• Democracy/Halacha Pamphlet
  • Orr Party
  • Talk Reason
  • Reference
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
שפות
  • enEnglish
    • heעברית
    • ruРусский
    • yiYiddish
    • frFrançais
Daat Emet
  • Torah, Science & Ethics
    • Pamphlets
    • Scientific Errors in Torah
    • Religion & Ethics
    • Mitzvahs
    • Religion Caught in Its Own Net
  • Torah & Talmud
    • Weekly Portion
    • Torah Text
    • Talmud Issues
    • Daily Peppers
  • Questions & Answers
  • Who We Are
    • About Daat Emet
    • Our Supporters
    • Support Us
  • Torah, Science & Ethics
    • Pamphlets
    • Scientific Errors in Torah
    • Religion & Ethics
    • Mitzvahs
    • Religion Caught in Its Own Net
  • Torah & Talmud
    • Weekly Portion
    • Torah Text
    • Talmud Issues
    • Daily Peppers
  • Questions & Answers
  • Who We Are
    • About Daat Emet
    • Our Supporters
    • Support Us
Daat Emet
  • Torah, Science & Ethics
    • Pamphlets
    • Scientific Errors in Torah
    • Religion & Ethics
    • Mitzvahs
    • Religion Caught in Its Own Net
  • Torah & Talmud
    • Weekly Portion
    • Torah Text
    • Talmud Issues
    • Daily Peppers
  • Questions & Answers
  • Who We Are
    • About Daat Emet
    • Our Supporters
    • Support Us
  • Torah, Science & Ethics
    • Pamphlets
    • Scientific Errors in Torah
    • Religion & Ethics
    • Mitzvahs
    • Religion Caught in Its Own Net
  • Torah & Talmud
    • Weekly Portion
    • Torah Text
    • Talmud Issues
    • Daily Peppers
  • Questions & Answers
  • Who We Are
    • About Daat Emet
    • Our Supporters
    • Support Us
Does the fox have venom in its claws?
Home » Daily Peppers
Yaron Yadan Yaron Yadan 09/03/2009
Does the fox have venom in its claws?

The sages thought that some animals could excrete venom through their claws and so kill other animals and birds. Thus, for example, the lion and the wolf can excrete venom which causes the death of the animal they attack. Therefore, even if a lion only scratches a sheep we fear that the sheep has been poisoned and so it is forbidden for consumption (in Halacha it is called tereifah). The sages discussed predators — which have venom, which can kill large animals like cows and oxen, which can only kill small animals like kids and lambs, and which can only kill birds. One of their discussions revolved around the fox.
They asked whether the fox has venom in its claws. One sage assumed it did not. The scholars asked him about this, based on incident which had occurred: a fox preyed upon a sheep and poisoned it. The sheep was brought to the sages, who ruled that the fox has the power to excrete venom which can kill a sheep, so the sheep was ruled a tereifah. The scholars rejected this proof from the story, arguing that it was a cat in the story. (All agree that cats have venom in their claws) and not a fox.

(Many times different issues in the Talmud are brought in varying versions. Alternate versions of the topic under discussion will begin “There are those who say” or “In other words,” and that is the case in this discussion, as well.)

There are those who say that the fox excretes venom, and the scholars asked about this halachic ruling: was there not an incident in which a fox preyed upon a sheep and the sheep, when brought before the sages, was permitted for consumption because the fox has no venom in its claws? A different scholar came along and rejected this proof, arguing that this incident did not involve a fox but a dog, and all admit that a dog has no venom.
(Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Chullin 53a)

About the Author

Yaron Yadan

ירון ידען View all posts by Yaron Yadan

ירון ידען (נולד בטבריה ב-8 בדצמבר 1961) הוא פעיל חברתי ומייסד ארגון "דעת אמת" העומד בראש מפלגת אור.

Additional Peppers
A statue of Augustus holding excrement in his hand

A statue of Augustus holding excrement in his hand

What is the minimum amount to be liable for taking olive oil from domain to domain on the Sabbath?

What is the minimum amount to be liable for taking olive oil from domain to domain on the Sabbath?

From where in the Torah do we derive the resurrection of the dead?

From where in the Torah do we derive the resurrection of the dead?

A Jew who has accidental sexual relations with an animal and a gentile who has sexual relations with an animal

A Jew who has accidental sexual relations with an animal and a gentile who has sexual relations with an animal

Is one permitted to use pottery jugs in which Roman soldiers had stored wine?

Is one permitted to use pottery jugs in which Roman soldiers had stored wine?

Two mice, one bearing matzah and the other chametz, enter different houses

Two mice, one bearing matzah and the other chametz, enter different houses

May one carry a living person on the Sabbath?

May one carry a living person on the Sabbath?

daat-emet-logo-white-small-2להצטרפות לרשימת התפוצה   |   תמכו בנו

מייל: daatemet.org@gmail.com
כתובת: ת"ד 1019 קרית טבעון 36015
טלפון: 6106688 - 03

© 2016 כל הזכויות שמורות לדעת אמת.
Skip to content
Open toolbar

Accessibility Tools

  • Increase Text
  • Decrease Text
  • Grayscale
  • High Contrast
  • Negative Contrast
  • Light Background
  • Links Underline
  • Readable Font
  • Reset