Torah & Judaism For Today's World

Ben Pekuah. Anyone Interested in a Discussion?

The Ben Pekuah is I dare say the most intriguing Halacha in the realm of Kashrus and probably in the entire Torah.
It is the foetus found inside a slaughtered beast. Just as the beast that has been slaughtered may be eaten so too may its foetus. However, many issues that will trouble the mother will be no trouble for the foetus.

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Permalink Reply by meir rabi on August 22, 2008 at 8:43am: In Australia it is not 8:41 as indicated in the topic masthead, it is 3:41pm Erev Shabbos.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Aryeh Shore on August 22, 2008 at 8:55am: So in modern veterinary medicine, it is no problem in delivering nine month old fetuses immediately after slaughter. One could then mate the offspring and have a herd of benei pikuach. Even if we continue with actual treif from the Torah, most of the 50% treif animals we get on slaughter of dairy cows are do to chumrahs on chumrahs which we could then ignore.
The major objection has been that one might escape and mate with a "normal" cow and then one would have no way of slaughtering the offspring since they have only one siman. However, we could introduce a gene making the cows have green eyes or purple tails which would clearly identify them. We could also insert a lethal gene so they would be sterile if mated with a non-ben pekuach.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by meir rabi on August 22, 2008 at 10:02am: Aryeh,
It appears that you are interseted in discussing this topic, thank you for your interest and your far sighted projections.
I was not thinking of creating a herd of Beney Pekuah, well at least not right now. I was more intersted in discussing the Gemara and the Halachic authorities. As far as I know this proposal has been suggested to some Poskim of our times and they have not been particularly pleased with the idea. And their position is a little surprising becuase they do not clearly indicate why they are not keen. It is also a little surprising since such a programme offers number of very valuable Halachic advantages.

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Permalink Reply by Aryeh Shore on August 30, 2008 at 8:01pm: I can't seem in my notes what is the dispute on whether the blood of the ben pekuah is mutar or assur. Do you have something?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by meir rabi on August 31, 2008 at 3:58am: Aryeh, I am not sure why you begin the discussion re blood but here's some info.

The Mishnah says that the blood of the BP is Assur. The Rishonim pursue the reason for this. Some argue that it is a "drink" and the Hetter for BP is only solid food that one "eats", others suggest that it is the same as the blood of the mother and just as the mother's blood is Assur so too is the mother's blood found in the BP.

Would you you like to post your notes on the discussion page or perhaps email them to me?

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