What is the kosher method of slaughter?
Kosher slaughter, or shechita, is performed by a person known as a shochet, who has received special education and instruction in the requirements of shechita. The shochet kills the animal with a quick, deep stroke across the throat with a sharp knife.
Is Kosher slaughter cruel?
While the most humane choice is always plant-based alternatives to slaughtered animals, most experts agree that kosher slaughter, when performed correctly, is at least as humane as pre-slaughter stunning.
How is shechita performed?
There is no ritual involved in shechita. Shechita is performed by a highly trained shochet. The procedure consists of a rapid and expert transverse incision with an instrument of surgical sharpness (a chalaf), which severs the major structures and vessels at the neck.
What is the difference between halal and kosher?
Basics of each diet. Kosher is a term used to describe foods prepared in accordance with traditional Jewish dietary laws. On the other hand, the term halal is used to describe foods that are permitted under Islamic law as defined by the Quran, which is the religious text of Islam.
What does the shochet do when the Shechita is done?
When the shechita is complete, the shochet grabs a handful of dirt, says a blessing and then covers the blood. The meat is still Kosher if the blood does not get covered; the covering of the blood is a separate mitzvah which does not affect the kosher status of the meat.
Who is the only Jew who can perform shechita?
Only a Jew specially trained for shechita – a shochet – can perform shechita. He is required to study for a number of years and is examined, in theory and practice, in the laws of shechita, animal anatomy and pathology.
Where did the laws of shechita come from?
It is a cardinal tenet of the Jewish faith that the laws of shechita were divinely given to Moses at Mount Sinai ( Deuteronomy 12:21); the rules governing shechita are codified and defined and are as binding and valued today as ever and they ensure a swift and painless dispatch of the animal.
What kind of instrument is used for shechita?
Shechita is performed with a surgically sharp instrument (a chalaf), which must be perfectly smooth without the minutest notch or irregularity. The shochet constantly examines the instrument to ensure this standard is maintained.