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Who Can Be a Shochet: Difference between revisions
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===The Need for Proper Certification=== | ===The Need for Proper Certification=== | ||
# Unfortunately, abuse of this leniency by people who will just eat anything by relying on it lead to people shechting without proper training, because they assumed nobody would check them. To avoid this, the practice developed to ban anybody from shechting or inspecting terefot privately without rabbinic assessment and approval, regardless of however much book knowledge he has.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:5</ref> | # Unfortunately, abuse of this leniency by people who will just eat anything by relying on it lead to people shechting without proper training, because they assumed nobody would check them. To avoid this, the practice developed to ban anybody from shechting or inspecting terefot privately without rabbinic assessment and approval, regardless of however much book knowledge he has.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:5</ref> | ||
# This permission come from a great rabbinic authority who can administer a challenging examination, not an expert shochet. In places where this permission is written in a certificate, inability to produce that certificate when requested to is a red flag.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:6</ref> | |||
# Rabbis should not cut corners or overlook law of qualifications when assessing candidates, as it leads to lowering the standards and thresholds of proper shechitah and then eventually people eating improperly slaughtered meat. It is too easy for the hasty and unlearned to overlook a serious issue in the knife even if they say they "checked" it. It therefore behooves the consumer to ensure that he only eats meat that either he himself knows the shochet is up to par, or he knows the local rabbinate oversees things properly, or he at least checked the knife prior to this animals shechitah and he investigated the shochet's stature with community members.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:8</ref> | |||
# Certification and a little experience for Ofot should not give one the impression that all birds are created equal. The necks of smaller birds such as dove are much harder to manipulate, so one should not attempt them until he has mastery of regular birds first. Even then, one should not shecht them without having a larger bird or a couple small ones around to make sure that his beracha will not be levatala.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:11</ref> | |||
# The certifying rabbi charging a fee and providing his own chickens to the candidate is not a red flag for conflict of interest, since the financial benefit is relatively small relative to the spiritual damage he's bringing upon others and himself by eating this food. Nevertheless, the price should be kept reasonable.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:12</ref> | |||
===How to Assess a Shochet Candidate=== | ===How to Assess a Shochet Candidate=== | ||
# The qualities to look for in a candidate to become a shochet are:<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:6</ref> | # The qualities to look for in a candidate to become a shochet are:<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:6</ref> | ||
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## Fear of Heaven | ## Fear of Heaven | ||
## Some independent Torah learning skills | ## Some independent Torah learning skills | ||
## Knowledge of the five halachot Shechitah (Yoreh Deah 23-24), the halachot of how to check a knife, and the rest of the common halachot, as well as some that are uncommon. If he knows those, he most likely knows the rest, as well. | ## Knowledge of the five halachot Shechitah (Yoreh Deah 23-24), the halachot of how to check a knife, and the rest of the common halachot, as well as some that are uncommon. If he knows those, he most likely knows the rest, as well. | ||
## Skill in checking a knife with strong haptic perception and presence of mind. If the touch receptors on his fingers are not strong enough or if he cannot focus, that would be problematic. | ## Skill in checking a knife with strong haptic perception and presence of mind. If the touch receptors on his fingers are not strong enough or if he cannot focus, that would be problematic. | ||
## Then he should shecht three birds successfully in front of the rabbi to demonstrate he knows what he's doing and does not faint. The custom is to do three chickens, two hens and one rooster, because roosters are harder to control. | ## Then he should shecht three birds successfully in front of the rabbi to demonstrate he knows what he's doing and does not faint. The custom is to do three chickens, two hens and one rooster, because roosters are harder to control. | ||
## After that, he can have permission to shecht. | ## After that, he can have permission to shecht. | ||
===Proper Conduct of a Shochet=== | ===Proper Conduct of a Shochet=== | ||
# A shochet or bodek should never become intoxicated.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:7</ref> | # A shochet or bodek should never become intoxicated.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:7</ref> | ||
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# A shochet who does not conduct himself in a manner befitting someone of such serious responsibility is essentially feeding Nevelot and Terefot to the Jewish people, will receive a fairly excruciating punishment in the next world, and will not be afforded the opportunity to repent.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:7</ref> | # A shochet who does not conduct himself in a manner befitting someone of such serious responsibility is essentially feeding Nevelot and Terefot to the Jewish people, will receive a fairly excruciating punishment in the next world, and will not be afforded the opportunity to repent.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:7</ref> | ||
# The local rabbinic authorities should regularly check that the already certified shochetim are continuing to conduct themselves properly and review the laws and are using kosher knives. If they find that not to be the case, the certification should be removed.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:7</ref> | # The local rabbinic authorities should regularly check that the already certified shochetim are continuing to conduct themselves properly and review the laws and are using kosher knives. If they find that not to be the case, the certification should be removed.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:7</ref> | ||
# | ==Keeping His Learning Fresh & Relevant== | ||
# If he claims to be unsure of a certain law, there's reason to overlook that, but given the many resources available to the learner, best is to disqualify him until he is fluent without issue. It goes without saying that he says the opposite of the Halacha, that this is true.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:9</ref> | |||
# Using old Shechita guides that aren't up to date with contemporary applications and current industry standards as guided by recent authorities is reason not to grant a Kabbalah until he gets a more up to date education.<ref>Simla Chadasha 1:10</ref> | |||
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==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Shechitah (Kosher Slaughter)]] | [[Category:Shechitah (Kosher Slaughter)]] | ||
