In Judaism, ''shechita'' (anglicized: ; he, ; ; also
transliterated
Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one script to another that involves swapping letters (thus '' trans-'' + '' liter-'') in predictable ways, such as Greek → , Cyrillic → , Greek → the digraph , Armenian → or ...
''shehitah, shechitah, shehita'') is slaughtering of certain mammals and birds for food according to ''
kashrut
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
''.
Sources
states that sheep and cattle should be slaughtered "as I have instructed you", but nowhere in the
Torah
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...
are any of the practices of ''shechita'' described.
Instead, they have been handed down in
Rabbinic Judaism
Rabbinic Judaism ( he, יהדות רבנית, Yahadut Rabanit), also called Rabbinism, Rabbinicism, or Judaism espoused by the Rabbanites, has been the mainstream form of Judaism since the 6th century CE, after the codification of the Babylonian ...
's
Oral Torah
According to Rabbinic Judaism, the Oral Torah or Oral Law ( he, , Tōrā šebbəʿal-pe}) are those purported laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Five Books of Moses, the Written Torah ( he, , Tōrā šebbīḵ ...
, and codified in ''
halakha
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
''.
Species
The animal must be of a permitted species. For mammals, this is restricted to
ruminant
Ruminants (suborder Ruminantia) are ungulate, hoofed herbivorous grazing or browsing mammals that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by Enteric fermentation, fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principally ...
s which have
split hooves. For birds, although biblically any species of bird not specifically excluded in would be permitted,
[
] doubts as to the identity and scope of the species on the biblical list led to
rabbinical law
In its primary meaning, the Hebrew word (; he, מִצְוָה, ''mīṣvā'' , plural ''mīṣvōt'' ; "commandment") refers to a commandment commanded by God to be performed as a religious duty. Jewish law () in large part consists of discus ...
permitting only birds with a tradition of being permissible.
[
]
Fish do not require kosher slaughter to be considered
kosher
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
, but are subject to other laws found in which determine whether or not they are kosher (having both fins and scales).
''Shochet''
A ''shochet'' (, "slaughterer", plural ''shochtim'') is a person who performs ''shechita''. To become a ''shochet'', one must study which slaughtered animals are kosher, what disqualifies them from being kosher, and how to prepare animals according to the laws of ''shechita''. Subjects of study include the preparation of slaughtering tools, ways to interpret which foods follow the laws of ''shechita'', and types of ''
terefot'' (deformities which make an animal non-kosher).
In the
Talmud
The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cente ...
ic era (beginning in 200 CE with the
Jerusalem Talmud
The Jerusalem Talmud ( he, תַּלְמוּד יְרוּשַׁלְמִי, translit=Talmud Yerushalmi, often for short), also known as the Palestinian Talmud or Talmud of the Land of Israel, is a collection of rabbinic notes on the second-century ...
and 300 CE with the
Babylonian Talmud
The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cente ...
and extending through the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
,
rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
s started to debate and define kosher laws. As the laws increased in number and complexity, following
ritual slaughter Ritual slaughter is the practice of slaughtering livestock for meat in the context of a ritual. Ritual slaughter involves a prescribed practice of slaughtering an animal for food production purposes.
Ritual slaughter as a mandatory practice of sla ...
laws became difficult for Jews who were not trained in those laws. This resulted in the need for a ''shochet'' (someone who has studied ''shechita'' extensively) to perform the slaughtering in the communities.
''Shochtim'' studied under rabbis to learn the laws of ''shechita''. Rabbis acted as the academics who, among themselves, debated how to apply laws from the Torah to the preparation of animals. Rabbis also conducted experiments to determine under which ''terefot'' animals were no longer kosher. ''Shochtim'' studied under these rabbis, as rabbis were the officials who first interpret, debate, and determine the laws of ''shechita''.
''Shochtim'' are essential to every Jewish community, so they earn elevated social status. In the Middle Ages, the ''shochtim'' were treated as second in social status, just underneath rabbis. ''Shochtim'' were respected for committing their time to studying and for their importance to their communities.
An inspection (Heb. ''bedikah'') of the animal is required for it to be declared kosher, and a ''shochet'' has a double title: ''Shochet u'bodek'' (slaughterer and inspector), for which qualification considerable study as well as practical training is required.
Procedure
![Shalom Koboshvili](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Shalom_Koboshvili._Slaughtering_poultry_according_to_religious_rules._Oil_on_canvas._70.5%C3%97101_cm._1940.jpg)
The ''shechita'' procedure, which must be performed by a ''shochet'', is described in the
Yoreh De'ah
Yoreh De'ah ( he, יורה דעה) is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher's compilation of halakha (Jewish law), Arba'ah Turim around 1300. This section treats all aspects of Jewish law not pertinent to the Hebrew calendar, finance, torts, marriage, ...
section of the ''
Shulchan Aruch
The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in Is ...
'' only as severing the wind pipe and food pipe (
trachea
The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is a Cartilage, cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs, allowing the passage of air, and so is present in almost all air-breathing animals with lungs. The trachea extends ...
and
esophagus
The esophagus (American English) or oesophagus (British English; both ), non-technically known also as the food pipe or gullet, is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by peristaltic contractions, from the pharynx to the ...
). Nothing is mentioned about veins or arteries.
However, in practice, as a very long sharp knife is used, in cattle the soft tissues in the neck are sliced through without the knife touching the spinal cord, in the course of which four major blood vessels, two of which transport oxygenated blood to the brain (the
carotid arteries
In anatomy, the left and right common carotid arteries (carotids) (Entry "carotid"
in
jugular vein
The jugular veins are veins that take deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava. The internal jugular vein descends next to the internal carotid artery and continues posteriorly to the sternocleidomastoid ...
s) are severed. The
vagus nerve
The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve, cranial nerve X, or simply CN X, is a cranial nerve that interfaces with the parasympathetic control of the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. It comprises two nerves—the left and right ...
is also cut in this operation. With fowl, the same procedure is followed, but a smaller knife is used.
A
special knife is used, that is very long; and no undue pressure may be applied to the knife, which must be very sharp.
The procedure may be performed with the animal either lying on its back (, ''shechita munachat'') or standing (, ''shechita me'umedet'').
In the case of fowl (with the exception of large fowl like turkey) the bird is held in the non-dominant hand in such a way that the head is pulled back and the neck exposed, while the cut made with the dominant hand.
![Schächtbewilligung](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Sch%C3%A4chtbewilligung.jpg)
The procedure is done with the intention of causing a rapid drop in blood pressure in the brain and
loss of consciousness
Loss may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''Loss'' (Bass Communion album) (2006)
* ''Loss'' (Mull Historical Society album) (2001)
*"Loss", a song by God Is an Astronaut from their self-titled album (2008)
* Losses "(Lil Tjay son ...
, to render the animal insensitive to pain and to
exsanguinate in a prompt and precise action.
[S. D. Rosen. Physiological Insights into Shechita.'' The Veterinary Record'' 12 June 2004](_blank)
/ref>
It has been suggested that eliminating blood flow through the carotid arteries does not cut blood flow to the brain of a bovine because the brain is also supplied with blood by vertebral arteries
The vertebral arteries are major arteries of the neck. Typically, the vertebral arteries originate from the subclavian arteries. Each vessel courses superiorly along each side of the neck, merging within the skull to form the single, midline ba ...
, but other authorities note the distinction between severing the carotid versus merely blocking it.
If one did not sever the entirety of both the trachea and esophagus then an animal may still be considered kosher as long as one severed the majority of the trachea and esophagus (windpipe and food pipe) of a mammal, or the majority of either one of these in the case of birds. The cut must be incised with a back-and-forth motion without employing any of the five major prohibited techniques, or various other detailed rules.
Forbidden techniques
* ''Shehiyah'' (; delay or pausing)Pausing during the incision and then starting to cut again makes the animal's flesh unkosher. The knife must be moved across the neck in an uninterrupted motion until the trachea and esophagus are sufficiently severed to avoid this. There is some disagreement among legal sources as to the exact length of time needed to constitute ''shehiyah'', but today the normative practice is to disqualify a kosher cut as a result of any length of pausing.
* ''Derasah'' (; pressing/chopping)The knife must be drawn across the throat by a back and forth movement, not by chopping, hacking, or pressing without moving the knife back and forth. There are those who assert that it is forbidden to have the animal in an upright position during ''shechita'' due to the prohibition of ''derasah''. They maintain that the animal must be on its back or lying on its side, and some also allow for the animal to be suspended upside down. However, the Rambam explicitly permits upright slaughter, and the Orthodox Union as well as all other major kosher certifiers in the United States accept upright slaughter.
* ''Haladah'' (; covering, digging, or burying)The knife must be drawn over the throat so that the back of the knife is at all times visible while ''shechita'' is being performed. It must not be stabbed into the neck or buried by fur, hide, feathers, the wound itself, or a foreign object (such as a scarf) which may cover the knife.
* ''Hagramah'' (; cutting in the wrong location)''Hagramah'' refers to the location on the neck on which a kosher cut may be performed; cutting outside this location will in most cases disqualify a kosher cut. According to today's normative Orthodox practice, any cutting outside this area will in all cases disqualify a kosher cut. The limits within which the knife may be applied are from the large ring in the windpipe to the top of the upper lobe of the lung when it is inflated, and corresponding to the length of the pharynx. Slaughtering above or below these limits renders the meat non-kosher.
* ''Iqqur'' (; tearing)If either the esophagus or the trachea is torn during the ''shechita'' incision, the carcass is rendered non-kosher. ''Iqqur'' can occur if one tears out the esophagus or trachea while handling an animal's neck or if the esophagus or trachea is torn by a knife with imperfection/s on the blade, such as nicks or serration. In order to avoid tearing, the kosher slaughter knife is expertly maintained and regularly checked with the ''shochet's'' fingernail to ensure that no nicks are present.
