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Split Chickens |
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INTRODUCTION
We salt freshly slaughtered meat in order to thoroughly remove the blood which is prohibited and must in turn, wash off that bloodied salt. This process is known as Kashering. The ShA YD 69:9 describes a situation where the meat is added to a pot of cooking food, before the bloodied salt was removed. בָּשָׂר שֶׁנִּמְלַח וְנִתְבַּשֵּׁל בְּלֹא הֲדָחָה אַחֲרוֹנָה, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּהֵא בּוֹ שִׁשִּׁים כְּדֵי הַמֶּלַח שֶׁבּוֹ YD 69:9 Meat that was cooked before the salt applied to it for Kashering was removed, will make the entire pot non-Kosher unless there is 60 times the salt's volume in the pot. הַגָּה: וְכָל הַקְּדֵרָה מִצְטָרֵף לְשִׁשִּׁים The Rama notes - Whatever is in the pot accrues to the 60 parts required to neutralise the bloodied salt וְאִם יֵשׁ בַּקְּדֵרָה כ''כ כְּמוֹ הַחֲתִיכָה שֶׁנִּמְלַח וְלֹא הוּדַח, הַכֹּל שָׁרֵי, דְּוַדַּאי אִכָּא שִׁשִּׁים נֶגֶד הַמֶּלַח שֶׁעַל הַחֲתִיכָה דְּהַחֲתִיכָה עַצְמָהּ בְּוַדַּאי הִיא שְׁלֹשִׁים נֶגֶד הַמֶּלַח שֶׁעָלָיו If the pot's own mass and its contents are as large as the piece of meat itself, then it is Kosher because we are certain that the salt is less than 1/60th because the salt on the piece will certainly not exceed 1/30th of the mass of that piece of meat. וְכָל זֶה מַיְרֵי שֶׁלֹּא הוּדַח בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה כְּלָל, אֲבָל אִם הוּדַח רַק פַּעַם אַחַת וְנִתְבַּשֵּׁל כָּךְ, מֻתָּר, דִּבְדִיעֲבַד סָגֵי לֵהּ בַּהֲדָחָה אַחַת בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה This is true only when the meat has not been rinsed at all. However, if it was rinsed, even if only once [although in the first instance we wash it 3 times] it is Kosher since after the fact a single rinse is adequate. |
Why do the Mehadrin [superior] Hechsherim split the chicken open for Koshering (salting)? The answer is - to facilitate adequately covering the entire surface inside the bird with salt. Introduction The Torah forbids consuming animal and fowl blood, fish blood however, is Kosher. Our concern therefore is, how to remove all the blood from the flesh of animals and birds. The Gemara (Chullin 113a) teaches - “meat is not cleansed from its blood unless it is thoroughly salted and also thoroughly rinsed” which is explained to mean that rinsing is required both before and after salting. The wash after the salting is required to remove the blood soaked salt. We will soon explain the purpose of the pre-salting wash. Before soaking and salting, various veins must at least have their ends cut open and are customarily removed (Chullin 93a; ShA YD 65:1). Next, the meat will be washed and soaked in water, and then salted, this procedure is usually referred to as Kashering. The meat is washed and all visible blood is removed. It is then soaked for about thirty minutes. After giving it some time for the water to drip off, it is ready for salting. Salt must be applied to all sides of the meat which is then left for an hour, positioned such that it can drain freely. Shulchan Aruch does not require that a chicken be split to ensure the inside can be properly salted it is adequate to sprinkle salt into the cavity. Nevertheless, the Pri Megadim agreeing with the Beis Lechem Yehudah insists that it be split because a significant proportion of people tend to be careless. During the salting time we must ensure that liquids do not pool in a concave cavity. Whole birds must be placed carefully to avoid this concern. Pieces of salted meat may be piled one atop the other. We are not worried about liquid being trapped between two pieces. The meat is then rinsed or washed three times (Rama, Yoreh Deah 69:7). Various reasons are offered to explain the pre-salting wash [see Pri Megadim intro to Melicha, Ikar 2] * Soften the Meat The salt can better penetrate and more easily extract the blood from the meat that has been softened through soaking (Ran). Some insist the meat must be fully submerged [see Darchei Moshe 69:1, and GrA 69:4; also Pischei Teshuvah 69:5. Yad Yehudah Peirush HaAruch 69:10; Darchei Teshuvah 69:20] It is not clear how long this remains effective after soaking. * Remove Surface Blood Washing, not soaking, is required to remove surface blood which will interfere with the salting (Mordechai). If the meat is cut before [or even during] salting the newly exposed surfaces must be rinsed and soaked. * Prevent Surface Blood Being Absorbed Applying salt to surface blood will will cause it to irreversibly absorb into the meat. * Moisten the Surface The Rosh explains that the meat must be damp for the salt to be effective (Rosh). How Much Salt? Some authorities require that the meat be covered with salt, whereas others rule that it is satisfactory to salt it sufficiently that one would not readily eat it without rinsing it off. * The Tur rules that it is adequate to salt only one side, the Beis Yosef however urges that all sides be salted, whilst the Rama prohibits if it is not salted on all sides unless there is an emergency or a significant loss (Taz). * Size or thickness of meat does not alter the salt's ability to remove blood. * A larger thicker piece does not require more time to extract the blood. * Using more salt does not reduce the time required to adequately remove the blood. * After salting, red exude is deemed to be Moihel, not blood. |
Our interaction with Gd and Life, is predicated upon the premise that everything is permitted, other than that which is specifically prohibited. Our Sages take a very dim view of those who look for unjustified stringencies. This is fake fear and fake saintliness. Gd created this world to be enjoyed. It is deceptive, both of others and of oneself. The Soul, the Neshama is what we today describe as one's inner consciousness. The masters of esoteric wisdom categorise five broad levels with the highest being YeChiDaA. This name reflects the status of that level as being alone. Certainly it is great to be in a crowd, to be with friends and to be with a team. These all contribute to ones self awareness and feed ones drive, ambition and energy levels. However, in some measure, these are not ones own but belong and attributed to the group. Let's imagine you are travelling to the Holy Land to join your Rosh Yeshivah or your Rebbe, your spiritual guide and energiser. However, your flight experiences mechanical problems and you end up over the high holidays in an expensive hotel many miles from the nearest Jew. You have all your requirements, Kosher food, a Machzor, your Tallis, a Shofar and you know how to blow it. You might spend the day immersed in Tefillah or watching movies or basking in the sun reading a book. No one will know but you and HKBH. That is the identity of the YeCHiDaA; you are alone with HKBH - what does your day look like? If you had a chicken to Kasher, would you bother splitting it when no one would know the difference? |
