We begin today's discussion with a halachic principle: one should not feed animals food prepared for human consumption. For instance, if you prepare a chicken dish or a grilled steak for yourself, you should not give it to your dog. However, this prohibition applies specifically when the food is exclusively prepared for humans. If there is no other food available for the animal, then it is permissible to feed it human food. Furthermore, if the food is something that both humans and animals typically eat, such as vegetables, there is no issue. Similarly, if you initially prepared the food specifically for the animal, it is also permissible.
The Avodah Zarah teaches that it is forbidden to feed an animal food meant for people, and this prohibition extends to birds as well. However, the Beis Yosef raises a doubt as to whether the halacha follows this ruling. The Magen Avraham offers a compromise: if one has nothing else to feed the animal, then everyone agrees it is permissible to feed it human food. The Mishnah Berurah comments that this is the basis for the common practice of putting bread out for birds. We do this because we typically do not have specific bird food readily available.
The question then arises: are we obligated to feed birds that are not our own? If these birds are not under our direct responsibility, why should we feed them bread that was originally intended for human consumption and might otherwise be wasted? The Mishnah Berurah, as quoted, suggests this practice is permissible when no other food is available. This applies to common birds, not necessarily those we are obligated to feed.
The Derech Hachaim, in section 171, discusses feeding birds. It states that if one has nothing else to feed the birds, it is permissible to give them human food. This is the basis for the widespread custom of feeding bread to birds. There is even a custom to give wheat to chickens before the holiday of Pesach, particularly on Shabbat Shirah. This is done to acknowledge the favor the birds supposedly did for us when we left Egypt, by chirping and praising God. However, the Mishnah Berurah clarifies that while it is permissible to feed birds on Shabbat Shirah, this is not an obligation. The prohibition against feeding birds on Shabbat applies only if they are not under your direct responsibility. During the week, however, there is no such restriction.
The core issue revolves around the concept of "food for human consumption." If bread is going to spoil anyway, and you have nothing else to feed the pigeons, then feeding it to them is permissible during the week. The distinction is crucial: on Shabbat, one may not feed animals that are not "under their care" (מזונותם עליך), meaning animals for whom one is not directly responsible. But on weekdays, this restriction does not apply. Therefore, if you have bread that you will not eat and it is going to spoil, you may feed it to pigeons. While it might be preferable to buy specific bird food, the widespread custom (מנהג) of feeding bread to birds is acknowledged and permitted.
In fact, Rabbi Chaim Palachi states that feeding birds is a segulah (a spiritual remedy) for sick people. He explains that when you feed the birds, they pray for you. They come daily, eat the food, and in their chirping, they are essentially praying to God, saying, "This person has mercy on us; may You, God, have mercy on him." This makes feeding birds a significant act of compassion.
We also discuss the prohibition against wasting food. Any food that is thrown away and will be ruined should not be discarded. For example, throwing wine in a way that it is caught in another receptacle is permissible because it is not wasted. Maran adds that it is permissible to throw nuts and roasted seeds in front of a groom during the summer, as they land on a dry floor and can be picked up and eaten without becoming muddy. However, in the rainy season, this is not allowed because the nuts would become muddy and undesirable, even if still in their shells. The Shulchan Aruch explains that even with shells, people are unlikely to eat muddy items.
The Shulchan Aruch also mentions the custom of throwing raisins at a groom on the Shabbat preceding his wedding, when he is called to read from the Sefer Torah. However, Rabbi Yosef Chaim (the Ben Ish Chai) disapproved of this custom because raisins are soft and easily ruined when thrown. This is why many synagogues do not permit this practice today.
The Ben Ish Chai further describes a custom in Baghdad on the eve of a child's circumcision (Brit Milah). For decoration, an arrangement of tree branches and flowers would be prepared, sometimes using a vase made of dough or a sweet lemon or pomegranate as the base. However, he complained that these edible fruits would be ruined when pierced with tree branches. Therefore, he ruled that edible fruits should not be used for this purpose, to avoid wasting them. This is different from piercing a lemon peel for decoration on Sukkot, as the lemon itself is not ruined and can still be eaten.
Throwing wheat in front of a groom is permissible, provided it is a clean place and the wheat is swept up afterward to prevent people from stepping on it. A famous story illustrates this point: a Hasid, eating at someone's home for Pesach, found a piece of wheat in his soup. The hostess, distraught, insisted her home was meticulously clean for Pesach. The Hasid then shook his streimel (fur hat), and wheat fell out. He had attended a wedding the night before where wheat was thrown, and some had gotten stuck in his streimel. This highlights the importance of ensuring that food thrown at celebrations, such as candy, is in wrappers and thrown in clean areas to prevent waste and ensure it can be picked up.
Finally, a kabbalistic practice advises against placing food or beverages under the table during a meal. This is because, according to Kabbalah, "external forces" (חיצוניים) are present under the table, and placing food there could allow them to "zap" or negatively affect it. This prohibition applies specifically during the meal itself. After the meal, storing items under the table is permissible, and if something accidentally falls under the table, it is still permissible to eat it. However, as an initial practice (לכתחילה), one should avoid placing food or drinks under the table while eating.