry and mad, he is poked with spears to get him even more mad. Therefore it not permitted to do this to the animal, and by attending such a fight we are supporting those who are doing forbidden things.
Sources:
Yichave Daat 3-66. See Tractate Avoda Zara 16a Rashi D:H Itztadion.
are boxing matches the same? Wrestling? professional football? Hockey?
Is it also assur to watch someone give someone else mussar bc the poskim say that we dont know how to bizman hazeh and I shouldnt condone people who try giving mussar?
There is a big differance between an animal that is involentarily subjected to pain, and that the very pain that it is experiencing is the source of the entertainment for the spectators, and a sport that the two people decide to pain themselves volentarily. And yes, you should not be watching when someone is being given mussar, because it makes the person more embarrassed.
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