Chullin

— It was a new [knife]. If new, [it should not be prohibited at all, since] it is merely an appurtenance for the worship of idols, and appurtenances of idols, both according to R. Ishmael and R. Akiba,1 are not forbidden till actually used in idol worship. — If you wish I can answer: It was used for cutting up wood for the idol;2 or if you wish I can answer: It was an old knife which was cleansed in the fire.3 It was stated: If a man slaughtered with the knife of a Gentile, Rab says. He must pare (the flesh];4 Rabbah b. Bar Hana5 says: He need only rinse it. Shall we say that their difference lies in this: One holds the view that the throat is cold.6 while the other holds the view that it is hot?7 No. All hold the view that the throat is hot; therefore, he who says: ‘he must pare it’, is clearly understood, but he who says that he need only rinse it [argues thus]: while the organs [of the throat] keep on spurting out blood they will not absorb [any fat from the knife].8 Some there are who state as follows: All hold the view that the throat is cold; therefore, he who says: ‘he need only rinse it’.is clearly understood, but he who says that he must pare it [argues thus]: by reason of the pressure of the knife [the flesh] must absorb [to some extent]. A knife which was used for slaughtering an animal found to be trefah,9 is the subject of a dispute between R. Aha and Rabina. One says, [It must be cleansed] with hot water;10 the other says. [It may be cleansed even] with cold water. The law is: Even with cold water. And if there is at hand a piece of cloth11 wherewith to wipe [the knife], nothing more is required. Now what is the reason of the one who says that it must be cleansed with hot water? It is [is it not] because it absorbed forbidden fat?12 If so, even after slaughtering an animal which is permitted to be eaten it should also require [cleansing with hot water] because it absorbed [the fat] of the limbs of a living animal?13 — [It is not so;] for [the knife] absorbs [the fat] only when [the throat] is hot, and it becomes hot only at the end of the slaughtering when the animal is ritually permitted. Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: A butcher requires three separate knives, one for slaughtering, one for cutting meat, and one for cutting away the [forbidden] fat. But why should he not use the same knife first for cutting meat and then for cutting fat? — It is forbidden to do so lest he cut with it the fat first and then the meat.14 Well, even now, he might get them mixed! — No; since he must have two separate knives he will make a distinguishing mark on each.15 Again Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: A butcher requires two separate pails of water, one in which he washes the meat and one in which he washes the fat. But why should he not use the same pail for washing in it first the meat and then the fat? — It is forbidden to do so lest he wash in it the fat first and then the meat.16 Well even now, he might get them mixed! — No; since he must have two separate pails he will make a distinguishing mark on each. Amemar said in the name of R. Papa: One should not place the loins on top of other meat for fear that the fat [attached to the loins] will run and will be absorbed by the meat. If so, why not apprehend the same even when the loins lie in their natural position, namely, that the fat [upon the loins] will run and will be absorbed by the flesh [of the loins]? — There is a membrane underneath [the fat of the loins] which separates it [from the flesh of the loins]. But then, after it has been worshipped; but in the case of appurtenances of idols they agree that these are not prohibited until actually used in worship. because of the fat of forbidden foods that was absorbed in the knife and was now transmitted to the flesh. the knife and, therefore, Rabbah b. Bar Hana maintains that rinsing of the flesh in water is sufficient. knife. the requisite amount has been cut, the knife will have absorbed forbidden fat. because of the danger of damaging or notching it.