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Introduction:
After completing the Halachic details of how to salt meat for blood [chapter 69], and the details of Taaruvos that occurs while meat is being salted for blood [Chapter 70], the laws of how to salt various limbs will now be discussed. Certain limbs contain congealed blood within them which cannot dissipate with salting. The method of salting such limbs is begun in this chapter. This chapter discusses how to salt the head, the brain, the bones and the hooves of an animal.
Custom not to eat brains:[1]
It is customary to beware against eating the brain of animals or fowl being that doing so leads to forgetfulness and can cause spiritual damage.[2]
1. Salting the head of an animal or bird[3]:
A. Method 1-Splitting the head:[4]
[It is a Mitzvah Min Hamuvchar[5] to] cut open the head and salt it well in its inside [towards the brain] and also on the outside, on the hair of the head.[6] [It is not necessary to remove the brain from the skull.[7]]
Must one remove the hair from the head prior to salting: [8] There is no need to remove the hair from the head prior to salting as the hair does not prevent the salt from removing the blood.
B. Method 2-Making a hole in the skull:[9]
If one desires to salt the head with its brain inside [but does not desire to split the head in half as described in the previous method[10]] then he is to make a hole in the skull opposite the membrane, and puncture the membrane, and then salt the entire exterior of the skull.[11] During the salting process the head is to be positioned with the hole facing down. After this is done it is permitted to even cook the head in a pot.
C. Method 3-The initial custom according to the Rama:[12]
The custom is to cut the skull both horizontally and vertically[13], and remove the brain prior to the salting. [Nevertheless from the letter of the law the above two methods are valid.[14]]
D. Bedieved if one salted the head without cutting it or making a hole:[15]
If one salted the head without [splitting it in half or] making a hole, then the membrane and brain are forbidden[16] while the rest of the head is permitted.[17] It goes without saying that all pieces of meat that were salted together with this head are likewise permitted. [This applies even if the meat has already been previously salted for blood, so long as the skull does not contain any external meat.[18]]
Summary:
There are three methods in salting the head:
- One is to split open the skull and salt both sides of the skull with the brain inside.
- One is to make a hole through the skull and salt the outside of the skull
- According to the Rama the custom is to cut the skull horizontally and vertically and then remove the brain and salt the head both inside and outside.
Q&A
How is one to salt the tongue?
The tongues is to be salted separately from the head.[19] One is to cut the veins of the tongue prior to salting it.[20]
2. Salting the brain:[21]
The membrane that is on the brain contains veins in addition to the blood that is found within the brain itself. This blood does not leave the brain through salting the skull being that the skull surrounds it and prevents it from releasing any blood. Therefore one who desires to salt the brain [without the head] is to first tear open [the head] and remove the brain and then tear its membrane. After this is done one is to salt it. Alternatively if one desires to salt the brain with the head then [as stated in Halacha 1], one can simply [split open the skull and salt both sides of the skull with the brain inside, or] make a hole in the skull [as stated above in method 2].[22]
Initial custom of Rama:[23] The custom is to cut the skull both horizontally and vertically[24], and remove the brain prior to the salting. [Nevertheless from the letter of the law the above two methods are valid.[25]]
Summary:
There are four methods in salting the brain:
- One is to remove the brain from the head and tear open its membrane and then salt it.
- One is to split open the skull and salt both sides of the skull with the brain inside.
- One is to make a hole through the skull
According to the Rama the custom is to cut the skull horizontally and vertically and then remove the brain and salt it.
3. Salting hooves:[26]
One is to slightly cut the hooves towards their bottom area[27] and then salt both sides of the hooves, including the area covered with hair. While remaining with the salt the hooves are to be positioned with their cut area facing down. [If one did not cut the hoof prior to salting then a Kelipa worth of meat within the hoof is forbidden.[28] The Rashal[29] writes that it is a Mitzvah Min Hamuvchar to scald the hair off the hooves prior to salting them. Nevertheless the custom is to delay removing the hair until after the salting.[30]]
4. Salting bones:[31]
The Kulis [i.e. femur or thigh bone] as well as all other bones which contain marrow must be salted to remove their blood. It suffices to salt the bone itself [as the blood of the marrow will dissipate through the bone[32]]. It is thus not necessary to puncture a hole through the bone before the salting.[33] [Those bones without marrow do not need to be salted.[34] Nevertheless the custom is to salt all bones, even bones that do not contain marrow.[35]]
May bones with marrow be salted with other meat? Lechatchilah bones that contain marrow are not to be salted together with other pieces of meat, [besides for the meat which is attached to the bone of which the custom is to salt them together even initially[36]]. However Bedieved if one did so everything remains permitted.[37] [According to the Sefaradim it is even initially accustomed to salt these bones together with other meat.[38]]
One cooked the bones without salting them:[39] If one cooked the bones prior to salting them then the bones are forbidden unless there is 60x versus the marrow, in which case even the marrow is permitted.
[1] Kaf Hachaim 72/6; 157/28; Ben Ish Chaiy Achareiy 11 and other Achronim.