Breaching any of these five rules renders the animal ''nevelah
Terefah ( he, טְרֵפָה, lit. "torn by a beast of prey"; plural ''treifot'') refers to either:
* A member of a kosher species of mammal or bird, disqualified from being considered kosher, due to pre-existing mortal injuries or physical d ...
''; the animal is regarded in Jewish law as if it were carrion
Carrion () is the decaying flesh of dead animals, including human flesh.
Overview
Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures, c ...
.
Temple Grandin
Mary Temple Grandin (born August 29, 1947) is an American academic and animal behaviorist. She is a prominent proponent for the humane treatment of livestock for slaughter and the author of more than 60 scientific papers on animal behavior. Gra ...
has observed that "if the rules (of the five forbidden techniques) are disobeyed, the animal will struggle. If these rules are obeyed, the animal has little reaction."
The knife
The knife used for ''shechita'' is called a ''sakin'' (), or alternatively a ''chalaf'' () by Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
. By biblical law the knife may be made from anything not attached directly or indirectly to the ground and capable of being sharpened and polished to the necessary level of sharpness and smoothness required for ''shechita''. The tradition
A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
nowadays is to use a very sharp metal knife.
The knife must be at least slightly longer than the neck width but preferably at least twice as long as the animal's neck is wide, but not so long that the weight of the knife is deemed excessive. If the knife is too large, it is assumed to cause ''derasah'', excessive pressing. Kosher knife makers sell knives of differing sizes depending on the animal. Shorter blades may technically be used depending on the number of strokes employed to slaughter the animal, but the normative practice today is that shorter blades are not used. The knife must not have a point. It is feared a point may slip into the wound during slaughter and cause ''haladah'', covering, of the blade. The blade may also not be serrated, as serrations cause ''iqqur,'' tearing.
The blade cannot have imperfections in it. All blades are assumed by Jewish law to be imperfect, so the knife must be checked before each session. In the past the knife was checked through a variety of means. Today the common practice is for the ''shochet'' to run their fingernail up and down both sides of the blade and on the cutting edge to determine if they can feel any imperfections. They then use a number of increasingly fine abrasive stones to sharpen and polish the blade until it is perfectly sharp and smooth.
After the slaughter, the ''shochet'' must check the knife again in the same way to be certain the first inspection was properly done, and to ensure the blade was not damaged during ''shechita''. If the blade is found to be damaged, the meat may not be eaten by Jews. If the blade falls or is lost before the second check is done, the first inspection is relied on and the meat is permitted.
In previous centuries, the ''chalaf '' was made of forged steel, which was not reflective and was difficult to make both smooth and sharp. Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Shneur Zalman of Liadi ( he, שניאור זלמן מליאדי, September 4, 1745 – December 15, 1812 Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe, O.S. / 18 Elul 5505 – 24 Tevet 5573) was an influential Lithuanian Jews, Li ...
, fearing that Sabbateans
The Sabbateans (or Sabbatians) were a variety of Jewish followers, disciples, and believers in Sabbatai Zevi (1626–1676),
a Sephardic Jewish rabbi and Kabbalist who was proclaimed to be the Jewish Messiah in 1666 by Nathan of Gaza.
Vast n ...
were scratching the knives in a way not detectable by normal people, introduced the Hasidic
Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...
''hallaf'' (). It differs from the previously used knife design because it is made of molten steel and polished to a mirror gloss in which scratches could be seen as well as felt. The new knife was controversial and one of the reasons for the 1772 excommunication
Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...
of the Hasidim
Ḥasīd ( he, חסיד, "pious", "saintly", "godly man"; plural "Hasidim") is a Jewish honorific, frequently used as a term of exceptional respect in the Talmudic and early medieval periods. It denotes a person who is scrupulous in his observ ...
. As of present time, the "Hassidic hallef" is universally accepted and is the only permitted blade allowed in religious communities.
Other rules
The animal may not be stunned
Stunning is the process of rendering animals immobile or unconscious, with or without killing the animal, when or immediately prior to slaughtering them for food.
Rationale
Within the European Union, most animals slaughtered for human consumpt ...
prior to the procedure, as is common practice in non-kosher modern animal slaughter
Animal slaughter is the killing of animals, usually referring to killing domestic livestock. It is estimated that each year 80 billion land animals are slaughtered for food. Most animals are slaughtered for food; however, they may also be slau ...
since the early 20th century.
It is forbidden to slaughter an animal and its young on the same day. An animal's "young" is defined as either its own offspring, or another animal that follows it around.
The animal's blood may not be collected in a bowl, a pit, or a body of water, as these resemble ancient forms of idol worship
Idolatry is the worship of a cult image or "idol" as though it were God. In Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, the Baháʼí Faith, and Islam) idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than the Ab ...
.
If the ''shochet'' accidentally slaughters with a knife dedicated to idol worship, he must remove an amount of meat equivalent to the value of the knife and destroy it. If he slaughtered with such a knife on purpose, the animal is forbidden as not kosher.
Post-procedure requirements
Bedikah
The carcass must be checked to see if the animal had any of a specific list of internal injuries that would have rendered the animal a ''treifah'' before the slaughter. These injuries were established by the Talmudic rabbis as being likely to cause the animal to die within 12 months time.
