Talmud Bavli Hullin 121a-b - translation by Tzvee

M.           [121a] And after that he extends it [the limitation to the liquids, oil and wine] to orlah based on the common use of the word “fruit” [in Lev. 19:23, “When you come into the land and plant all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden; three years it shall be forbidden to you, it must not be eaten”] and in the rules for first fruits [in Deut. 26:1-2, “When you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, and have taken possession of it, and live in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God gives you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place which the Lord your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there”].

IV.1

A.            And flayed-off meat ['lyl] [M. 9:1 A] — What is flayed-off meat? R. Yohanan says, “Dead meat.” And Resh Laqish said, “Meat flayed-off by a knife.”

B.            They posed an objection: “As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless ['lyl] physicians are you all” (Job 13:4). This [description] makes perfect sense according to the authority who holds the view that it is dead meat. That [kind of meat] is not subject to healing. But according to the authority who holds the view that it is meat flayed-off by a knife — it is subject to healing. [Accordingly we must say that] regarding the meaning of `ll in scripture there is a consensus [that it means dead meat]. Where is there a dispute? With regard to the meaning of `lyl in the Mishnah.

IV.2

A.            Come and take note: R. Judah says, “The flayed-off meat which was collected together, if there is the volume of an olive's bulk in one place — one is liable on its account [if one touched it and entered the Temple]” [M. 9:1 H]. And said R. Huna, “As long as he collected it himself [thus demonstrating his intent to use it].”

B.            This [rule] makes perfect sense according to the authority who holds the view that it is flayed-off meat. Concerning that, where there is an olive's bulk he is liable. But according to the authority who holds the view that it is dead meat, where there is an olive's bulk what does it matter? It is like wood [and should convey no uncleanness]!

C.            Regarding the view of R. Judah there is no dispute [that he holds `ll is flayed-off meat]. Where is there a dispute? According to the view of the rabbis. R. Yohanan says, “Dead meat also combines [together to make up an olive's bulk with regard to uncleanness].” And Resh Laqish said, “Only in the specific case of meat flayed-off by a knife [does it combine]. But dead meat does not combine.”

IV.3

A.            This “meat flayed-off by a knife” — what is the situation? If he treated it as a significant entity, then even by itself it should be subject to uncleanness. And if he did not treat it a significant entity, then it is surely considered a null entity.

B.            R. Abin and R. Meyasha [disputed the interpretation of this matter]. One said, “He treated part of [the flayed-off meat] as a significant entity. [By itself, it would not be subject to uncleanness. But it would combine together with other meat, to be subject to uncleanness.]” And one said, “Part of the meat was flayed-off by a wild animal and part of the meat was flayed-off by a knife. [The part flayed by an animal would be subject to uncleanness if combined with other meat.]”

V.1

A.            It was taught there in the Mishnah on Tannaite authority: The beak and the claws are susceptible to uncleanness and convey uncleanness and join together [M. Toh. 1:2 C]. But the beak is like wood [and should not be subject to uncleanness]. Said R. Eleazar, “It means the lower section of the beak.” But the lower section of the beak is also like wood. Said R. Pappa, “It means the lower [membrane (Cashdan)] of the upper section [of the beak].”

B.            The claws — Said R. Eleazar, “It means the part embedded in the flesh.”

C.            Horns [M. 9:1 A] — Said R. Pappa, “[It means the part] at the place where if they cut them, they bleed.”

VI.1

A.            Similarly: He who slaughters unclean cattle for a gentile, while it yet is writhing — it imparts food uncleanness, but [it does] not [impart] uncleanness of carrion — until it dies, or until one will cut off its head. [Scripture] has [prescribed] more [conditions] to impart food uncleanness than uncleanness of carrion [M. 9:1 B-G]. Said R. Assi, “They teach: [Concerning] an Israelite [who slaughtered] an unclean animal and a gentile [who slaughtered] a clean animal — [in order that the meat be susceptible to uncleanness] they must deliberately [treat it as a food] and it must be rendered susceptible [to uncleanness] by liquid from another source.”

B.            Why do I need to specify “it must be rendered susceptible [to uncleanness]”? It subsequently will be subject to a more severe uncleanness [of carrion]. And [we have a principle that] anything that subsequently will be subject to a more severe form of uncleanness does not need to be rendered susceptible [to be subject to a less severe form of uncleanness].

C.            For taught R. Ishmael: “But if water is put on the seed [and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you]” (Lev. 11:38) — What is the case with regard to seeds? They will not subsequently be subject to a more severe uncleanness. They need to be rendered susceptible [before they become unclean by a less severe form of uncleanness]. Accordingly, anything that will not subsequently be subject to a more severe uncleanness needs to be rendered susceptible [before it becomes unclean by a less severe form of uncleanness].

D.            And it was taught on Tannaite authority: Why did they say that the carrion of a clean bird — they must deliberately [treat it as a food] and it need not be rendered susceptible [to uncleanness by liquid]? Because [121b] it will subsequently be subject to a more severe form of uncleanness. [Why then the rule of our Mishnah?]

E.            Said Hezekiah, “Since [there is the possibility in the case of meat that] one could scrape off thin slices [before the animal dies], limiting each to less than an olive's bulk [so that it never becomes unclean in a more severe form as carrion].” [Thus the principle does not apply to it and it has to be rendered susceptible.]

