Chullin Daf 85 צולין דַף 85

The next Mishnah discusses cases of שחיטה שאינה ראויה (e.g., a bird was found a tereifah, or was shechted for idolatry). Rebbe Meir says it requires כסוי הדם, and the Chochomim exempt it. Rebbe Yochanan explains that although the disputants in שחיטה שאינה ראויה, regarding both אותו ואת בנו and כסוי הדם, are Rebbe Meir and Rebbe Shimon, ראה רבי דבריו של ר"מ באותו ואת בנו – Rebbe saw the advantage of Rebbe Meir’s opinion regarding אותו ואת בנו that it is a shechitah, ושנאו בלשון חכמים – and therefore taught it as the view of “the Chochomim” (the majority opinion). Regarding כסוי הדם, however, he agreed with Rebbe Shimon that it is not considered shechitah, and therefore presented that view here as “the Chochomim.” The Gemara then explains the sources of each machlokes, and why Rebbe distinguished between the two cases.

Although Rebbe Shimon holds שחיטה שאינה ראויה is not considered shechitah, Rebbe Abba said he agrees שמטהרתה מידי נבלה – that it “purifies” it from neveilah, i.e., prevents it from becoming tamei as a נבילה. The Gemara explains that the novelty of this ruling is where a tereifah of chullin was shechted in the עזרה. Although chullin shechted in the עזרה is normally forbidden in benefit, Rebbe Shimon permits a tereifah shechted in the עזרה, since the shechitah was invalid (the Chochomim disagree, because they hold שחיטה שאינה ראויה is a shechitah). Rebbe Abba is teaching that although Rebbe Shimon does not consider שחיטה שאינה ראויה a shechitah, it still saves the animal from טומאת נבילה. This ruling proves that Rebbe Shimon holds the prohibition against benefiting from ordinary חולין shechted in the עזרה is דאורייתא. Had it been מדרבנן (because of a gezeirah), it would also apply to an invalid shechitah.

Rebbe Chiya’s flax was infested with moths, and Rebbe told him to shecht a bird where the flax was soaking, and the blood would drive the moths away. The Gemara objects from a Baraisa:  השוחט וצריך לדם חייב לכסות - if one shechts a bird and needs the blood for his own use, he is still required to cover it, even if he will lose its use. Instead, או נוחרו או עוקרו – he should either stab [the סימנים] or tear [them] out, which does not obligate כסוי הדם. How could Rebbe Chiya “shecht” the bird to obtain its blood?