Today all mammals are inspected for lung adhesion
Adhesion is the tendency of dissimilar particles or surfaces to cling to one another ( cohesion refers to the tendency of similar or identical particles/surfaces to cling to one another).
The forces that cause adhesion and cohesion can be ...
s ( "examination of the lung") and other disqualifying signs of the lungs, and most kosher birds will have their intestines inspected for infections.
Further inspection of other parts of the body may be performed depending on the stringency applied and also depending on whether any signs of sickness were detected before slaughter or during the processing of the animal.
Glatt
''Glatt'' ( yi, גלאַט) and ''halak'' ( he, חלק) both mean "smooth". In the context of kosher meat, they refer to the "smoothness" (lack of blemish) in the internal organs of the animal. In the case of an adhesion
Adhesion is the tendency of dissimilar particles or surfaces to cling to one another ( cohesion refers to the tendency of similar or identical particles/surfaces to cling to one another).
The forces that cause adhesion and cohesion can be ...
on cattle's lungs specifically, there is debate between Ashkenazic
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
customs and Sephardic
Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...
customs. While there are certain areas of the lung where an adhesion is allowed, the debate revolves around adhesions which do not occur in these areas.
Ashkenazic Jews rule that if the adhesion can be removed (there are various methods of removing the adhesion, and not all of them are acceptable even according to the Ashkenazic custom) and the lungs are still airtight (a process that is tested by filling the lungs with air and then submerging them in water and looking for escaping air), then the animal is still kosher but not ''glatt''.
If, in addition, there were two or fewer adhesions, and they were small and easily removable, then these adhesions are considered a lesser type of adhesion, and the animal is considered ''glatt''. Ashkenazi custom permits eating non-''glatt kosher'' meat, but it is often considered praiseworthy to only eat ''glatt kosher'' meat.
Sephardic Jews rule that if there is any sort of adhesion on the forbidden areas of the lungs, then the animal is not kosher. This standard is commonly known as ''halak Beit Yosef
A Beit (also spelled bait, ar, بيت , literally "a house") is a metrical unit of Arabic, Iranian, Urdu and Sindhi poetry. It corresponds to a line, though sometimes improperly renderered as "couplet" since each ''beit'' is divided into t ...
''. It is the strictest in terms of which adhesions are allowed.
However, despite this ruling, in practice most Sephardic and Mizrahi communities historically ate non-''halak'' meat, except those in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and the Land of Israel
The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Isra ...
.
The Rema
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
(an Ashkenazi authority) had an additional stringency, of checking adhesions on additional parts of the lung which Sephardi practice does not require. Some Ashkenazi Jews keep this stringency.
Nikkur
''Porging'' refers to the ''halakhic
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
'' requirement to remove the carcass's veins
Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated b ...
, ''chelev
Chelev ( he, חֵלֶב, ''kheylev'' or ''ẖelev''), or what is also known as "suet", is the animal fats that the Torah prohibits Jews and Israelites from eating (). Only the ''chelev'' of animals that are of the sort from which offerings can b ...
'' (caul fat
Caul fat, also known as lace fat, omentum, or fat netting, is the thin membrane which surrounds the internal organs of some animals, such as cows, sheep, and pigs, also known as the greater omentum. It is used as a casing for sausages, roulades, ...
and suet
Suet is the raw, hard fat of beef, lamb or mutton found around the loins and kidneys.
Suet has a melting point of between 45 °C and 50 °C (113 °F and 122 °F) and congelation between 37 °C and 40 °C (98.6&nbs ...
) and sinews
A tendon or sinew is a tough, high-tensile-strength band of dense fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. It is able to transmit the mechanical forces of muscle contraction to the skeletal system without sacrificing its ability ...
. The Torah
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...
prohibits the eating of certain fats, so they must be removed from the animal. These fats are typically known as ''chelev''. There is also a biblical prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve
The sciatic nerve, also called the ischiadic nerve, is a large nerve in humans and other vertebrate animals which is the largest branch of the sacral plexus and runs alongside the hip joint and down the lower limb. It is the longest and widest si ...
(''gid hanasheh
''Gid Hanasheh'' ( he, גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה ''Gīḏ hanNāše'', literally "forgotten sinew", often translated as "displaced tendon") is the term for sciatic nerve in Judaism. It may not be eaten by Jews according to Halacha (Jewish L ...
''), so that, too, is removed.
The removal of the ''chelev'' and the ''gid hanasheh'', called ''nikkur
''Nikkur'' ( he, ניקור) is the process of making an animal kosher by removing ''chelev'' (forbidden fats) and the ''gid hanasheh'' (sciatic nerve).
The basis for this practice is , "You shall not eat of any fatty suet, whether from cattle, s ...
'', is considered complicated and tedious, and hence labor-intensive, and even more specialized training is necessary to perform the act properly.
While the small amounts of ''chelev'' in the front half of the animal are relatively easy to remove, the back half of the animal is far more complicated, and it is where the sciatic nerve is located.
