Anon asked Staff ago Dear Daat Emet,
It has been reported in the media that there are countries in Europe which forbid kosher slaughter, claiming that this method of slaughter causes pain to the animals. What’s your opinion?
B.N.
jsadmin Staff answered 22 years ago
This issue was dealt with at length in the portion of Acharei Mot.
The laws f slaughter do not take into account the animal’s pain.
Therefore one is permitted to slaughter using a knife which is not sharp, though it could take a long time, even a full day. There is no prohibition against doing so with the charge it causes pain to the animal.
Also, slaughter deals with the cutting of only two organs–the windpipe and the esophagus, yet cutting only these two organs does not kill immediately; it only causes great pain to the animals, up through its death. In the slaughter of poultry it is enough to cut the windpipe — in such a case the bird is considered kosher slaughtered, though it still lives and suffers.
Sincerely,
Daat Emet
jsadmin Staff answered 22 years ago
Dear Yisrael:
Here are some quotes for you:
“One who slaughters with a bad knife [Rashi: not sharp, which does not cut well], even if it takes all day — it is kosher” (Chulin 32a). The Shulchan Aruch rules, in Yoreh Deah 18:7, “A knife which is smooth and not sharp, since it has no flaw, may be used for slaughtering, and even though he will be sawing all day long to slaughter [the animal], it is kosher.”
I have a question for you: why don’t you check the sources before you ask questions?
Sincerely,
Daat Emet