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Shechitah (Kosher Slaughter): Difference between revisions
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"Nevelah" refers to an animal that was not slaughtered properly. "Terefah" refers to an animal that for one medical reason or another would not have lived out the year and is such prohibited from consumption even though it was slaughtered properly. Nevelot emit Tumat Nevelah (ritual impurity of Nevelah), whereas Terefot are Tehorot (pure). | "Nevelah" refers to an animal that was not slaughtered properly. "Terefah" refers to an animal that for one medical reason or another would not have lived out the year and is such prohibited from consumption even though it was slaughtered properly. Nevelot emit Tumat Nevelah (ritual impurity of Nevelah), whereas Terefot are Tehorot (pure). | ||
===What Does and What Does Not Need Shechitah=== | |||
====The Basic Rules==== | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|+ Fact Sheet | |+ Fact Sheet<ref>Simla Chadasha 13:1</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
! Hebrew Term !! English Term !! Requires Shechitah !! Requires [[Kisui HaDam]] !! Details !! Examples | ! Hebrew Term !! English Term !! Requires Shechitah !! Requires [[Kisui HaDam]] !! Details !! Examples | ||
| Line 24: | Line 26: | ||
| Ofot || Birds || Yes || Yes || Majority of one siman || Chicken | | Ofot || Birds || Yes || Yes || Majority of one siman || Chicken | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Chagavim || Locusts || No || No || | | Chagavim || Locusts || No || No || Just kill first || | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Dagim || Fish || No || No || Just kill first || Salmon | | Dagim || Fish || No || No || Just kill first || Salmon | ||
|} | |} | ||
====Exceptional Circumstances==== | |||
# ''Ben Pakua'': an unborn eight or nine month old baby found in a shechted animals womb that hasn't yet walked on the ground does not need Shechitah at all, but one shouldn't eat it until it's fully dead.<ref>Simla Chadasha 13:2</ref> If it did walk on the ground or something else, it needs Shechitah MiDeRabbanan.<ref>Simla Chadasha 12:4</ref> | |||
==When and Where to Shecht== | |||
See ''[[Timing and Location of Shechitah]]'' for more details. | |||
# One may only slaughter during the day and/or with sufficient light. | |||
# The Chachamim forbade slaughtering in a number of venues given their resemblance to pagan practices, specifically on the water and in a pit. | |||
==Who Can Be a Shochet== | ==Who Can Be a Shochet== | ||
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One can perform shechitah with a variety of items, but nowadays everybody just uses a knife.<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 6</ref> | One can perform shechitah with a variety of items, but nowadays everybody just uses a knife.<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 6</ref> | ||
The knife must be sharp ("''Chad''")and smooth (''Chalak'') so that it can swiftly cut what it has to without tearing.<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 6</ref> | The knife must be sharp ("''Chad''") and smooth (''Chalak'') so that it can swiftly cut what it has to without tearing.<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 6</ref> | ||
Different knife lengths are required depending on the width of the neck being slaughtered.<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 9</ref> | Different knife lengths are required depending on the width of the neck being slaughtered.<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 9</ref> | ||
Knives are sharpened and polished with special whetstones and checked before use.<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 6</ref> | Knives are sharpened and polished with special whetstones and checked before use.<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 6</ref> | ||
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==How to Shecht== | ==How to Shecht== | ||
''For more information, see [[The Shechitah Process]]'' | ''For more information, see [[The Shechitah Process]], [[Intention During Shechitah]], and [[Birkat HaShechitah]]'' | ||
The Gemara requires checking the knife before and after every shechita in order to catch a pegima as soon as it happens. Chazal were concerned that the knife might contact dirt on the animal’s skin or hit a bone during shechita and receive a nick and become invalid.<ref>Chullin 10b</ref> | The Gemara requires checking the knife before and after every shechita in order to catch a pegima as soon as it happens. Chazal were concerned that the knife might contact dirt on the animal’s skin or hit a bone during shechita and receive a nick and become invalid.<ref>Chullin 10b</ref> | ||
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# Check the knife | # Check the knife | ||
# Tefisah: Locate and grab the Simanim (trachea and esophagus) | # Tefisah: Locate and grab the Simanim (trachea and esophagus) | ||
# Recite the Beracha ("'Al HaShechitah'")<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 19</ref> | # Recite the Beracha ("'[[Birkat HaShechitah|Al HaShechitah]]'")<ref>Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 19</ref> | ||
===During=== | ===During=== | ||
# Severing the trachea, esophagus, carotid arteries, jugular veins and vagus nerve in a swift '''sawing''' action that immediately renders the chicken insensible to pain. | # Severing the trachea, esophagus, carotid arteries, jugular veins and vagus nerve in a swift '''sawing''' action that immediately renders the chicken insensible to pain. | ||
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* ''Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 1-28'' | * ''Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 1-28'' | ||
* ''Tevuot Shor'', a commentary on Shulchan Aruch Hilchot Shechitah by Rabbi Alexander Sender Shor. (see this edition on [https://www.hebrewbooks.org/59596 HebrewBooks.org]) | * ''Tevuot Shor'', a commentary on Shulchan Aruch Hilchot Shechitah by Rabbi Alexander Sender Shor. (see this edition on [https://www.hebrewbooks.org/59596 HebrewBooks.org]) | ||
* ''Simla Chadasha'', a classic handbook for Shochetim, Rabbi Shor's condensed version of his Tevuot Shor. [https://www.lulu.com/shop/chaim-loike/soft-cover-simlah-translated/paperback/product-125pwmee.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Translated into English by Rabbi Chaim Loike]. | * ''Simla Chadasha'', a classic handbook for Shochetim, Rabbi Shor's condensed version of his Tevuot Shor. Available in stores and on [https://www.sefaria.org.il/Simlah%20Chadashah?tab=contents Sefaria]. [https://www.lulu.com/shop/chaim-loike/soft-cover-simlah-translated/paperback/product-125pwmee.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Translated into English by Rabbi Chaim Loike]. | ||
* ''Beis Dovid'' | * ''Beis Dovid'', the Ashkenazi classic on Hilchos Treifos. | ||
* ''Zivchei Tzedek'', the Sephardi classic on all matters Shechita and Terefot. | |||
* ''[https://www.amazon.com/Esek-Hashechita-Dovid-Shaffier/dp/1364450429 Esek Hashechita]'' by Rabbi Dovid Shaffier. See [https://seforimchatter.com/2022/11/08/book-review-esek-hashechitah-by-rav-dovid-shaffier/ SeforimChatter Review here]. | * ''[https://www.amazon.com/Esek-Hashechita-Dovid-Shaffier/dp/1364450429 Esek Hashechita]'' by Rabbi Dovid Shaffier. See [https://seforimchatter.com/2022/11/08/book-review-esek-hashechitah-by-rav-dovid-shaffier/ SeforimChatter Review here]. | ||
* ''Chullin Illuminated, Color Guide To Animal Anatomy With Halachic And Scientific Discussion'', Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Lach, Feldheim Publishers | * ''Chullin Illuminated, Color Guide To Animal Anatomy With Halachic And Scientific Discussion'', Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Lach, Feldheim Publishers | ||