In countries such as the United States, where there exists a large non-kosher meat market, the hindquarters
The buttocks (singular: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are composed ...
of the animal (where many of these forbidden meats are located) is often sold to non-Jews, rather than trouble with the process.
This tradition goes back for centuries where local Muslims accept meat slaughtered by Jews as consumable; however, the custom was not universal throughout the Muslim world
The terms Muslim world and Islamic world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is practiced. I ...
, and some Muslims (particularly on the Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
) did not accept these hindquarters as ''halal
''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with ''haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification kno ...
''. In Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, on the other hand, specially trained men are hired to prepare the hindquarters for sale as kosher.
Kashering
Because of the biblical prohibition of eating blood, all blood must be promptly removed from the carcass.
All large arteries and veins are removed, as well as any bruised meat or coagulated blood. Then the meat is '' kashered'', a process of soaking and salting the meat to draw out all the blood. A special large-grained salt, called kosher salt, is used for the kashering process.
If this procedure is not performed promptly, the blood is considered to have "set" in the meat, and the meat is no longer salvageable to eat except when prepared through broiling with appropriate drainage.
Giving of the Gifts
The Torah requires a ''shochet'' to give the foreleg, cheeks and maw
The gift of the foreleg, cheeks and maw ( he, זְּרועַ לְּחָיַיִם וְקֵּיבָה) of a kosher-slaughtered animal to a ''kohen'' is a positive commandment in the Hebrew Bible. The Shulchan Aruch rules that after the slau ...
to a ''kohen
Kohen ( he, , ''kōhēn'', , "priest", pl. , ''kōhănīm'', , "priests") is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. Levitical priests or ''kohanim'' are traditionally b ...
'' even though he does not own the meat. Thus, it is desirable that the ''shochet'' refuse to perform the ''shechita'' unless the animal's owner expresses their agreement to give the gifts. Rabbinical courts have the authority to excommunicate
Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...
a ''shochet'' who refuses to perform this commandment.
The ''Rishonim
''Rishonim'' (; he, ; sing. he, , ''Rishon'', "the first ones") were the leading rabbis and ''poskim'' who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, , "Set Table", a ...
'' pointed out that the ''shochet'' cannot claim that, since the animal does not belong to him, he cannot give the gifts without the owner's consent. On the contrary, since the average ''shochet'' is reputed to be well versed and knowledgeable in the laws of ''shechitah'' ("Dinnei Shechita"), the rabbinical court relies on him to withhold his ''shechita'' so long as the owner refuses to give the gifts.
Covering of the blood
It is a positive commandment incumbent upon the ''shochet'' to cover the blood of ''chayot'' (non-domesticated animals) and ''ufot'' (birds) but not ''b'heimot'' (domesticated animals).
The ''shochet'' is required to place dirt on the ground before the slaughter, and then to perform the cut over that dirt, in order to drop some of the blood on to the prepared dirt. When the ''shechita'' is complete, the ''shochet'' grabs a handful of dirt, says a blessing and then covers the blood.
The meat is still kosher if the blood does not get covered; covering the blood is a separate mitzvah
In its primary meaning, the Hebrew word (; he, מִצְוָה, ''mīṣvā'' , plural ''mīṣvōt'' ; "commandment") refers to a commandment commanded by God to be performed as a religious duty. Jewish law () in large part consists of discus ...
which does not affect the kosher status of the meat.
Animal welfare controversies
"Opposition to the Jewish methods of slaughter has a long history, starting at least as far back as the mid-Victoria era."
The Gutachten (expert reports)
When ''shechita'' came under attack in the 19th century, Jewish communities resorted to expert scientific opinions which were published in pamphlets called '' Gutachten''. Among these authorities was Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, (5 April 182710 February 1912) was a British surgeon, medical scientist, experimental pathologist and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery and preventative medicine. Joseph Lister revolutionised the craft of s ...
, who introduced the concept of sterility in surgery.
General description of controversy
The practices of handling, restraining, and unstunned slaughter have been criticized by, among others, animal welfare organizations such as Compassion in World Farming
Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is a campaigning and lobbying animal welfare organisation. It campaigns against the live export of animals, certain methods of livestock slaughter, and all systems of factory farming. It has received celebr ...
. The UK Farm Animal Welfare Council
The Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC) is an independent advisory body established by the Government of the United Kingdom in 2011. It replaced the Farm Animal Welfare Council which was an independent advisory body established in 1979. The Cou ...
said that the method by which kosher and ''halal
''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with ''haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification kno ...
'' meat is produced causes "significant pain and distress" to animals and should be banned.
According to FAWC it can take up to two minutes after the incision for cattle to become insensible. Compassion in World Farming
Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is a campaigning and lobbying animal welfare organisation. It campaigns against the live export of animals, certain methods of livestock slaughter, and all systems of factory farming. It has received celebr ...
also supported the recommendation saying "We believe that the law must be changed to require all animals to be stunned before slaughter."
Mr Bradshaw said the Government had maintained its position in not accepting FAWC's recommendation that slaughter without prior stunning should be banned, as they respected the rights of communities in Britain to slaughter animals in accordance with the requirements of their religion.
