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
Why is a hindquarter a non-Kosher food at all???
It is kosher but the גיד הנשה part of it isn't, and when the quarter is sold it includes the גיד הנשה.
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?
It is only the Ashkenazi done thing, not to eat the hindquarters. The sefardic custom is to remove the proper veins etc., and they do eat it.
Well, nevertheless, as 80 percent of Jews are Ashkenazi worldwide I continue to regard my question as being relevant.
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.
Rav Moishe Feinstein ZT”L said there is no Ashkenazi custom to refrain from the Hindquarters whatsoever, and the motive was purely financial. You can find his whole responsa in Igroys Moishe, Yoreh Deah, Chelek Beis. It’s Siman 54 if I’m not mistaken. The only current Ashkenazi Rav to say there is a custom not to eat Hindquarters is Rav Sternbuch Shlit’a. So, follow your Rav. But please don’t say there is a blanket prohibition for Ashkenazim to eat hindquarters, as that is mamesh wrong.
What was written was that they sell the hind quarter because of gid hanasheh. It did not say that the whole hind quarter is forbidden. On the other hand it is the done thing that Ashkenazi heshcherim don't use hind quarter and sell them.
Yes, corroborating with that, you cab find the full Responsa of Rav Moishe Feinstein ZT”L at Igroys Moishe, Yore Deah, Chelek Beis, Siman 42 (Mem Beis), Daf Nun Vav (56). Rav Moishe clearly states that if an Ashkenazi Shochet is trained in Nikkur and wants to do it, there is no custom or prohibition. Although it is common practice to sell it to a non Jew, Rav Moishe says that it is done purely for financial purposes, as removing the Gid is time-consuming. There is nothing forbidden in the hindquarters, only the Gid (and the Cheilev, but Cheilev is found everywhere in the animal, even in the frontquarters, specially near the organs). I understand your comment, Rav. Thank you and Git Shabbos.
No two expert Jewish authorities appear to agree, so how can the average Jewish housewife possibly be expected to know what is, and what is not permitted?
There are thousands of things the do agree on, but that is not what we are concentrating on. Itis the places where things are not so clear that we need to get the different opinions. This is exactly why everyone should have their Rov who they follow.
If one is striving to do the will of God, and not offend Him, then what one needs is Truth, not individual opinion.
Of course! However the same way there can be professional differences in opinion among doctors, based on their medical knowledge. Ther same applies to Rabbis, regarding halchic tpics in Jewish law.
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