Sifrei on Deuteronomy Sifrei Devarim 75

English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim 12:20) "When the L-rd your G-d broadens your boundaries": Observe the mitzvah prescribed herein, in whose merit the L-rd shall broaden your boundaries.

2

English · Shraga Silverstein

"as He spoke to you": (that He would give you the lands of) "the Keini, the Kenizi, and the Kadmoni." Rebbi says: These have already been stated (viz. Bereshith 15:19). What is being spoken of now? (Ezekiel 48:1-7) "from the eastern side to the west — Dan, one (portion), etc."

3

English · Shraga Silverstein

"and you will say: I shall eat flesh, for your soul will desire to eat flesh": R. Yishmael says: We are hereby apprised that "flesh of desire" was forbidden to Israel in the desert, and when they came to Eretz Yisrael it was permitted to them.

4

English · Shraga Silverstein

R. Akiva says: Scripture comes to teach only the mitzvoth stated here, to forbid to them flesh of "stabbing" (nechirah [as opposed to shechitah, ritual slaughter]), and when they entered the land it was forbidden to them. R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: Scripture comes to teach you derech eretz (proper deportment), that one should eat flesh only out of desire.

5

English · Shraga Silverstein

I might think that he could buy meat in the marketplace and eat it; it is, therefore, written (Ibid. 21) "then you shall slaughter of your cattle and of your flocks" — One is not to eat flesh unless he has cattle and flocks (of his own). I might think that he is to slaughter all of his flocks and all of his cattle; it is, therefore, written "of your cattle," and not "all of your cattle"; "of your flocks," and not "all of your flocks."

6

English · Shraga Silverstein

"as He commanded you": Just as offerings (are slaughtered) by shechitah, so, chullin ("mundane" animals), by shechitah.

7

English · Shraga Silverstein

— But perhaps, just as offerings in the "place" (of the Temple — the azarah, the Temple court), so, chullin in the "place"; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "When there is distant from you the place … then you shall slaughter." When the place is distant, you slaughter (chullin), and you do not slaughter (chullin) when the place is near — to exclude chullin from being slaughtered in the azarah.

8

English · Shraga Silverstein

This tells me only of unblemished animals (that they may not be slaughtered in the azarah [lest they be confused with offerings]). Whence do I derive (the same for) blemished animals? From (Vayikra 3:2) "and he shall slaughter it" (implying an offering only [and not chullin of any kind]) at the entrance of the tent of meeting" (i.e., the azarah.) Whence do I derive (the same for) animals and birds, (which cannot be confused with offerings)? From (Ibid. 8) "and he shall slaughter it (a sheep) before the tent of meeting" — it, and not animals and birds.

9

English · Shraga Silverstein

If (you might think,) just as (the eating of) offerings is time constrained (i.e., peace-offerings may be eaten only for two days and one night) so chullin is time constrained; it is, therefore, written (Ibid. 21) "with all the desire of your soul" (connoting whenever you wish).

10

English · Shraga Silverstein

If (you might think,) just as (the eating of) offerings is confined within certain bounds, so, chullin; it is, therefore, written (Ibid. 22) "the unclean one … may eat it."

11

English · Shraga Silverstein

This tells me only of the unclean one. Whence do I derive (the same for) the clean one? From "the unclean one and the clean one." "together may eat it" We are hereby apprised that both of them may eat it from one dish. I might think that terumah, too, may be eaten from the same dish; it is, therefore, written "may eat it (chullin)." This may be eaten from the same dish, but not terumah.

12

English · Shraga Silverstein

I might think that they (chullin) are subject to (the giving of) breast and thigh (to the Cohein); it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "as the deer," (whose breast and thigh are not given to the Cohein).

13

English · Shraga Silverstein

I would then exclude it from breast and thigh, (which do not go to the altar, but to the Cohein); but I would not exclude it from yothereth (the large lobe of the liver) and the two kidneys, (which are sacrificed on the altar in offerings [and they would be forbidden to eat in chullin]); it is, therefore, written "as the hart" (i.e., just as (it is permitted to eat the two kidneys and yothereth of the hart, so, is it permitted to eat those of chullin.)

14

English · Shraga Silverstein

If so, (why not say) just as all of hart (including its fats) is permitted, so, all of chullin! It is, therefore written "Only as the deer and the hart are to be eaten" (to exclude fats and blood [in chullin], which are not to be eaten.)

15

English · Shraga Silverstein

R. Elazar Hakappar says: Now what did we learn from deer and hart? It came (ostensibly) to teach, but it (in the end) it was found to be taught, viz.: Just as a beast (must be slaughtered) through shechitah, so, an animal (e.g., deer and hart), through shechitah, (but a bird [must be slaughtered through shechitah] only by ordinance of the scribes). Rebbi says: "as He commanded you" (Ibid. 21) apprises us that Moses was commanded as to gullet and windpipe (as being the loci of shechitah) and as to the (cutting of) the major portion of one (of these being the criterion for shechitah) in a bird and of both, in a beast.

Sifrei Devarim 75

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