The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe
The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) is a non-profit umbrella organisation of veterinary organisations from 38 European countries. It was founded in 1975 and nowadays represents around 200,000 European veterinarians. The FVE strives to ...
has issued a position paper on slaughter without prior stunning, calling it "unacceptable."
The American Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 99,500 veterinarians in the US.
The AVMA provides information resources, continuing education opportunities, publicatio ...
has no such qualms, as leading US meat scientists support ''shechita'' as a humane slaughtering method as defined by the Humane Slaughter Act
The Humane Slaughter Act, or the Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act (P.L. 85-765; 7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), is a United States federal law designed to decrease suffering of livestock during slaughter. It was approved on August 27, 1958. T ...
.
A 1978 study at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover
The University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (german: italic=no, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, TiHo) is a university in Hanover and one of the five facilities for veterinary medicine in Germany, and the only one that remains independent. I ...
indicates that ''shechita'' gave results which proved "...pain and suffering to the extent as has since long been generally associated in public with this kind of slaughter cannot be registered..." and that " complete loss of consciousnessoccurred generally within considerably less time than during the slaughter method after captive bolt stunning."[Schulze W, Schultze-Petzold H, Hazem AS, Gross R. ''Experiments for the objectification of pain and consciousness during conventional (captive bolt stunning) and religiously mandated ("ritual cutting") slaughter procedures for sheep and calves.'' Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 1978 Feb 5;85(2):62-6]
English translation by Dr Sahib M. Bleher
/ref> However, the lead of the study William Schulze warned in his report that the results may have been due to the captive bolt device they used being defective.
Nick Cohen
Nicholas Cohen (born 1961) is a British journalist, author and political commentator. He was a columnist for ''The Observer'' and a blogger for ''The Spectator''. Following accusations of sexual harassment, he left The Observer in 2022 and bega ...
, writing for the ''New Statesman
The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...
'', discusses research papers collected by Compassion in World Farming which indicate that the animal suffers pain during the process. In 2009, Craig Johnson and colleagues showed that calves that have not been stunned feel pain from the cut in their necks, and they may take at least 10–30 seconds to lose consciousness.
Temple Grandin says that the experiment needs to be repeated using a qualified ''shochet'' and knives of the correct size sharpened in the proper way.
Jewish and Muslim commentators cite studies that show ''shechita'' is humane and that criticism is at least partially motivated by antisemitism
Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism.
Antis ...
. A Knesset
The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...
committee announced (January, 2012) that it would call on European parliaments and the European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
to put a stop to attempts to outlaw kosher slaughter.
"The pretext or this legislationis preventing cruelty to animals or animal rights—but there is sometimes an element of anti-Semitism and there is a hidden message that Jews are cruel to animals," said Committee Chair MK Danny Danon
Danny Danon (Hebrew: דני דנון, born 8 May 1971) served as Israel’s 17th Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and currently serves as Chairman of the World Likud. Danon previously served as a member of the Knesset from the Liku ...
(Likud
Likud ( he, הַלִּיכּוּד, HaLikud, The Consolidation), officially known as Likud – National Liberal Movement, is a major centre-right to right-wing political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon ...
).
Studies done in 1994 by Temple Grandin, and another in 1992 by Flemming Bager, showed that when the animals were slaughtered in a comfortable position they appeared to give no resistance and none of the animals attempted to pull away their head. The studies concluded that a shechita cut "probably results in minimal discomfort" because the cattle stand still and do not resist a comfortable head restraint device.
Temple Grandin gives various times for loss of consciousness via kosher ritual slaughter, ranging from 15 to 90 seconds depending on measurement type and individual kosher slaughterhouse. She elaborates on what parts of the process she finds may or may not be cause for concern. In 2018, Grandin stated that kosher slaughter, no matter how well it is done, is not instantaneous, whereas stunning properly with a captive bolt is instantaneous.
Efforts to improve conditions in ''shechita'' slaughterhouses
Temple Grandin
Mary Temple Grandin (born August 29, 1947) is an American academic and animal behaviorist. She is a prominent proponent for the humane treatment of livestock for slaughter and the author of more than 60 scientific papers on animal behavior. Gra ...
is opposed to shackling and hoisting as a method of handling animals and wrote, on visiting a ''shechita'' slaughterhouse,
Efforts are made to improve the techniques used in slaughterhouses. Temple Grandin has worked closely with Jewish slaughterers to design handling systems for cattle, and has said: "When the cut is done correctly, the animal appears not to feel it. From an animal-welfare standpoint, the major concern during ritual slaughter are the stressful and cruel methods of restraint (holding) that are used in some plants."
When shackling and hoisting is used, it is recommended that cattle not be hoisted clear of the floor until they have had time to bleed out.
Agriprocessors controversy
The prohibition of stunning and the treatment of the slaughtered animal expressed in ''shechita'' law limit the extent to which Jewish slaughterhouses can industrialize their procedures.
The most industrialized attempt at a kosher slaughterhouse
A slaughterhouse, also called abattoir (), is a facility where animals are slaughtered to provide food. Slaughterhouses supply meat, which then becomes the responsibility of a packaging facility.
