Shabbos Shirah - Halacha of feeding pets

On Shabbos Shirah, may I place crumbs outside for the birds on Shabbos? is there a difference if it is my pet bird?

Thank you for your question.

This is an important subject regarding balancing the halachot of tza'ar ba'alei chayim, which prohibits causing pain to animals, and the halachot of Shabbos.

On Shabbos, there are specific restrictions regarding when and how one may feed one's pet. According to Halacha, only if you are the one responsible for feeding the pet then it is permitted to do so on Shabbos, and the pet food is not considered Muktseh.

The reason for this is discussed in the Shulchan Aruch:

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות שבת סימן שכד סעיף יא

אין נותנין מים ולא מזונות לפני דבורים, ולא לפני יוני שובך ויוני עליה, ולא לפני חזיר; אבל נותנין לפני אווזין ותרנגולים ויוני בייתות וכן לפני כלב שמזונותיו עליך.

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Hilchot Shabbos, siman 324, seif 11:

One may not place water or food before bees, nor before pigeons or loft pigeons, nor before a pig; however, one may place food before geese, chickens, house pigeons, and likewise before a dog whose sustenance is dependent on you.

One might ask why it is forbidden to feed animals on Shabbos, which melacha does it involve?

The Mishnah Berurah writes that this is considered טירחא שלא לצורך—unnecessary exertion, and therefore it is forbidden to do on Shabbos.

It is interesting to note that there is an exception to this rule: one may feed an ownerless dog even on Shabbos (as long as it is not a vicious and dangerous one). Since a dog eats very little and the food sustains him for three days, feeding such a dog is considered a mitzvah.

Shabbos shirah .

Based on the above, the Magen Avraham writes that on Shabbos Shirah, one may not feed the pigeons on Shabbos since they are not your responsibility. This is brought in the Mishnah Berurah, seif katan 31.

משנה ברורה על שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות שבת סימן שכד סעיף יא

יש נוהגין ליתן חטים לפני עופות בשבת שירה ואינו נכון שהרי אין מזונותן עליך:

Some have the custom to place wheat before birds on Shabbos Shirah, but this is not correct, as their sustenance is not your responsibility

Therefore, Le’halacha, HaGaon HaRav Amrom Fried shlit"a writes that the best practice would be to place the crumbs for the pigeons before Shabbos.

Although we find that some people have a custom of placing food even on Shabbos, the reason for their leniency can be found in three sources:

Tosefet Shabbos – Considered as a mitzvah

It is brought in the Sefer "Tosefet Shabbat" (siman 324) as follows: It is possible that since it has become a custom and a sort of Mitsvah to place food for the birds, as it is noted that the reason for this custom is because the birds sang songs of praise together with Am Yisrael when they sang Shirah, therefore one should not be stringent about this.

Ma’daney Yom Tov – An act of Simcha

It is written in 'Eshel Avraham' in the name of 'Ma'adanei Yom Tov' Siman 335, regarding the custom on Simchat Torah that they used to scatter fruits on the ground, and the children would gather them and put them in baskets, that it is generally forbidden to do so because it is considered as Uvdin de’chol, as explained there, However, since they do so for simcha, they were lenient and were not stringent to forbid it. Thus, possibly we could say the same can also apply to this case of feeding the birds as a way to justify this custom.

Mekor Chaim – it is not obvious one is feeding the birds

We also find In the Sefer "Mekor Chaim" by the author of "Chavot Yair" (printed in the Shulchan Aruch Friedman edition), as follows: It appears to me that it is only forbidden when feeds the birds directly, since it is evident to the onlookers that he is exerting himself to feed the birds. However, in our case where one places the crumbs on the window sill, it is not recognizable that he is exerting himself to feed birds.

To summarize, we do find Poskim who are lenient about feeding birds on Shabbos Shirah. Nevertheless, Le’halacha, we should follow what the Mishnah Berurah writes and place the food out for the birds before Shabbos.

Wishing you a “Shabbos Shulem Umevorach”.

1. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Hilchot Shabbos, siman 324, seif 11
2. Mishnah Berurah  Ibid
3. Sefer Tosefet Shabbat, siman 324
4. Sefer Ma'adanei Yom Tov,  siman 35
5. Sefer Mekor Chaim by the Chavot Yair