https://doi.org/10.26142/stgd-2024-016
Slaughtering animals in Judaism during ancient times is typically associated with offering them as sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem. This is likely due to the fact that the Torah devotes significant attention to the practice of offering animals in the Temple, while providing relatively limited commentary on slaughtering animals for private, secular purposes. The Torah's commandment: “You may slaughter from your cattle and sheep, which the Lord your God has given you, as I have commanded you…” (Deuteronomy 12:21), which specifies the proper method of slaughter, has also been interpreted as permitting the slaughter of animals for personal, secular use. The main provisions of the Torah served as a foundation for elaboration on this subject in rabbinic literature, particularly in the Mishnah.
The aim of this article is to introduce Polish readers to issues related to the slaughter of animals for personal use. These topics, rooted in the Bible, are further developed in the tractate Hullin (Nonsacral Things). The article focuses on the subject of slaughter and addresses related issues such as the validity of slaughter, the suitability of individuals and tools; various aspects of the ritual; differing rules depending on changing circumstances; the method of slaughter; injuries rendering an animal terefah (unfit for consumption); the slaughter of a pregnant animal and the legal status of a fetus found in its womb after slaughter; as well as the prohibition against slaughtering domestic animals and their offspring on the same day. Due to the breadth of the topic, other issues covered in the tractate Hullin are omitted, such as covering the blood; the prohibition against consuming the sciatic nerve; the prohibition against mixing milk and meat; the prohibition against consuming blood and fat; the impurity of food and carcasses; priestly dues; and the commandment to shoo away a mother bird before taking her eggs or chicks.
Download files
Citation rules
Cited by / Share
Licence
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Język Polski
English