Slaughterhouses that produce meat that is no ...
, Agriprocessors
Agriprocessors was the corporate identity of a slaughterhouse and meat-packaging factory based in Postville, Iowa, best known as a facility for the glatt kosher processing of cattle, as well as chicken, turkey, duck, and lamb. Agriprocessors' ...
of Postville
Postville is a village in Allamakee and Clayton counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. It lies near the junction of four counties and at the intersection of U.S. Routes 18 and 52 and Iowa Highway 51, with airport facilities in the neighboring co ...
, Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
, became the center of controversy in 2004, after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; , stylized as PeTA) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. PETA reports that PETA entities have ...
released a gruesome undercover video of cattle struggling to their feet with their tracheas and esophagi ripped out after ''shechita''. Some of the cattle actually got up and stood for a minute or so after being dumped from the rotating pen.
The OU's condonation of Agriprocessors as a possibly inhumane, yet appropriately ''glatt'' kosher company has led to discussion as to whether or not industrialized agriculture has undermined the place of ''halakha
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
'' (Jewish law) in ''shechita'' as well as whether or not ''halakha'' has any place at all in Jewish ritual slaughter.
Jonathan Safran Foer
Jonathan Safran Foer (; born February 21, 1977) is an American novelist. He is known for his novels ''Everything Is Illuminated'' (2002), '' Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close'' (2005), '' Here I Am'' (2016), and for his non-fiction works ''Eatin ...
, a Jewish vegetarian, narrated the short documentary film ''If This Is Kosher...'', which records what he considers abuses within the kosher meat industry
The meat industry are the people and companies engaged in modern industrialized livestock agriculture for the production, packing, preservation and marketing of meat (in contrast to dairy products, wool, etc.). In economics, the meat industry is ...
.
Forums surrounding the ethical treatment of workers and animals in kosher slaughterhouses have inspired a revival of the small-scale, kosher-certified farms and slaughterhouses, which are gradually appearing throughout the United States.
See also
* Christian dietary laws
Christian dietary laws vary between denominations. The general dietary restrictions specified for Christians in the New Testament are to "abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals". Some Christian denominati ...
* Comparison of Islamic and Jewish dietary laws
The Islamic dietary laws (''halal'') and the Kashrut, Jewish dietary laws (''kashrut''; in English, ''kosher'') are both quite detailed, and contain both points of similarity and discord. Both are the dietary laws and described in distinct reli ...
* DIALRELreport from the EU
* Dhabihah
In Islamic law, ' ( ar, ذَبِيحَة; '; ), also spelled zabiha, is the prescribed method of slaughter for halal animals (This does not include fishes, which are exempt from this requirement). It consists of a swift, deep incision to the throa ...
Islamic ritual slaughter
* Jhatka
Jhatka, or Jhataka or chatka (' ), is the meat from an animal killed instantly, such as by a single strike of a sword or axe to sever the head within the Sikh religion. This type of slaughter is preferred by most Rajput in Hinduism Sikhs as well ...
Indian ritual slaughter
* Mashgiach
A mashgiach ( he, משגיח, "supervisor"; , ''mashgichim'') or mashgicha (pl. ''mashgichot'') is a Jew who supervises the kashrut status of a kosher establishment. Mashgichim may supervise any type of food service establishment, including sl ...
* Joseph Molcho
Joseph Molcho ( he, יוסף מולכו) born 1692, died 1768 was a rabbi and judge from Thessaloniki, Greece. He is considered one of the most important Greek-Jewish rabbis of his generation, having published several books, including the ''Shulḥ ...
* Schochet
Schochet or Shochet is a surname, from the Hebrew language, Hebrew word for "ritual slaughterer". Notable persons with that name include:
*Aryeh Leib Schochet (1845-1928), Russian rabbi
*Avraham Shochat (born 1936), Israelis, Israeli former politi ...
surname meaning "slaughterer"
* ''Tza'ar ba'alei chayim
''Tza'ar ba'alei chayim'' ( he, צער בעלי חיים), literally "suffering of living creatures", is a Jewish commandment which bans causing animals unnecessary suffering. This concept is not clearly enunciated in the written Torah, but was ac ...
''Jewish commandment which bans causing animals unnecessary suffering
*, a severe halakhic
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
controversy about a specific type of ''terefah
Terefah ( he, טְרֵפָה, lit. "torn by a beast of prey"; plural ''treifot'') refers to either:
* A member of a kosher species of mammal or bird, disqualified from being considered kosher, due to pre-existing mortal injuries or physical def ...
'', among the Fez Jewry between ''Toshavim
Toshavim ( he, תושבים, "residents") is a generic reference to non-Sephardic Jews who inhabited lands in which the Expulsion of Jews from Spain, Jews expelled from Spain in 15th century settled ("Megorashim", "expellees"). '' and ''Megorashim
Megorashim ( he, מגורשים "expelled") is a term used to refer to Jews from the Iberian Peninsula who arrived in North Africa as a result of the anti-Jewish persecutions of 1391 and the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. These migrants we ...
