A kosher slaughterer or kosher butcher, also known as shochet (, plural ''shochtim'', feminine plural ''shohatot'') is a

butcher A butcher is a person who may Animal slaughter, slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat, or participate within any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat and poultry for sale in retail or wholesale ...

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

and

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...

, one of the professions associated with the

religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...

traditions of the

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

community (along with the professions of

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 t ...

mohel A ( , Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazi pronunciation , plural: , , "circumciser") is a Jewish man trained in the practice of , the "covenant of male circumcision". A woman who is trained in the practice is referred to as a ''mohelet'' (plural: ''mo ...

scribe A scribe is a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of Printing press, automatic printing. The work of scribes can involve copying manuscripts and other texts as well as ...

). In the Jewish community, a butcher slaughters livestock and poultry intended for food in accordance with the requirements of

kashrut (also or , ) is a set of Food and drink prohibitions, dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to halakha, Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed ko ...

(in particular, the animal must be killed "with respect and compassion"). The butcher must use an extremely sharp knife without the slightest nicks (the idea is that the animal should not feel pain). The throat is cut in one quick motion, after which the blood is immediately drained. This type of slaughter is called "

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, ), from the Ashke ...

" and is designated by the word

shechita In Judaism, ''shechita'' (anglicized: ; ; ; also transliterated ''shehitah, shechitah, shehita'') is ritual slaughtering of certain mammals and birds for food according to ''kashrut''. One who practices this, a kosher butcher is called a ''sho ...

. Before starting shechita, the butcher must make sure that the animal is healthy, uninjured and can move independently. The butcher's duties also include checking the internal organs, which is carried out after performing shechita (if there are defects or signs of disease, the meat is considered non-kosher, despite the correct slaughter), which is why the full name of this profession, translated from Hebrew into English, is "''butcher and inspector''" that should follow the laws of

terefah Terefah (, 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 defects. * A specific ...

. Only a religious Jew who has undergone special training and passed an examination before the appropriate spiritual authority can become a butcher. A butcher must lead an impeccable life and not drink alcohol. Some butchers are only allowed to slaughter poultry. Traditionally, men have been shochtim. Opinions vary on whether women are permitted to be ''shohatot''. Some authorities allow women, some forbid women, and others allow women as shohatot under limited circumstances.

History

In the medieval Jewish community, the butcher was an official, second in social status to the rabbi. Even a hundred years ago, some rabbis, especially in sparsely populated areas, were also butchers, although in most places the roles of rabbi and butcher were separated. In those villages where only two or three Jewish families lived, almost every young man who transitioned into being an adult in Jewish tradition began to study the laws of kosher slaughter so that the family could constantly eat fresh kosher meat and poultry. In the past, there were also women who received a kosher slaughter certificate and carried out this for the needs of their families, but later this was banned by

Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...

.Is it Permissible for Women to Serve as Shohatot (Ritual Slaughterers)?
''Responsa in a Moment'': Vol. 12, No. 1, December 2017 Nowadays, kosher slaughter of cattle and poultry is carried out mainly in modern automated slaughterhouses and is supervised by

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet) or veterinary surgeon is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, veterinarians also play a role in animal r ...

s. In this case, the butcher's duties are mainly limited to "guiding his knife" as required by the rules. In some Jewish settlements and villages, kosher slaughter of livestock and poultry by hand is still carried out from time to time, especially for family needs before holidays or celebrations. This requires the full work of a butcher.Lib Tietjen
Keeping Kosher in 17th Century New York City.
''Tenement''.

References

External links

Ritual slaughter.
- article from

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Shechita at The Orthodox Union

including laws of ritual slaughter.
Shechita — The Jewish Religious Humane Method of Animal Slaughter for Food

Myoclonic Jerk Podcast — Episode 8
— Interview with shochet Rabbi Andrew Kastner. {{Authority control Kashrut Kosher meat Ritual slaughter