Chapter 175 : Chapter 175 The Laws of Interbreeding Animals

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§1

It is forbidden to breed a male and female of two diverse kinds of animals, beasts or fowl. Even to merely cause cross-breeding is forbidden.

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§2

It is forbidden to do work with two diverse kinds of animals, such as ploughing with them or let them pull a wagon. Even to drive them merely by sound, such as yelling at them is forbidden, if they are harnessed together. Therefore if the cart of a non-Jew is being drawn by diverse kinds of animals, and the cargo of a Jew is on the cart, that Jew is forbidden to walk alongside the cart, for it is likely that he will yell at them, to make them go faster, which is forbidden as it constitutes driving diverse kinds of animals.

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§3

If a cart is being drawn by diverse kinds of animals, it is forbidden to sit on it even if you do not drive them.

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§4

If a wagon is being drawn by one kind of animal, you may not tie another kind of animal to the side of the cart or behind it.

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§5

It is forbidden to tie two diverse kinds of animals together even if only to prevent them from running away.¹Taz 297:5. You must be careful about this with regard to fowl, not to tie them together, as some people are in error concerning this.

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§6

A mule is bred by a horse and a donkey, and it has two species. One is bred by a stallion and a she-donkey and the other by a mare and a donkey. These mules are considered diverse kinds of beasts. Therefore, if you wish to hitch two mules together, first examine the features of their ears, tails, and voices. If these are similar, it indicates that their mothers are of the same kind and it is permitted to hitch them together. Some Poskim maintain that even a single mule is considered a mixture since it was bred from two species, and it is forbidden to do work with it or to ride on it.