![]() When something that is not kosher gets mixed in with kosher food, what is the status of the mixture?Īccording to Jewish law, if the amount of kosher food is so overwhelming that the non-kosher food does not affect its taste, we apply the concept of bitul – nullification – and the food is deemed kosher. According to this approach, even though only part of the gid haNasheh is prohibited, if the person consumed the entire gid haNasheh it is considered a significant act and he would be liable to receive punishment, even though he would not be liable had he eaten only the part of the gid haNasheh that was forbidden.Ĭhullin 97a-b: Nullifying non-kosher food in a mixture There are rishonim who disagree with Tosafot and require that a beriah bifnei atzmah must have the significance of an entire creation. According to this approach, even though only part of the gid haNasheh is prohibited by the Torah – on today’s daf Shmuel teaches that only the part of the sciatic nerve that is “upon the hollow of the thigh” is forbidden (see Bereshit 32:33) – nevertheless, since that is what the Torah refers to as the gid haNasheh, that is what is considered a beriah bifnei atzmah. Tosafot suggest that once the Torah singles out something as forbidden, it is as if it stated that the Torah specifically forbids that thing, whether it is large or small, as long as the entire thing is eaten. Why is the gid haNasheh perceived as an independent entity? Since the nerve is a beriah bifnei atzmah – it is viewed as a significant, free-standing creation – that gives it independent significance with regard to halacha. The Gemara explains the reasoning behind this ruling. ![]() At the same time, the Mishnah continues and teaches that if the person ate the entire gid haNasheh he is liable, even if the gid haNasheh was small and did not contain a full kezayit. The Mishnah teaches that in order to be liable to receive lashes as punishment, the person must eat at least a kezayit. This is true, for example, with regard to the prohibition of eating the gid haNasheh – the sciatic nerve. In Jewish law, in order for food to be considered significant, we ordinarily assume that the person must eat at least a kezayit – an olive’s size amount of food. This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud.Ĭhullin 96a-b: When eating is considered significant ![]() The Coming Week’s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |