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The Shechitah Process: Difference between revisions
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==The Shechitah Motion== | ==The Shechitah Motion== | ||
# Shechitah must be performed by cutting in a drawing motion, not a chopping, as that would be a [Derasa] issue.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:1</ref> | # Shechitah must be performed by cutting in a drawing motion, not a chopping, as that would be a [Derasa] issue.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:1</ref> | ||
===Knife Lengths=== | |||
# When slaughtering animals, the length of the shechitah knife should be twice as wide as the animal's neck to ensure easy cutting of the simanim.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:2</ref> | # When slaughtering animals, the length of the shechitah knife should be twice as wide as the animal's neck to ensure easy cutting of the simanim.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:2</ref> | ||
# A knife used for birds could lechatechilah be shorter, but the minhag Ashkenaz is also to only use a knife that is twice the width of the bird's neck in length, regardless of whether one will be doing one pull or push or both back and forth movements. A knife that is too long could result in a Derasa, but bediavad if the shochet is careful it's ok or lechatechilah for a major need.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:2</ref> | # A knife used for birds could lechatechilah be shorter, but the minhag Ashkenaz is also to only use a knife that is twice the width of the bird's neck in length, regardless of whether one will be doing one pull or push or both back and forth movements. A knife that is too long could result in a Derasa, but bediavad if the shochet is careful it's ok or lechatechilah for a major need.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:2</ref> | ||
# Regardless of knife length, one should still shecht back ''and'' forth in a sawing motion. Bediavad, if it's twice as long as the animal's neck is wide, the the shechitah is valid. If it is shorter, then the shechitah is invalid, as the Chachamim were certain a small knife would need extra pressure to go from one end to the other and that would be derasa, notwithstanding the shochet's defense that he didn't add pressure, because he won't realize necessarily.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:3</ref> | # Regardless of knife length, one should still shecht back ''and'' forth in a sawing motion. Bediavad, if it's twice as long as the animal's neck is wide, the the shechitah is valid. If it is shorter, then the shechitah is invalid, as the Chachamim were certain a small knife would need extra pressure to go from one end to the other and that would be derasa, notwithstanding the shochet's defense that he didn't add pressure, because he won't realize necessarily.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:3</ref> | ||
# The Ashkenazi custom is to only permit a small knife in a bath ''and'' forth motion if it's a little more than one neck width (with the skin and spine) of the animal in length; otherwise, it's invalid. Some say this stringency should be applied by birds, too, to avoid [Derasa] issues, except in cases of great financial loss when shechting geese and chickens.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:4 relying on Poskim who day a little less than a neck width is ok, but it can't be a thin knife, as that would make a hole and not be considered a sakin.</ref> By small birds, a short knife would be even more of an issue of piercing and, therefore, invalid even bediavad without a knife two neck widths long. The shochet's defense that he was careful is irrelevant here.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:4</ref> | # The Ashkenazi custom is to only permit a small knife in a bath ''and'' forth motion if it's a little more than one neck width (with the skin and spine) of the animal in length; otherwise, it's invalid. Some say this stringency should be applied by birds, too, to avoid [Derasa] issues, except in cases of great financial loss when shechting geese and chickens.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:4 relying on Poskim who day a little less than a neck width is ok, but it can't be a thin knife, as that would make a hole and not be considered a sakin.</ref> By small birds, a short knife would be even more of an issue of piercing and, therefore, invalid even bediavad without a knife two neck widths long. The shochet's defense that he was careful is irrelevant here.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:4</ref> | ||
# When using a knife longer than twice the width of the neck, bediavad cutting either back or forth is fine even if the simanim are completely severed before the knife completes its first motion, since the knifes is valid for shechitah and one doesn't intend to be dores. Rather, the blade was simply sharp enough to do the job faster. The same is true for a small knife on birds: if one intends to go both back and forth and already succeeds in severing the simanim in just one motion, it's kosher. His intention was to cut in a sawing motion until he succeeds, and he did.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:5</ref> | |||
# Small knives that are kosher bediavad also cannot have sharp points at the tips, as that would create a possibility of piercing and is, therefore, declared categorically invalid, regardless of the shochet's defense that he shechted properly. Covering the tip would not help in this case.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:6</ref> | |||
# If the animal was decapitated in just one motion with a knife twice as long as it's neck is wide, some invalidated the shechitah out of concern that there must have been extra force, resulting in a derasa.<ref>Simla Chadasha 8:7</ref> | |||
==Animal and Knife Positions== | ==Animal and Knife Positions== | ||
