Chullin

Fat that is covered with flesh is permitted. It is evident therefore that the Divine Law spoke of that which is ‘upon the loins’1 and not of that which is in the loins; likewise here, the Divine Law spoke of that which is ‘above the kidneys’1 and not of that which is in the kidneys. [To revert to] the above text. ‘R. Abba said in the name of Rab Judah on the authority of Samuel: Fat that is covered with flesh is permitted’. But this cannot be, for has not R. Abba also said in the name of Rab Judah on the authority of Samuel that the fat which is under the loins is forbidden?2 Abaye answered: An animal whilst alive has its limbs dislocated.3 Even as R. Johanan said: ‘I am no butcher nor the son of a butcher, but I remember this statement that was generally quoted in the Beth-Hamidrash, "An animal whilst alive has its limbs dislocated"’. R. Abba said in the name of Rab Judah who said it in the name of Samuel: The fat which is upon the omasum and reticulum is forbidden and one is liable to the penalty of Kareth on account of it; this is the fat that is ‘upon the in wards’.4 R. Abba further said in the name of Rab Judah who said it in the name of Samuel: The fat which is upon the innominate bone5 is forbidden and one is liable to the penalty of Kareth on account of it; this is the ‘fat which is upon the loins’. R. Abba also said in the name of Rab Judah who said it in the name of Samuel: The small veins in the fore-limb are forbidden. Said R. Safra: You Moses!6 Does the Divine Law forbid the eating of meat? — Raba replied: You Moses! Does the Divine Law allow the eating of blood? But if it [the fore-limb] was cut and salted it may even [be cooked] in a pot.7 Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: [The fat upon] the first cubit of the intestines must be scraped away; this is the fat upon the intestines.8 Rab Judah said: The veins9 in the rump are forbidden. There are five veins9 in the loins, three on the right side and two on the left. Each one of the three veins branches into two, and each one of the two veins branches into three. The practical importance of this is that if one removes then, while the flesh is still warm they will slip out easily, otherwise one must follow them up [to this number]. Abaye (others say: Rab Judah) said: There are five10 veins, three are forbidden on account of fat and two on account of blood. The veins in the spleen, in the loins and in the kidneys are forbidden on account of fat; those in the fore-limb and in the cheeks on account of blood.11 What is the practical difference here? — Those forbidden on account of blood, if cut up and salted may be eaten; but the others have no remedy at all. R. Kahana (others say: Rab Judah) said: There are five membranes, three are forbidden on account of fat, and two on account of blood; that of the spleen, the loins, and the kidneys is forbidden on account of fat; that of the testicles and of the brain on account of blood. R. Judah b. Oshaia was once scraping [the fat from] the spleen for Levi the son of R. Huna b. Hiyya, and was cutting away [the fat] only at the upper end,12 whereupon the latter said to him, ‘Go lower down too’. When his father came and found him doing this, he said: Thus said your mother's father (that is, R. Jeremiah b. Abba) in the name of Rab: The Torah forbade only [the fat] at the top.13 But this surely cannot be, for R. Hamnuna reported that a Tanna taught: The membrane which is upon the spleen is forbidden but one is not liable on account of it. Now what can this mean? If it means, [the fat] which is at the top, then why is one not liable on account of it? It must therefore mean the fat over the whole [of the spleen]! — He replied: If it was so taught then it was taught. 14 [To revert to] the main text. ‘R. Hamnuna reported, that a Tanna taught: The membrane which is upon the spleen is forbidden but one is not liable on account of it’. The membrane which is upon the kidney is forbidden but one is not liable on account of it. But it has been taught: One is liable on account of it!15 — With regard to the spleen there is no contradiction because the latter ruling refers to the fat which is at the top and the former to that which is not at the top. And with regard to the kidney there is no contradiction because the latter ruling refers to the upper membrane16 and the former to the lower membrane. As to crushed17 testicles [there is a dispute between] R. Ammi and R. Assi, one forbids them and the other permits them. He who forbids them [argues thus]: sacrifice on the altar. dislocated. Consequently the fat under the loins is not always covered with flesh, and it is therefore forbidden. cut up and the veins cut too, it is permitted for all purposes. the minor veins are reckoned.