Halachah 1 — Covering the Blood
When slaughtering a:
- Wild animal (chayah)
- Bird (of)
their blood must be covered.
Before slaughtering:
A person must have:
- Prepared earth, or
- Prepared ash that may be moved.
If no prepared earth is available:
→ The animal should not be slaughtered.
If one nevertheless slaughtered it:
→ The blood is covered only after Yom Tov.
Animals of Doubtful Status
If there is doubt whether an animal is a wild or domestic species:
- It may not be slaughtered for the purpose of covering blood.
- If slaughtered, the blood is not covered until after Yom Tov.
Reason:
- Observers may mistakenly conclude that the animal is definitely a wild species and mistakenly permit its forbidden fat.
Halachah 2 — Blood Mixed Together
If blood requiring covering became mixed with blood that does not require covering:
→ Normally, wait until after Yom Tov.
Exception:
If one shovel of prepared earth can cover everything at once:
→ It may be covered on Yom Tov.
Halachah 3 — Removing Wool Before Shechitah
Before slaughtering an animal:
- One may pull aside wool by hand from the neck area.
- The wool should remain attached and not be fully removed.
For birds:
- Feathers may not be pulled out.
- That is the normal method and would constitute prohibited work.
Halachah 4 — Salting the Hide
After skinning an animal:
❌ One may not salt the hide.
Reason:
- Salting is part of leather processing.
What is permitted?
The hide may be placed where people walk on it so it does not spoil.
This leniency ensures people will not refrain from slaughtering animals for Yom Tov meals.
Acting with “Guile”
Meat being roasted may be salted on different sections of the hide until the entire hide becomes preserved indirectly.
Halachah 5 — Limits on This Leniency
The previous leniency applies only to:
- Meat intended for roasting
because little salt is needed.
Forbidden:
- Salting meat for cooking
- Salting animal fats
- Preserving fats by turning or hanging them
These activities are not necessary for immediate Yom Tov food needs.
Halachah 6 — Skinning Methods
A special method called regol is forbidden.
What is regol?
Skinning an animal through one opening while preserving the hide completely intact.
Reason:
- Excessive effort
- Not needed for Yom Tov consumption
Also prohibited:
- Cutting a carrying handle into meat with a knife
A simple identifying mark, however, is permitted.
Halachah 7 — Preparing Meat
Permitted:
- Pouring hot water over a slaughtered animal
- Singeing hair with fire
Forbidden:
- Using lime
- Using clay
- Using loam
- Trimming with scissors
Food preparation may be done in a normal decorative manner when preparing edible vegetables.
Halachah 8 — Separating Challah
Dough Kneaded Before Yom Tov
If challah was not separated beforehand:
→ It may not be separated on Yom Tov.
Dough Kneaded On Yom Tov
→ Challah may be separated and given to a kohein.
Problem of Impure Challah
Impure challah:
- Cannot be eaten
- Must ultimately be burned
But it may not be burned on Yom Tov.
Reason:
- Burning impure sacred food is a mitzvah.
- A positive commandment does not override both the positive and negative commandments protecting Yom Tov.
Halachah 9 — Impure Challah on Pesach
Normally:
→ Leave impure challah until after Yom Tov and then burn it.
On Pesach
Waiting would cause it to become chametz.
Therefore:
- Bake the entire dough.
- Separate challah afterward from the baked matzah.
Halachah 10 — Ovens and Baking
New Oven
One may not bake in a newly-made earthenware oven.
Reason:
- It might crack and ruin the bread.
Coals and Ash
Normally:
- Do not rake out an oven.
- Simply flatten the ashes.
If baking is impossible otherwise:
→ Raking is permitted.
Sealing an Oven
Permitted:
- Softened mud prepared before Yom Tov
- Ash mixed with water
Forbidden:
- Making fresh mud on Yom Tov
Halachah 11 — Improving Ovens
Forbidden:
- Oiling a new oven
- Rubbing it
- Cooling it to strengthen it
These improve the utensil.
Exception
If cooling is necessary so baking can take place:
→ It is permitted.
Similarly:
- Heating stones for baking or roasting is prohibited.
- Using an actual oven or pot is permitted.
Halachah 12 — Cheese, Spices, and Salt
Cheese
Forbidden to make on Yom Tov.
Reason:
- It could have been made beforehand without losing quality.
Spices
Permitted to grind normally.
Reason:
- Freshly ground spices taste better.
Salt
Must be ground with a deviation from the usual method.
Reason:
- Salt does not lose flavor.
Pepper
Not in a pepper mill.
Instead:
- Crush it manually like other spices.
Halachah 13 — Grinding Groats
Forbidden:
- Large commercial-style grinder
Permitted:
- Small grinder
This serves as a noticeable deviation from weekday practice.
In Eretz Yisrael:
- Even the small grinder is forbidden because the grain keeps its quality longer.
Halachah 14 — Sifting Flour
Flour already sifted before Yom Tov may not be sifted again.
Exception
If:
- A stone,
- A splinter,
- Or another impurity fell in.
Then it may be re-sifted with a deviation, such as:
- Using the back of the sifter
- Sifting over a table
Halachah 15 — Shelling and Separating Food
Permitted:
- Removing grain from husks
- Shelling legumes
- Blowing away chaff
Even with both hands and full effort.
Tools Allowed
- Tray
- Pot
Tools Forbidden
- Sifter
- Strainer
These resemble full-scale processing.
Halachah 16 — Selecting Food from Waste
General rule:
- Remove whichever is easier to separate.
The goal is practical food preparation, not performing labor in a commercial manner.
Halachah 17 — Filtering Mustard and Wine
Mustard may not be filtered in its normal specialized filter.
Permitted Alternative
Mix a raw egg into it and allow it to clarify naturally.
Wine Filters
If a filter was already hanging before Yom Tov:
→ Wine may be filtered through it.
One may not hang a new filter specifically for filtering.
However:
- One may initially hang it for another use and then use it for wine.