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| Beef, it's what's for dinner and lunch and breakfast. |
My wife and I had breakfast at America's diner the other day; I had the Prime Rib Skillet. Juicy prime rib, scrambled eggs, hash browns, fire-roasted peppers and onions. Served with warm tortillas, freshly made pico de gallo and sour cream. It was delish. After getting my grub on real-good-like and as I was pushing myself away from the table picking my teeth with my pinky-nail, I thought to myself, "Who slaughtered this cow?" and "Did they follow the proper slaughtering requirements found in the Torah?" and "Why didn't I ask myself this before I ate this meal?" Such things I pondered that morning.
This subject was discussed during Shabbat service recently and some very interesting points were made. After the discussion I felt compelled to research this further. I briefly examined the passages in the Torah regarding the slaughtering of animals for the purpose of sacrifice to Hashem and/or for consumption, and I also noted the handling of the blood. Below are my observations.
| Lev 17:2-11 In the wilderness, all domesticated, kosher animals were for sacrificial use only (or so it seems in this passage). However, the flesh could be consumed if the sacrifice was a fellowship or peace offering (see: Lev 3 and 7). It was forbidden to sacrifice the animal to idols and the blood was not to be eaten; if it was, then Hashem would set His face against that person and cut him off from the people. | |
| Geographic Location: | In the wilderness at the Mishkan (Tabernacle). |
| What Kind Of Animal: | Domesticated Animals:
|
| Purpose For Slaughter: | Sacrifice |
| Proper Blood Handling: | Sprinkle it on the altar of Hashem at the doorway of the tent of meeting. |
| Prohibitions: |
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| Consequences For Disobeying The Prohibitions: | Cut off from the people. If you eat blood, Hashem will set His Face against you and cut you off from the people. |
| Lev 17:13-14 In the wilderness when foul and/or wild game (i.e., undomesticated animals or animals that are kosher to eat but not kosher for sacrifice), were hunted and caught, their blood was not to be eaten but poured out and covered (with dirt basically). The blood was not to be eaten but if it was, then that person would be cut off from the people. | |
| Geographic Location: | In the wilderness while hunting (i.e., outside the camp). |
| What Kind Of Animal: | Undomesticated Animals:
|
| Purpose For Slaughter: | Consumption |
| Proper Blood Handling: | Pour it out and cover it with earth (dust). |
| Prohibition: | Do not eat blood. |
| Consequence For Eating Blood: | Cut off from the people. |
| Deut 12:5-14 In Israel domesticated, kosher animals were to be sacrificed at ‘the place in which Hashem will choose for His Name to dwell’. We know this to be HaMikdash, the Temple. The animals were not to be sacrificed in ‘cultic’ places and the blood was not to be eaten. If the animals were sacrificed at the Temple, the person offering the sacrifice would eat before Hashem and rejoice with his household. In other words, they would be blessed. No consequences are mentioned in this passage. | |
| Geographic Location: | In the Land (i.e., Israel) at the place in which He will choose for His Name to dwell (i.e., HaMikdash - the Temple). |
| What Kind Of Animal: | Domesticated Animals:
|
| Purpose For Slaughter: | Sacrifice |
| Proper Blood Handling: | Offer it to Hashem at the place in which He will choose for His Name to dwell (i.e., HaMikdash). |
| Prohibitions: |
|
| Blessing For Properly Handling The Blood (Offerings And Sacrifices): | Eating before Hashem and rejoicing with household. |
| Deut 12:15-19 Once in the Land, Hashem allows the people to the eat meat of domesticated, kosher animals without it being a sacrifice (see note above on Lev 17:2-11). The people are again instructed not to eat the blood of the animal but this time they are to ‘pour it on the ground like water.’ They are not instructed to bury the blood. Also, no consequences are mentioned in this passage however, Hashem warns the people not to ‘forsake the Levite’ as long as they are in the Land. This is because the Levites got their portion of ‘meat’ from the sacrifices that the people offered. | |
| Geographic Location: | In the Land (i.e., Israel) within your gates. |
| What Kind Of Animal: | Domesticated and Undomesticated Animals:
|
| Purpose For Slaughter: | Consumption |
| Proper Blood Handling: | Pour it out on the ground like water. |
| Prohibition: | Do not eat blood. |
| Warning: | Don't forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land. |
| Deut 12:20-25 Hashem promised to expand the borders of Israel when they were in the Land. Once the borders were expanded, some of the people would inevitably be too far away to bring a sacrifice. If they were too far, Hashem allowed them to eat the meat of domesticated, kosher animals without it being a sacrifice. They are again instructed not to eat the blood but to ‘pour it on the ground like water.’ Like the previous passage, burying the blood is not prescribed. Hashem does mention, however, that if they refrain from eating the blood, ‘it will be well with them and their sons after them.’ | |
| Geographic Location: | In the Land but far away from the place in which He will choose for His Name to dwell. |
| What Kind Of Animal: | Domesticated and Undomesticated Animals:
|
| Purpose For Slaughter: | Consumption |
| Proper Blood Handling: | Pour it out on the ground like water. |
| Prohibition: | Do not eat blood. |
| Blessing For Not Eating Blood: | It will be well with you and your sons after you. |
There are no clear commands or requirements regarding the method of slaughtering animals for a sacrifice and/or for consumption. The Chumash concurs:
“...we find no explicit teaching in the Torah regarding kosher slaughter...”
(Chumash, p.1004—Comment on Deut 12:21)
After examining the passages above I found that in each one there is an emphasized command (e.g., don’t eat the blood) with a related secondary command (e.g., pour out the blood). The emphasized commands have either a consequence or a blessing connected to them (the emphasis), but the secondary commands do not. One last thought that I had after this exercise was this: is pouring out the blood synonymous to not eating it? If it's poured out, it's not being eaten. If it's eaten, it's not being poured out.
I will continue to chow-down on the bovine flesh as long as it was not offered to an idol or strangled; and I will also abstain from eating blood.
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