[2] This falls under the acronym of “Melach” Moach, Leiv, Kavod. Based on the Arizal the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshama reside in the heart mind and liver and is thus not to be eaten. [ibid]
[3] Shach 71/7 in name of Toras Chatas Klal 15/18 applies these laws also to the head of fowl.
[4] Michaber 71/1
[5] Shach 71/1; Taz 71/1; It is proper to split the head in half in order so the brain also receives salt. Nevertheless this is a mere matter of piety. However from the letter of the law it is not necessary to split the head in half, and rather salting the outside of the head and making a hole in it suffices to remove all of its blood, including the blood of the brain. [Shach and Taz ibid, and so rules Taz 69/13] Alternatively since there are opinions hold that the hair of the head prevents the salt from removing the blood therefore those which desire to be stringent should split the head in half and salt both sides. [Taz ibid]
[6] The reason one must salt the head on both sides is because Lechatchilah one must always salt both sides of a limb or meat as discussed in Chapter 69 Halacha 8. [Shach 71/2] Nevertheless from the wording of the Michaber which first mentions to salt the inside area of the brain it implies that the main salting is to the inside. Bedieved if one split the head in half and only salted the inside or the outside the salting is valid according to the Michaber, although according to the Rama it is only valid in a case of great loss as explained in Chapter 69 Halacha 8. [Peri Megadim 71 S.D. 2]
[7] Peri Megadim 71 S.D. 1; Zivcheiy Tzedek 71/2; Kaf Hachaim 71/2
[8] Michaber 71/1
Other Opinions: There are opinions which are stringent and say that the hair of the head prevents the salt from removing the blood [See Taz 71/1]
[9] Michaber 71/3
[10] Shach 71/1; Taz 71/1
[11] It does not suffice to simply salt the skull with the slaughter opening [Beis Hashechita] facing downwards, or through placing its nostrils downwards having an item penetrate a hole through them. Although these methods are valid for roasting the skull it does not suffice when salting it. [Shach 71/5]
[12] Rama 68/4; Shach 71/6
[13] This is done in order to cut the membrane properly. [ibid]
[14] Peri Megadim 71 S.D. 6
[15] Rama 71/3
[16] As it is considered as if the brain was salted within a Keli Sheiyno Menukav [Shach 71/7] as the skull blocks the blood of the brain from flowing out.
[17] As the skull prevents the blood of the brain from penetrating the meat. Furthermore even if a small amount of blood was released and absorbed by the meat nevertheless this blood dissipates together with the blood of the meat [Kibolo Kach Polto]. These two reasons are recorded by the Rashba, however the main reason is the first reason and hence even if one salted meat that is past Shiur Melicha and no longer releases gravy together with a whole skull, the meat nevertheless remains permitted as no blood is released from the brain. Nevertheless this only applies if one removed the external meat from the skull prior to salting as otherwise the blood of this meat itself will enter into the pre-salted meat. [Shach 71/8]
The reason we do not prohibit the head due to being salted on only one side: As only when a limb is split in half does it have to be salted on both sides, however when it is whole salting it on the outside suffices. [Taz 71/3]
[18] Shach 71/7 see previous footnote!
[19] Darkei Teshuvah 71/1
[20] Michaber 65/1
[21] 71/3
[22] The method offered here by the Michaber is dealing with a case that one only wants to salt the brain and not the head, therefore he says one is to remove the brain from the skull. If however he does desire to also salt the head then he may do so following one of the two above mentioned methods and it is not necessary to remove the brain from the head.
[23] Rama 68/4; Shach 71/6
[24] This is done in order to cut the membrane properly. [ibid]
[25] Peri Megadim 71 S.D. 6
[26] 71/2
[27] This is required because otherwise it is considered as if one is salting the hooves within a vessel without a hole, as the hooves are a tough material and prevent the blood from leaving. This is opposed to a regular bone which does not prevent the blood of their marrow from dissipating through the bone. However the Levush suggests that the reason is because by bones there is no space between the marrow and the bone and hence the blood is pressed to leave due to lack of space for it to gather inside. However hooves are hollow and hence there is room for the blood to gather inside. The Shach negates this explanation. [Shach 71/3]
[28] Shach 71/4; Rama 68/8
[29] Brought in Taz 71/2
[30] Peri Megadim 71 M.Z. 2 being that we are not expert in how to scald the hair without causing blood to heat up and become absorbed within the meat. Therefore we delay the removal of the hair until after the salting.
[31] Rama 71/3
[32] Shach 71/3; It is thus unlike the case of a skull with a brain which requires the skull to be opened as the blood of the brain gathers in the skull and does not dissipate outside. [Shach 71/10]
[33] The Ben Ish Chaiy [Acharei 4] writes that their custom is to break all bones prior to salting.
[34] Darkei Teshuvah 71/22
[35] Igros Moshe 1/33; Hakashrus 9/84
[36] Shach 71/11
[37] As we consider the marrow to contain as much blood as regular meat and hence we do not assume it will absorb blood from the other pieces. [Shach 71/19]
[38] Kaf Hachaim 71/24 in name of Kneses Hagedola; Peri Chadash; Zivchei Tzedek 71/16; Ben Ish Chaiy Acharei 4
[39] Shach 71/9
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