Anonymous asked Staff ago Hello.
Is there a scientific fact, a parable, or just a legend in the Talmud or the other sources explaining why a cat is not loyal and a dog is?
The cat is not loyal because it eats mice and this leads to senility, for anyone who eats mice or mouse droppings becomes senile?!?!?
Have you ever heard anything about this nonsense?
If so, I would be happy if you could supply the source and citation.
Ronen
jsadmin Staff answered 21 years ago
Dear Ronen,
This is the citation: “Rabbi Elazar’s students asked him why the dog acknowledges its owner and the cat does not acknowledge its owner. He told them, ‘One who eats from what a mouse ate becomes senile; how much more so one who actually eats a mouse'” (Horayot 13a).
To sharpen the nonsense in the text upon which yeshiva students toil, supported by the cash of the State of Israel, we will cite for you things which make one forget one’s studies and those which make one remember once again (Horayot 13b):
Our rabbis taught that five things make one forget one’s studies:
1. Eating from what a mouse ate.
2. Eating from what a cat ate.
3. Eating the heart of an animal.
4. Frequent consumption of olives.
5. Drinking the remains of water which was used for washing.
6. Washing one’s feet one above the other.
7. Others say: Putting one’s clothes beneath one’s head.
Five things make one remember one’s studies again:
1. Eating wheat bread, and even more so eating wheat.
2. Eating a roasted egg with no salt.
3. Frequent consumption of olive oil.
4. Frequent consumption of wine and spices.
5. Drinking water which has remained from kneading.
6. Others say: Dipping one’s finger in salt and eating it.
Sincerely,
Daat Emet
jsadmin Staff answered 21 years ago
Dear Dr. Yuabov,
According to the doctor with whom we checked, toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite found in the feces of cats and of rodents. Toxoplasmosis generally leads to damage of the liver, the lymph nodes, and in extreme cases also damages the brain and leads to memory loss.
If you mean to say that Chazal hinted at this disease, you would be attributing to Chazal knowledge they most certainly did not have.
Chazal did not mention cat feces nor rodent feces; they made a list of things which lead to senility. One of these things is cat or rodent food, without noting that this is spoiled and polluted food. They meant the eating of any such food. Similarly, they said the same of one who eats the heart of an animal or one who eats a mouse.
In other words: Without knowledge of modern medicine you would not have even considered that they referred to cat feces.
We would be glad to get your comments.
Sincerely,
Daat Emet