F.             Said R. Jeremiah to R. Zira, “But how could Hezekiah say this? For, lo it was stated: If one slaughtered the two organs [of the throat] or the major portion of the two organs and it is still writhing — Hezekiah said, “It is not subject to [the prohibition for gentiles against eating] limbs [from a live animal].” And R. Yohanan said, “It is subject to [the prohibition for gentiles against eating] limbs [from a live animal].”

G.            Hezekiah said, “It is not subject to [the prohibition for gentiles against eating] limbs [from a live animal].” For it is dead.

H.            And R. Yohanan said, “It is subject to [the prohibition for gentiles against eating] limbs [from a live animal].” For it is not dead.

I.             He [Zira] said to him, “It is no longer categorized as a live animal. But it is not yet categorized as a dead animal.”

VI.2

A.            Reverting to the body of the prior text [F]: If one slaughtered the two organs [of the throat] or the major portion of the two organs and it is still writhing — Hezekiah said, “It is not subject to [the prohibition for gentiles against eating] limbs [from a live animal].” And R. Yohanan said, “It is subject to [the prohibition for gentiles against eating] limbs [from a live animal].”

B.            Said R. Eleazar, “Take the statement of R. Yohanan in your hand. For R. Oshaia taught in accord with his view.” For taught R. Oshaia: An Israelite who slaughtered an unclean animal for a gentile and slaughtered in it two or the greater part of two [organs of the throat], and it is still jerking — it contaminates with the uncleanness of foods but not with the uncleanness of carrion.

C.            A limb which separates from it is as if it separated from the living creature, and flesh which separates from it is as if it separated from a living creature. And it is prohibited [for use] by the children of Noah, and even if the beast died. [If] one (T.: killed it by stabbing), slaughtered in it one or the greater part of one [organ of the throat], it does not contaminate through the uncleanness of foods. [If] he (T.: cut so much as renders it terefah) killed it by stabbing, there is no uncleanness pertaining to it at all.

D.            And a gentile who slaughtered a clean beast for an Israelite and slaughtered in it two or the greater part of two [organs of the throat], and it is still jerking — it renders unclean as does food, but does not render unclean as does carrion, and a limb which separates from it is as if it separates from a living creature, and flesh which separates from it is as if it separates from a living creature. And it is prohibited [for use] by the children of Noah, and even if the beast dies. [If] (T.: he killed it by stabbing) he slaughtered in it one [organ of the throat] or the greater part of one, it does not render unclean as foods convey uncleanness. [If] (T.: he slaughtered in it one [organ of the throat] or the greater part of one) he killed it by stabbing, no uncleanness pertains to it at all. [If] a gentile cut only so much as does not render terefah, and an Israelite came and completed it [the slaughtering], it is permitted for eating [T. Ahilot 2:1 A-C].

E.            If an idolater slaughtered [part of the organ] at a place which would not render the animal terefah and an Israelite came and finished [slaughtering it], it is valid. If an Israelite slaughtered [part of the organ] whether at a place which would render the animal terefah, or at a place which would not render the animal terefah, and an idolater came and finished [slaughtering it], the act of slaughter is invalid.

F.             [It was taught on Tannaite authority]: If he wants to eat [meat] from an animal before its soul departs, he cuts an olive's bulk of meat from the place of the slaughter, and he salts it well, and he rinses it well, and he waits until the soul departs, and he eats it. Either an Israelite or an idolater is permitted to do this.

G.            This supports the view of R. Idi bar Abin. For said R. Idi bar Abin, said R. Yitzhak bar Ashian, “If he wants to become healthy, he cuts an olive's bulk of meat from the place of the slaughter of the beast, and he salts it well, and he rinses it well, and he waits until the soul departs, and he eats it. Either an Israelite or an idolater is permitted to do this.” [F-G = b. ul. 33a, Zahavy, ullin, vol. I, p. 183.]

H.            R. Eleazar posed a question: If he [the gentile, at C-D] delayed [while slaughtering] it, or if he pressed [while slaughtering] it, what is the law? Said to him an old man, “This is what R. Yohanan said, `He needs to perform a valid act of slaughter just as he would for a clean animal.'”

I.             How far [must he go to make it] valid? Said R. Samuel bar Yitzhak, “[He even needs] to inspect the knife [for defects].”

J.             R. Zira posed a question of R. Sheshet, “What is the law as to whether the animal saves objects that are inside it from contracting uncleanness?” He said to him, “How can it be unclean on account of the uncleanness of foods and yet save [objects inside it from contracting uncleanness]?” He said to him, “Since it is not unclean as carrion, why should it not save [objects inside it from contracting uncleanness]?”

K.            Said Abayye, “It does not save objects that are inside it for lo it is unclean on account of the uncleanness of foods. But a person who engages in bestiality with it is liable for lo it is not unclean as carrion.”

VII.1

A.            R. Judah says, “The flayed-off meat which was collected together, if there is the volume of an olive's bulk in one place — one is liable on its account [if one touched it and entered the Temple]” [M. 9:1 H]. Said R. Huna, “And only if he collected it.”

B.            And said R. Huna, “Two half-olive bulks [of meat] that were stuck to the hide, the hide nullifies them.”