Halakhah su Deuteronomio 28:9

It further follows that, as a religion in which imitatio Dei serves as a governing moral principle,²The obligation of imitatio Dei is derived from the verse “and thou shalt walk in His ways” (Deuteronomy 28:9). See Rambam, Hilkhot De‘ot 1:5-6. Judaism must perforce view compassion towards animals as a moral imperative. It is told variously of one or another of the leading exponents of the Musar movement that he kept a cat as a pet and insisted upon feeding the cat personally. That individual is reported to have remarked to his disciples that his motivation was simply to emulate divine conduct. Since God extends "His tender mercies over all His works" (Psalms 145:9), man should eagerly seek opportunities to do likewise. The story is perhaps apocryphal in nature but remarkable nonetheless because of its wide currency in rabbinic circles.³See also narratives concerning R. Eliyahu Lapian recounted by Aaron Soraski. Marbiẓei Torah u-Musar (Brooklyn, 5737), IV, 165, and concerning Ḥazon Ish by R. Shlomoh Cohen, Pe’er ha-Dor (Bnei Brak, 5726), I, 175. It is told of the hasidic master, R. Zusya of Anapole, that, saddened by the sight of caged birds, he would purchase them from their owner in order to set them free. He informed his disciples that he regarded this to be a form of “ransoming prisoners” which constitutes a moral imperative.

Other scholars advance less obvious sources as constituting the scriptural basis for obligations concerning za'ar ba'alei ḥayyim. R. Moses ibn Habib, Yom Teru'ah, Rosh ha-Shanah 27a, finds a source for such obligations in the verse "… and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink" (Numbers 20:8). Water was miraculously produced from the rock for the benefit of animals as well as of humans. Water was produced for the animals, states R. Moses ibn Habib, in order to obviate za'ar ba'alei ḥayyim. In the opinion of this authority, Scripture specifically records that the miracle was performed on behalf of animals as an admonition to man directing him likewise to alleviate the suffering of brute creatures. R. Moses Sofer, Hagahot Hatam Sofer, Baba Mezi'a 32b, similarly regards obligations with regard to animal welfare as predicated upon emulation of divine conduct. Thus Hatam Sofer cites the verse "And His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalms 145:9) as imposing an obligation upon man to exercise compassion toward animals. Earlier, Sefer Haredim, chapter 4, expressed the opinion that compassion toward animals is mandated by the commandment "and you shall walk in His ways" (Deuteronomy 28:9). Rambam, Hilkhot De'ot 1:6, apparently basing himself upon Sifre, Deuteronomy 11:22, renders the verse as meaning, "just as He is merciful so also shall you be merciful."

(14) It also is apparent that [in all eight modes] he also transgresses (Devarim 28:9): "And you shall walk in His ways," whereby we have been commanded to emulate the traits of the Holy One Blessed be He, all of which [traits] are for the good alone, as Chazal have said (Shabbath 133b): "Just as He is merciful, you, too, be merciful; just as He is gracious, you, too, be gracious," and the like with the other good traits, as is explained by the Rambam (Hilchoth Deoth 1:5 and 6). And we find with the Holy One Blessed be He, in His pure and holy traits, that He hates delation [informing] in all modes, even against the most reprehensible of men, as Chazal have said in the episode of Achan [viz. Joshua 7] (Sanhedrin 11a): "Am I [the L–rd] a delator for you?" And He hopes for the good and not for the bad (viz. Tanna d'bei Eliyahu 1), and (Sotah 42a): "Four classes do not behold the Divine Presence: …the class of the speakers of lashon hara, as it is written (Tehillim 5:5): 'For You are not a G–d who desires wickedness, evil shall not dwell with You.'" Therefore, one who habituates himself to this evil trait does not walk in the way of the L–rd, which is only to do good to others, and he does the opposite — wherefore the Torah designated [lashon hara] as "evil" — so that he also transgresses this positive commandment [i.e., "And you shall walk in His ways."]
We have thus enumerated fourteen positive commandments, which tend to be transgressed by lashon hara and rechiluth (aside from the aforementioned seventeen negative commandments). And though all the seventeen negative commandments and fourteen positive commandments cannot obtain with one man and with one slur, as is clear to the reader, still, all who are habituated, G–d forbid, to this evil trait will certainly transgress all of them in the course of time. For sometimes he will come to speak lashon hara against an elder, and sometimes, against a sage. And sometimes he will demean him to his face and sometimes not to his face, as mentioned above.