For donations Click Here

Selling hindquarters of animal

Question:

If a kosher slaughterhouse is in the habit of selling the hindquarters, isn’t that in violation of doing business with non-kosher foods ?
Is it perhaps because the only part of the hindquarters that is actually forbidden to do business with is the gid hanasheh and that has no value ?
Thank you

Answer:

Good question.

One of the heterim to sell non – Kosher items is that the prohibition is only if the person prepares himself to sell the item, but not if a non- kosher item happens to come a person’s way. This heter is called nisdamen. This is the reason why slaughterhouses can sell animals that are found to be treif- because they didn’t originally plan to sell the trief animals, rather it happened, that they have it. Therefore, they can sell them. Some hechsherim rely on this even for gid hanasheh and selling the hind quarter, the rationale being that they aren’t in business to sell hind quarters, rather this is what they can’t use, so they are selling it to gentiles.

To add to this, the opinion of Tosefos (Chullin 89b D:H V’hilchosa) is that since the gid hanasheh  has no taste, therefore the gentile isn't paying for it, and the price he is paying is for the rest of the hind quarter. Also see Minchas Chinuch 3-14. Regarding the fats next to the gid which we don't eat, they are only assur m'drabonon, and the prohibition not to do business only applies to things that are assur m'dorayso.

As a side point, the Eida Hachareidis, does not sell the hind quarters of the cows they shect, rather the cows are owned by gentiles, and whatever they want to buy they buy, and the hind quarters are simple not bought by them.

Best wishes

 

Join the Conversation

6 Comments

    1. It is kosher but the גיד הנשה part of it isn't, and when the quarter is sold it includes the גיד הנשה.

  1. As a Gentile I wonder what would happen if the entire meat-eating world were to be Jewish. Presumably, if Judaism is the will of Yahweh, the ideal world situation would be that all people embrace the Jewish faith. So with few, or no, Gentiles to rely on, would you throw the hindquarters of all slaughtered cattle away? It would certainly put the price of beef up to astronomical prices; and how would you dispose of the forbidden meat?

    1. It is only the Ashkenzai custom not to eat the hindquarters. The sefardic custom is to remove the proper veins etc., and they do eat it.

      1. Well, nevertheless, as 80 percent of Jews are Ashkenazi worldwide I continue to regard my question as being relevant.

        1. Two othr points. gentiles are not forbidden from eating any part of the animal, as this the will of G-d only for Jews, and not for non-Jews. Secondly, if everyone would embrace the will of G-d, and not eat the parts that are questionable, remember we are dealing here with, G-d and he is big enough to deal with the situation. Even if the price, G-d has enough ways of providing a livelihood for those who are doing
          His will.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *