What It All Boils Down To

Tzemach Atlas has another interesting post, this one on Tzar Ba'alei Hayyim (pain caused to an animal) after ritual slaughter. Interestingly, the Da'as K'doshim "Dovid" mentions in the post in opposition to the KAJ-instituted throat-ripping (or so Dovid seems to claim) appears to be the same source Rabbi Chaim Kohn of KAJ cited for me in support of the KAJ endorsed second cut/throat ripping. This will need to be clarified.

But the idea that KAJ "has what to rely on" is foolish.

Why?

Because we now know for a fact that the animal can feel pain as long as it remains conscious, which in well done shechita – not Rubashkin shechita – is for 10 to 30 seconds after the shochet's initial cut. So, while the animal does not appear to feel properly done shechita carried out in a standing pen, it would feel the throat-ripping that follows.

In other words, this is not an arcane legal argument about what one is or is not punished for under Jewish law. This is a real life situation and it is clearly apparent that the animal feels the pain of the throat-ripping, and that the throat-ripping prolongs the animal's suffering.

So, we are left with the following choice:

1. If the intent of Jewish law is to prevent tzar ba'alei hayyim, the KAJ, et al, have committed a heinous crime.

2. If the intent of Jewish law is to foster arcane debates removed from the real world, and Jewish leaders isolated from the consequences of – and the suffering caused by – the results of them, the KAJ, et al, have done no wrong.

Of course, if the answer is #2, we all need to find a different Judaism.

Comments

[Mr Clock]

My vote:
Heinous crime