835. Who has your butcher’s back?
“Hakasher she’betabachim shutafo shel Amalek” ([Even] the most virtuous butchers are cohorts of [the evil nation] Amalek), states the Mishnah. It is particularly difficult for sellers of poultry and meat—who stand to lose significantly if critical stock is found to be substandard—to avoid the temptation of fudging on the kosher status of meat they sell. The melech zaken uk’sil (old and foolish king, aka the yetzer hara—evil inclination), writes the Chasam Sofer (18th century Rav and halachic author), sits contentedly on a throne that rests on three legs, one side propped up by the butchers who sell treif (non-kosher) meat with a kosher label.
It is therefore imperative that the kosher consumer be discerning in sourcing their kosher meat and chicken to make sure that the hashgachah (kosher supervision) is of the highest and most conscientious standard—and not rely on the goodwill of even generally honest and G-d-fearing vendors, who are, unfortunately some of the yetzer hara’s favorite victims.
There are myriad details that must be properly supervised—from the time prior to the shechitah (kosher slaughter) of the kosher animal or fowl up to the purchase of the end-product—to ensure that they are performed in the optimal manner. It begins with the qualifications of the shochet, the conditions of the shechitah and the status of the chalef (slaughtering knife)—which should be checked regularly by someone other than the shochet.
After shechitah, there must be a proper bedikah (inspection) of the vital organs; a visual test is insufficient and the shochet must check the fowl or animal by hand. For kosher fowl, the simanim (“signs”, i.e. the trachea and esophagus) are checked through tekifas agudal (pushing down with the thumb) and for animals, the examination is performed by running the hand over the relevant parts. In addition, both a bedikas p’nim (internal check) and bedikas chutz (external check) of the lungs of kosher animals is required to ensure that there are no problematic adhesions. (Which adhesions disqualify the animal as kosher varies according to differing standards of glatt kosher meat and divergent halachic opinion.) There is also an inspection for other treifos ([preexisting conditions that render fowl or animal] unkosher) such as checking chickens for tzomas hagidin (the juncture of the tendons) to assure they are not torn, buka d’atma, (the hip joints) examined for dislocation).
The bedikah is followed by nikur (“excision,” the process of removing non-kosher components) of major blood vessels, the gid hanasheh (sciatic nerve) and purging chailev (non-kosher fats)—a process that necessitates the complete removal of the animal’s hindquarters. Any pooled or coagulated blood or bruised meat is also removed.
Then the meat is kashered (blood removed via soaking, rinsing and salting) under particular conditions and within the appropriate time-frame, and it must be ensured that the final product is properly sealed with two chosamos (seals).* Once the meat leaves the purview of the mashgichim at the kosher packing plant, there must be no evidence of tampering; it is halachically problematic to purchase chicken or meat if the packaging is defective.