Chullin Daf 27 צולין דַף 27

The second Perek begins: השוחט אחד בעוף ושנים בבהמה שחיטתו כשרה – if one shechts one pipe of a bird or both pipes of an animal, his shechitah is valid, ורובו של אחד כמוהו – and cutting most of one pipe is like cutting all of it. Rebbe Yehudah requires cutting the וורידין (the main blood vessels of the neck), and the Gemara will explain this to refer to shechitah of birds. If one shechted half of one סימן of a bird, or one and a half סימנים of an animal, the shechitah is invalid. The Mishnah’s term "השוחט" implies that its shechitah is only valid בדיעבד. But how can shechitah of two סימנים of an animal be בדיעבד? What more should he cut? The Gemara answers that the Mishnah’s expression refers to shechting one סימן of a bird, indicating that לכתחלה, one should shecht both סימנים of a bird. Alternatively, the Mishnah’s expression refers to shechting most of a סימן, indicating that לכתחלה, one should shecht the entire סימן.

Rav Kahana asked: מנין לשחיטה שהיא מן הצואר – from where do we derive that shechitah means cutting from an animal’s throat? He suggests the passuk: "ושחט" את בן הבקר – and he shall slaughter the bull, which teaches: ממקום ששח חטהו – from the place where [the animal] bends, cleanse it by removing its blood. However, the Gemara objects that perhaps it refers to cutting its tail, which is bent, or its ear, which it can bend!? Although we require releasing דם הנפש – lifeblood, perhaps one should cut from the ear until reaching the דם הנפש!? Furthermore, from where do we derive the various acts which invalidate shechitah, such as שהייה – pausing!? Rather, these disqualifications must be גמרא – known by oral tradition, and the requirement to shecht from the throat was similarly passed down by tradition.

Similar objections are posed to other suggested sources for shechting from the throat, with the same conclusion. Rebbe Chiya provides another source: the Torah instructs to arrange all the parts of a korban on the מזבח for burning, and specifically mentions arranging the head. The reason is that the head uniquely was not skinned, שכבר הותז – because it was already severed during shechitah. This proves shechitah is from the throat.

Rav Kahana asked: מנין לשחיטה שהיא מן הצואר – from where do we derive that shechitah means cutting from an animal’s throat? He suggests the passuk: "ושחט" את בן הבקר – and he shall slaughter the bull, which teaches: ממקום ששח חטהו – from the place where [the animal] bends, cleanse it by removing its blood. However, the Gemara objects that perhaps it refers to cutting its tail, which is bent, or its ear, which it can bend!? Although we require releasing דם הנפש – lifeblood, perhaps one should cut from the ear until reaching the דם הנפש!? Furthermore, from where do we derive the various acts which invalidate shechitah, such as שהייה – pausing!? Rather, these disqualifications must be גמרא – known by oral tradition, and the requirement to shecht from the throat was similarly passed down by tradition.

Similar objections are posed to other suggested sources for shechting from the throat, with the same conclusion. Rebbe Chiya provides another source: the Torah instructs to arrange all the parts of a korban on the מזבח for burning, and specifically mentions arranging the head. The reason is that the head uniquely was not skinned, שכבר הותז – because it was already severed during shechitah. This proves shechitah is from the throat.