Mitzvah —
194
Not to eat the sinew of the thigh (sciatic nerve)
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עַל־כֵּ֡ן לֹֽא־יֹאכְל֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־גִּ֣יד הַנָּשֶׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־כַּ֣ף הַיָּרֵ֔ךְ עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י נָגַע֙ בְּכַף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּגִ֖יד הַנָּשֶֽׁה׃ - פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּשְׁלַח
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Genesis. 32:33 - "Therefore, the children of Israel may not eat the displaced tendon, which is on the socket of the hip, until this day, for he touched the socket of Jacob's hip, in the hip sinew."
This Mitzvah's Summary
מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Kashrut – כַּשְׁרוּת
Forbidden to eat the Gid HaNasheh, the sinew of the thigh.
This mitzvah prohibits eating the Gid HaNasheh (sciatic nerve) located in the hindquarters of kosher animals. The prohibition originates from the incident where the angel wounded Yaakov Avinu at the hip, and the Torah records that Bnei Yisrael abstain from this nerve as a perpetual reminder. The Gid HaNasheh is carefully removed in the process of nikur (deveining) to make the meat permissible. The mitzvah symbolizes the eternal struggle and resilience of the Jewish people.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Ma’achalot Asurot 8:1): Codifies the prohibition of eating the Gid HaNasheh and applies it to both domesticated and wild kosher animals.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 3): The root is to commemorate the event in Yaakov’s life, teaching Israel that though struck, he endured, just as the nation will endure trials.
- Talmud (Chullin 90b): Explains the procedure for removing the Gid HaNasheh and confirms the mitzvah as binding for all generations.
Commentaries
(Source: Chabad.org)
