My Musing
Over the past two decades the right to Shechita, ritual slaughter, has been challenged. Often the challenge is that other methods not sanctioned by halacha, Jewish law, are less painful and therefore more humane to the animal. The midrash asks a similar question, going so far as to claim that in the special meal reserved for the righteous in the world to come, they will eat of the leviathan and other animals as "road kill" not requiring shechita. So why is it important?
Because, in the words of the midrash, Shechita involves you in the death. I view this as making you aware that you killed a living creature for your meal. There is nothing that can sensitize you more.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת שמיני סימן זOver the past two decades the right to Shechita, ritual slaughter, has been challenged. Often the challenge is that other methods not sanctioned by halacha, Jewish law, are less painful and therefore more humane to the animal. The midrash asks a similar question, going so far as to claim that in the special meal reserved for the righteous in the world to come, they will eat of the leviathan and other animals as "road kill" not requiring shechita. So why is it important?
Because, in the words of the midrash, Shechita involves you in the death. I view this as making you aware that you killed a living creature for your meal. There is nothing that can sensitize you more.
(ויקרא יא:א-ב) "וַיְדַבֵּר יְדֹוָד אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר אֲלֵהֶם. דַּבְּרוּ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר זֹאת הַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר תֹּאכְלוּ מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר עַל הָאָרֶץ "
And the LORD spoke unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them:
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: These are the living things which ye may eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
כך שנו רבותינו: עשר בהמות הן: (דברים יד:ה) "אַיָּל וּצְבִי וְיַחְמוּר וְאַקּוֹ וְדִישֹׁן וּתְאוֹ וָזָמֶר",(דברים יד:ד "זֹאת הַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר תֹּאכֵלוּ) [ו] שׁוֹר שֵׂה כְשָׂבִים וְשֵׂה עִזִּים". יותר מאלה אין בעולם.
Our master should instruct: How many pure strains of cattle are there in the world?
Thus taught our teachers: The ten pure types of cattle are: "the hart, and the gazelle, and the roebuck, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the antelope, and the mountain-sheep. (These are the beasts which ye may eat:) the ox, the sheep, and the goat,
Said the Holy One, blessed be He, 'be careful to not defile yourselves with an impure animal and with the impure crawlers' Thus said David, "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in Him."
בשביל לצרף בריותיו. אמר לו, 'רבי, מה אכפת להקדוש ברוך הוא שיאכלו ישראל בלא שחיטה, שיהא ישראל נוחר ואוכל ושוחט מן הצואר מן הירך?''תדע, שלא נצטוה השחיטה הזו אלא כדי לצרף את ישראל. כי לעתיד לבא עושה סעודה לצדיקים מן הבהמה ולויתן ואין שם שחיטה. תדע לך, לויתן בריה משונה היא, והמלאכים יגורו ממנו. שנאמר (איוב מא:יז) "מִשֵּׂתוֹ יָגוּרוּ אֵלִים מִשְּׁבָרִים יִתְחַטָּאוּ"
To include His creations. Said to him, 'My master, what does it matter to the Holy One, blessed be He, that the Israelites should eat meat that has not been slaughtered? That Israel should cut and eat, and slaughter from the neck and the thigh?
Know, that this slaughter was not commanded except to include Israel. Because in the future there will a feast made for the righteous from the animals and the leviathan, and there will not be any slaughter. Know, that the leviathan is a different creature, and the angels are challenged by it. As it says, "When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; by reason of despair they are beside themselves."
Know, that this slaughter was not commanded except to include Israel. Because in the future there will a feast made for the righteous from the animals and the leviathan, and there will not be any slaughter. Know, that the leviathan is a different creature, and the angels are challenged by it. As it says, "When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; by reason of despair they are beside themselves."
והם זורקין עליו כמה רמחים של ברזל, כתבן הוא חושבן, שנאמר (איוב מא:יט) "יַחְשֹׁב לְתֶבֶן בַּרְזֶל לְעֵץ רִקָּבוֹן נְחוּשָׁה" וכן בהמות שדי קשה, שהוא רובץ על אלף הרים. שנאמר (תהלים נ:י) "כִּי לִי כָל חַיְתוֹ יָעַר בְּהֵמוֹת בְּהַרְרֵי אָלֶף"
And they throw iron spears on it, their writing is their thinking, as it says, "He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood." And similarly the animals that are hard, that they jump over a thousand mountains. As it says, "For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills."
והיכן הן נשחטין? אלא זה לזה מזדווגין שניהם שנאמר (איוב מא:ח) "אֶחָד בְּאֶחָד יִגַּשׁוּ וְרוּחַ לֹא יָבוֹא בֵינֵיהֶם" בהמות יגש בלויתן ואוחז בקרניו ובוקע, ולויתן הפך יהיה מיתתו, שמכה אותו בזנבו והורגו. והצדיקים הולכין ונוטלין מנות מנות. מכאן שחיטה? אלא בשביל לבדוק ולצרף את ישראל.
And they throw iron spears on it, their writing is their thinking, as it says, "He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood." And similarly the animals that are hard, that they jump over a thousand mountains. As it says, "For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills."
והיכן הן נשחטין? אלא זה לזה מזדווגין שניהם שנאמר (איוב מא:ח) "אֶחָד בְּאֶחָד יִגַּשׁוּ וְרוּחַ לֹא יָבוֹא בֵינֵיהֶם" בהמות יגש בלויתן ואוחז בקרניו ובוקע, ולויתן הפך יהיה מיתתו, שמכה אותו בזנבו והורגו. והצדיקים הולכין ונוטלין מנות מנות. מכאן שחיטה? אלא בשביל לבדוק ולצרף את ישראל.
And where are they slaughtered? Rather (for that meal) they pair together as it says "One is so near to another, that no air can come between them." The cattle approach the leviathan and grab its horns and pierce it, and the leviathan flips around and that is its death, that it is hit in its tail and kills it. And them righteous go and take portions from the remains. So what is the purpose of ritual slaughter? To check and involve Israel.
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