Parts of the Animal

Roast Ox: a whole ox roasting on a spit (source)In order to keep biblically kosher, one must be mindful not only of the species of animal, but also the parts of the animal to be eaten. The first mention of a prohibited part of an animal occurs in Genesis 32:32. The chapter describes how the patriarch Jacob wrestled with a mysterious stranger until daybreak, until his opponent touched his hip, putting it out of joint. After that, the Torah explains, "Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh." The Hebrew term for the "sinew of the thigh" is gid hanasheh (גיד הנשה).

While this verse is not formulated as a command, the significance of this dietary practice is profound. Observance of this practice is an identification with the struggle of Jacob, his overcoming, his blessing, and his new identity as Israel. Ignoring this custom would mean distancing oneself from each of these things, in which case eating kosher has little meaning.

Jewish tradition has retained the identity of the gid hanasheh, known today as the sciatic nerve. Completely removing this piece is a tedious surgical procedure. Nonetheless, there are some highly skilled individuals who are capable of doing so.

The Torah also indicates that the fat of certain animals is not to be eaten:

It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood. (Leviticus 3:17)

Speak to the people of Israel, saying, You shall eat no fat, of ox or sheep or goat. The fat of an animal that dies of itself and the fat of one that is torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but on no account shall you eat it. For every person who eats of the fat of an animal [Hebrew: behemah] of which a food offering may be made to the LORD shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 7:23–25)

It should be noted that the word translated "ox" (shor, שור) actually has a much broader semantic range, including any bovine species, such as cows. (The term behemah is a more narrow term than its translation "animal," specifically referring to large land animals, meaning that other animals such as birds are not in view of this law.)

This would pose a problem for a literalist: how can one avoid eating any fat from an animal? All meat contains some amount of fat. At first glance, this law would preclude the possibility of eating any meat whatsoever.

Jewish interpretation sees the term for fat (chelev, חלב) in the context of the sacrificial laws, referring to fat portions and layers in the animal, rather than fat that is marbled into the meat. If meat is to be kosher, these fat portions must be selected out and removed.

As we will discuss in the next chapter, blood is also strictly forbidden. Some Jewish communities remove the larger blood vessels, since they will contain blood.1

Much of the forbidden fat of an animal is found in the hindquarters. The blood vessels in the hindquarters are particularly difficult to remove. The sciatic nerve is also contained in the hindquarters. Considering all of these factors, many Jewish communities find that it is more cost-effective to sell the hindquarters to a non-kosher butcher. However, the meat contained in the hindquarters is not inherently non-kosher if it is properly processed by someone with the skill and knowledge to do so.

The forbidden portions of animals pose an equal challenge to biblical kosher as clean and unclean species. If they do not come from a kosher slaughterhouse, ground beef, sausages, and hot dogs are guaranteed to contain these forbidden portions. To put it bluntly, typical ground meats sold at the local grocery store are not biblically kosher. Many meat cuts—especially those from the hindquarters such as tenderloin, T-bone, and filet mignon, as well as liver—are likely to contain forbidden parts of the animal as well. This is true regardless of whether or not the meat is labeled "organic," "natural," or "lean."

This means that while it is a worthwhile step forward to substitute beef sausage instead of pork pepperoni on a pizza, it still does not rise to the level of the Bible's kosher standard.

1. 1. What's the Truth about...Nikkur Achoraim? OUKosher.org. http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/articles/single_print/6550