Our Daf discusses the blood of animals being slaughtered or sacrificed and determines that the
initial spurt of blood is not fatal to the animal. The Gemara states that when additional blood is shed by the animal, in particular darker blood, that signifies that the animal is dead. This distinction is important in its application to laws pertaining to contamination.

As Daf Yomi students all over the world are occupied with the sugyos dealing with shechitah,
some of which may, superficially, seem insensitive, we should reflect upon the draconic laws in many so-called civilized countries which forbid halachic slaughtering.

Anti-Semitic Decrees

About 150 years ago, anti-Semites began to arouse world public opinion against Jewish
slaughtering with various excuses, the main one being cruelty to animals. Regulations, laws and
decrees, limiting or completely forbidding Jewish slaughtering, quickly spread in the Nazi era and have been incorporated by many European countries. Jews gathered to pray and defend themselves. Many books and even more pamphlets were published in an effort to repel the false accusation.

The second chapter of Chullin, Hashochet, opens with the Halachos of shechitah itself and
determines that an animal must be slaughtered at its neck by cutting the windpipe and the esophagus. After a discussion as to whether slaughtering at the neck is derived from a verse, the Gemara concludes that this is a Halachah from Moshe from Mount Sinai.

Two Reasons For Shechitah

Sefer Hachinuch (mitzvah 451) offers two reasons for the halachah requiring that an animal
must be slaughtered at the neck. Firstly, because "it is known that the blood of the body flows out from the neck more than from other parts of the body. We were therefore commanded to slaughter an animal in that spot before we eat it so that all of its blood escapes from there lest we eat the soul (blood) with the meat." In other words, as it is forbidden to eat blood, this is the best way to drain most of the blood from the meat. The Chinuch then adds: "It is further
said that the reason for slaughtering an animal at the neck and with a smooth, examined knife is so that we not make an animal suffer unnecessarily. The Torah permitted people, in light of their elevated status, to eat animals and derive benefits from them but not to make them suffer
unnecessarily. Chazal have already spoken much about the prohibition of cruelty to animals."< BR>
His statement indicates that by slaughtering at the neck, the least suffering is caused to an
animal and as long as it is done for a purpose, there is no prohibition (Isur Veheter, kelal 59, din 36, and Responsa Seridei Eish, Y.D. 91).

As mentioned, anti-Semites sought to persecute Jews by forbidding kosher slaughtering. Consequently the matter was researched, and the conclusions proved that shechitah is one of the best methods to prevent cruelty to animals. This research is detailed at length in Mazon Kasher min Hachai (ii, ch. 9) and we offer here a brief summary of some of the conclusions.

The Level Of Sensitivity In An Animal Is Lower Than That Of Humans

All agree that the level of sensitivity in animals, especially in cattle, is much lower than that of humans. Experts recognize the fact that the sense of pain is not highly developed in ruminants,
animals that chew the cud. Furthermore, even a person when cut with a sharp knife does not feel the pain immediately, as opposed to when he receives a blow, when the pain is felt immediately. Hence, even if we assume that an animal eventually feels the pain of being cut, it is reasonable to assume that the centers of pain-sensation in the brain stop functioning due to lack of oxygen before the feeling of pain reaches them. There is support for this assumption from the fact that an animal doesn't move at all for eight seconds after shechitah, evidence that it feels no pain. After that period, the sense centers in the brain do not function at all. The
matter differs in other methods such as shooting, shocking, injection, etc.

Some are particularly opposed to the long knife, which is twice as long as an animal's neck,
being brandished in front of the animal while other instruments of slaying, such as a gun or a
hypodermic, might be deemed not so conspicuous. Researchers held a knife dripping blood in front of many cattle. Most of them reacted complacently, except for one animal that actually began to lick the knife.

In conclusion we will mention an obvious point. Our holy Torah commanded us about shechitah; we have always done so and will continue to do so. In some so-called civilized, enlightened countries, where they forbid shechitah, we simply will not eat meat! We do not need proof of the humaneness of the Torah. This research only serves to reject perverse
anti-Semitic contentions.


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