Ever since my brain has had the pleasure of thinking critically, which I would estimate began around sophomore year in high scool, I started to notice that certain things taught in elementary school were not as factual as we, the students, were lead to believe.
For example, anyone that has learned through Sefer Bereishit on their own will surely be well aware that the Torah taught to them in elementary school is NOT the Torah in our chumashim; rather, midrashim, commentaries, and Torah Sheba'al Peh on the Torah were taught, disguised as Torah proper.
The legitimacy of such practices is not the question here. Rather, I merely wanted to bring attention to a fact that I just became aware of: the reason why we don't slaughter giraffes has nothing to do with not knowing where to cut. I don't remember which teacher it was that told me this, but I vividly remember being taught this in a classroom setting. Thus, for all of these many years I have been under this false impression.
Fortunately, this false impression was dispelled in shiur a few days ago. For some reason, Rabbi Wieder mentioned this fact, and said that that there are three real potential reasons why we don't shecht giraffes today. The first, he said, was that we have no mesorah for shechting it and therefore we can't. He quickly dismissed this possibility, however, for he felt that the giraffe's split hooves and cud chewing was "mesorah" enough. The next two reasons offered were that 1) giraffes are extremely hard to catch and 2) even if someone did manage to catch one he would still have a very difficult time cutting the neck; he would need both a ladder and to manage cutting the neck without the giraffe killing him in the process.
Thus, not knowing where to cut has nothing to do with why we don't slaughter giraffes; in fact, he said, all other factors equal, it's probably the easiest animal to shecht, for it has the largest target zone (under the larynx and above the stomach) when compared to other animals!
Finally, my erroneous understanding has been corrected, my false impression has been shown the light. (And how ironic is it that the animal with largest permitted slaughtering zone, and by extension largest margin of error, is the animal that people claim to be "un-shechtable" from doubt?!?)
Friday, February 15, 2008
Day 14 - A Large-Necked Lie
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16 comments:
Interesting ideas. I've heard three other reasons why we don't shecht giraffe’s. 1) Since most are found in Africa, it would be too costly to produce the meat anywhere in the world, especially in the older times. 2) There was a time (I believe) when the giraffe was on the endangered species list, and so it could not be used for food in modern times. 3) Giraffe meat doesn’t taste all that good. There would be no point in going through all the trouble of getting the meat if it doesn’t taste better than what we already have.
I wouldn't read too much into it. Every culture, including Judaism, has their share of "urban legends." The "we don't know where to shecht the giraffe" one has been around for a while. Talk to any shochet and they'll tell you exactly where to shecht a giraffe.
Another reason why we don't see giraffe meat on the kosher market is that (from what I hear -- this is not from firsthand experience) the meat is not very tasty and it is not economically viable to keep them for meat.
The Wolf
This myth was recently busted for me as well. I was thoroughly surprised to hear that not only are Girrafes shechtable, we could do it if anyone had enough balls and it would be kosher. Thanks for elucidating the point though. It's good to get it out there.
I once heard that we actually need a mesorah on the makom shechita itself. that is, although the whole neck would be kosher in principle, there's a special mesorah for chickens, cows, sheep, etc. on exactly which part of the neck to cut. I never heard that the mesorah was brought up to disqualify giraffes as a kosher species.
I feast on giraffe meat daily. No value in abiding by any such here-say.
The blog is really well written. I like the different ways you presented your ideas. It really makes you think. Its true that the things you learn in school often stray from the real story. It wasn't until I actually picked up Berashis and read it straight through on my own, that i realized I had never heard the stories of Tamar and Dina before. The same thing happened with Megilla's Russ. I had always wondered about the giraffe because for the most part Judaism is pretty detailed about things.
POST SOMETHING NEW ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!
WORD
i second that notion
Thanks for everyone's comments - it's been a crazy few weeks. I'll be posting again soon.
Tzvi
Mamish a busha..
Mamish a busha..
I beg to differ but we most certanky require a mesora to eat animals. See Responsa of the netziv as to weither it is permissable to eat a turkey as we have no mesora for it!!!!!!!!!!!
Worst Nightmare,
I see that you have finally found my blog. I was wondering how long it would take.
Anyway, a few points:
1. I like the way how your exclusionary words are spoken so assuredly. Such modes of expression are quite reassuring, especially when considering the lack of achdus among Jews today.
2. Your assertion has no source in the Gemara; no where in the Gemara is such a conclusion reached. My rebbi said that he knows of a Shach which says as you do. He says, however, that such an opinion is a da'as yachid and that we don't pasken as such.
3. Why do you tell me to check out the Shu"t of the Netziv without telling me the exact location? How can I check a source up if you don't tell me where it is - especially when you're the one telling me to look it up. And if you're not going to cite an actual location, you could at least tell me what the Netziv says.
But I guess you don't work that way.
firstly I am so glad you have seen all the gemaras to asurt that there is no such gemara. Secondly I did not tell you where the netziv is bec. I dont remember its exact location and my copy of the sefer is in israel right now.(I was also waiting for a reply to see if you still write on this blog before Ibotherd to track one down)Lastly as to my finding your blog, did you realy think you would be able to wright one and I would not find out about it.
sincerely,
your worst nightmare
1. My rebbi - who has, in fact, learned shas - told me so when I informed him of your objection to his original statement. Please find me a gemara that disproves him.
2. You only found my blog because you joined facebook (hey wait...isn't that assur?). That certainly came out of left field. And btw, it's spelled 'write', not 'wright'. Perhaps your many years in Israel have caused you to forget that :).
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