Sechirut – Chapter 13:

1. Animal’s Right to Eat While Working

An animal must be allowed to eat while it is working with produce, whether the produce is attached or harvested. The animal may also eat from the load it carries until it is unloaded, but the handler should not feed the animal by hand.

2. Prohibition of Muzzling an Animal

Anyone who prevents a working animal from eating is liable for lashes, as stated in Deuteronomy 25:4. This applies to all animals, kosher and non-kosher, and to all types of work with produce. The employer is liable for muzzling an animal, even if done beforehand or with words. If a renter muzzles an animal and then threshes with it, he receives lashes and pays a grain penalty.

3. Application to Jews and Gentiles

A Jew threshing with a gentile’s animal violates the prohibition if he muzzles it, but a gentile threshing with a Jew’s animal does not. If a Jew instructs a gentile to muzzle his animal, or if other indirect means are used to prevent the animal from eating, these acts are forbidden but do not result in lashes. If the animal’s health would be harmed by eating, it is permitted to prevent it from eating.

4. Threshing with Sacred Produce

When a priest threshes terumah or terumat ma’aser with a cow belonging to an Israelite, he does not violate the prohibition against muzzling. Similarly, this applies to ma’aser sheni. However, to avoid creating a negative impression, the worker should feed the animal from the same type of produce.

5. Demai and Prohibition

Muzzling an animal threshing demai produce (doubtfully tithed), terumat ma’aser that is demai, or produce grown from terumah is still considered a violation.

6. Owner and Renter Rights Regarding Feeding

An owner may withhold food to make an animal eat more while threshing, but a renter may feed the animal to reduce its appetite for the grain. Similarly, employers and workers may influence how much produce is consumed by providing wine or using brine. Workers should not overexert themselves at night or starve themselves to the employer’s detriment.

7. Worker and Employer Responsibilities

Employers must not withhold wages, and workers must not neglect their duties or deceive employers. Workers are obligated to be precise with their time and diligent in their labor, following the example of Jacob, and will be rewarded for their effort.