Mitzvah —
188
Not to eat the meat of an animal that died without ritual slaughter
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לֹ֣א תֹאכְל֣וּ כׇל־נְ֠בֵלָ֠ה לַגֵּ֨ר אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֜יךָ תִּתְּנֶ֣נָּה וַאֲכָלָ֗הּ א֤וֹ מָכֹר֙ לְנׇכְרִ֔י כִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹֽא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ׃ - פָּרָשַׁת רְאֵה
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Deuteronomy 14:21 - "You shall not eat any carcass. You may give it to the stranger who is in your cities, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to the Lord, your God. You shall not cook a kid in its mother's milk."
This Mitzvah's Summary
מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Kashrut – כַּשְׁרוּת
Forbidden to eat an animal that died on its own or was not slaughtered according to Torah law.
This mitzvah prohibits eating a nevelah—the carcass of an animal that died naturally, was killed improperly, or not slaughtered in accordance with halachic shechitah. Although such meat may be given or sold to non-Jews, Jews are commanded to refrain from eating it. This law emphasizes the sanctity of Israel’s diet and the distinction of holiness even in the act of eating, reminding us that food must pass through the Torah’s framework of purity.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Ma’achalot Asurot 4:1): Rules that eating any part of a nevelah is forbidden by Torah law.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 73): The root is to preserve holiness and prevent spiritual contamination through improper food consumption.
- Talmud (Chullin 73b): Discusses the definition of nevelah and distinguishes it from other prohibitions, such as tereifah (mortally wounded animals).
Commentaries
(Source: Chabad.org)