''
Notes
References
Further reading
*
* The Jewish method of Slaughter Compared with Other Methods : from the Humanitarian, Hygienic, and Economic Points of View (1894) Author: Dembo, Isaak Aleksandrovich, 1847?–1906 he date is incorrectly given as 1984, corrected here* Neville G. Gregory, T. Grandin: ''Animal Welfare and Meat Science'' Publisher: CABI; 1 edition 304 pp (1998)
Pablo Lerner and Alfredo Mordechai Rabello ''The Prohibition of Ritual Slaughtering (Kosher Slaughtering and Halal) and Freedom of Religion of Minorities'' Journal of Law and Religion 2006
Dorothee Brantz ''Stunning Bodies: Animal Slaughter, Judaism, and the Meaning of Humanity in Imperial Germany''
* Appendix I in ''Meat and Meat Processing''. Y. H. Hui; (CRC Press. Second Edition 2012) ''A Discussion of Stunned and Nonstunned Slaughter prepared by an International Group of Scientists and Religious Leaders'': Dr Shuja Shali (''Muslim Council of Britain''), Dr Stuart Rosen (''Imperial College, London, UK''), Dr Joe M. Regenstein (''Cornell University, USA'') and Dr Eric Clay (''Shared Journeys, USA''). Reviewers: Dr Temple Grandin (''Colorado State University, USA''), Dr. Ari Zivotofsky (''Bar-Ilan University, Israel'') Dr Doni Zivotofsky (''DVM, Israel''), Rabbi David Sears (Author of ''Vision of Eden'', Brooklyn, USA, Dr Muhammad Chaudry (''Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, Chicago'') and Paul Hbhav, (''Islamic Services of America''
Google books
* David Fraser ''Anti-Shechita Prosecutions in the Anglo-American World, 1855–1913: "A major attack on Jewish freedoms"''(North American Jewish Studies)
External links
Ari Z. Zivotofsky Government Regulations of '' Shechita'' (Jewish Religious Slaughter) in the Twenty-first Century: Are They Ethical?
Resolution on Disturbing Trends in Europe of Concern to Jewish and Other Religious Minorities
The Rabbinical Assembly
The Rabbinical Assembly (RA) is the international association of Conservative rabbis. The RA was founded in 1901 to shape the ideology, programs, and practices of the Conservative movement. It publishes prayerbooks and books of Jewish interest, an ...
The assault on shechita and the future of Jews in Europe. World Jewish Congress
Lewis, Melissa ''A Comparative Analysis of Kosher Slaughter Regulation, and recommendations as to how this issue should be dealt with in the United States''
''The Cutting Edge: The debate over the regulation of ritual slaughter in the western world'' Jeremy A. Rovinsky
Shechita at The Orthodox Union
''What's the Truth about Niqqur Acharonayim?'' by Rabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky
''Shechita – The Jewish Religious Humane Method of Animal Slaughter for Food''
''Shehitah: A photo essay''
''From the Slaughterhouse to the Consumer. Transparency and Information in the Distribution of Halal and Kosher Meat.'' Dialrel project report. Authors: J. Lever, María Puig de la Bellacasa, M. Miele, Marc Higgin. ''University of Cardiff'' Cardiff, UK
dialrel final report: ''Consumer and Consumption issues: Halal and Kosher Focus Groups Results'' Dr Florence Bergeaud-Blacker IREMAM (CNRS) & ''Université de la Méditerrainée, Aix-Marseille''; Dr Adrian Evans, ''University of Cardiff''; Dr Ari Zivotofsky, ''Bar-Ilan University''
Comparative Report of the Public Debates on Religious Slaughter in Germany, UK, France & Norway. DIALREL Encouraging Dialogue in Issues of Religious Slaughter. Comparative report: Lill M Vramo & Taina Bucher: SIFO (''National Institute for Consumer Research''); National Reports (in appendix): Florence Bergeaud-Blecker (''French report'') Adrian Evans (''UK report'') Taina Bucher, Lill M. Vramo & Ellen Esser (''German report'') Taina Bucher, Laura Terragni & Lill M. Vramo (''Norwegian report'') 01/03/2009
S.D. Rosen ''Physiological Insights into Shechita'' The Veterinary Record (2004) 154, 759–765
''Should Animals be Stunned Before Slaughter?'' Raffi Berg BBC
* Rabbi Eliezer Melamed
Eliezer Melamed ( he, אליעזר מלמד, born 28 June 1961) is an Israeli Orthodox Zionist rabbi and the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Bracha, rabbi of the community Har Bracha, and author of the book series ''Peninei Halakha''.
Biography
Eli ...
''What Does "Glatt" Mean?''
on Arutz Sheva
''Arutz Sheva'' ( he, ערוץ 7, lit=''Channel 7''), also known in English as ''Israel National News'', is an Israeli media network identifying with religious Zionism. It offers online news articles in Hebrew, English, and Russian as well as l ...
.
{{Authority control
Animal rights
Cruelty to animals
Kashrut
Kosher meat
Ritual slaughter
Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law