Hadran: Advancing Talmud Study for Women

Rav Yehuda discusses the physical dangers of consuming chiltit (asafoetida), particularly on an empty stomach, which Rav Yosef expands upon by listing other hazardous foods consumed on an empty stomach.

The Gemara notes that Rav initially permitted an animal whose legs had been severed because he verified that the convergence of sinews (tzumat hagidim) remained intact. Shmuel, however, cautioned him that the severing might have been caused by a venomous snakebite, rendering the animal forbidden due to mortal danger. Shmuel proposed a specific diagnostic test to detect the presence of venom; upon execution, the test confirmed Shmuel’s suspicion that the injury was indeed the result of a snakebite.

The Mishna enumerates the physiological kosher signs for animals, birds, grasshoppers, and fish. A kosher mammal must possess fully split hooves and chew its cud. While explicit kosher signs for birds are absent from the Torah, the Sages established four indicators: a bird must not be predatory (dores), and it must possess an extra digit, a crop, and a gizzard with an easily peelable inner lining. Rabbi Elazar b’Rabbi Tzadok adds another sign, noting that a bird that evenly splits its digits when perched on a rope is definitively non-kosher. For fish, the required signs are fins and scales, though the Sages debate whether multiple scales are required or if a single scale suffices. Kosher grasshoppers must exhibit four specific traits: four legs, four wings, two extra jumping legs (kartzulayim), and wings that cover the majority of their body.

A braita asserts that any animal that chews its cud lacks upper front teeth. After addressing a series of difficulties regarding this rule, the Gemara clarifies that the absence of upper front teeth serves as a reliable indicator that an animal chews its cud and is kosher, with the sole exception of the camel (namely, a young camel). This anatomical indicator is practically valuable in cases where an animal’s hooves have been severed, leaving no other means to determine its kosher status.

To differentiate between domesticated animals (behema) and wild animals (chaya) – a distinction crucial for determining the prohibition of forbidden fats (chelev), which applies exclusively to domesticated species – a braita states that a wild animal is identified by its horns and cloven hooves. The Sages debate whether the horn alone is a clear sign or if both criteria must be checked. To resolve the anomaly of the goat and an ox, which possess both traits yet are classified as domesticated, the Gemara explains that the horns of a wild animal must be either branched, or layered, grooved, and rounded.

The braita further notes that a single-horned animal, known as the keresh, is classified as a wild animal. This introduces a discussion regarding legendary creatures, specifically the keresh and the tigris. The Gemara recounts an incident where a Roman emperor requested that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananya show him the tigris. However, the creature’s immense power caused widespread destruction from a distance, prompting the terrified emperor to beg Rabbi Yehoshua to return the beast to its place.

Conflicting traditions existed regarding Rav’s ruling in the case of a dislocated femur in a bird. Ultimately, the analysis indicates that Rav permitted such a bird, except in regions where the prevailing custom was to forbid it. However, after presenting various differing opinions regarding this issue, which leaned primarily toward permissibility, the Gemara brings an incident demonstrating that the widespread, accepted custom was indeed to forbid this condition; consequently, the practical halakha is established to be stringent in accordance with this accepted communal custom.

Rav Huna defines a treifa as an animal that cannot survive for more than twelve months. A contradiction is raised against this definition from a braita that brings three alternative opinions regarding what legally constitutes a treifa, none of which align with Rav Huna’s position. This difficulty is resolved by explaining that Rav Huna follows a different Tanna, whose view is reflected in another braita stating that one must wait through the winter months to determine whether an animal can successfully recover from its specific ailment.

The Mishna enumerates all the physical defects that cause a bird to be rendered a treifa, as well as those that leave it kosher. If a weasel (chulda) attacks a bird in an area where the brain membrane could have been perforated, the bird is considered a treifa. There are, however, different tests one can perform to ascertain whether the membrane was actually punctured, and the Gemara suggests various methods for this inspection. Conversely, in the case of birds that live in the water, a broken skull creates an absolute presumption that the brain membrane was punctured, meaning that no subsequent test will be effective in permitting the bird.

If a bird was caught in a fire and burned, the Gemara outlines specific ways to determine whether its internal organs were affected to the point of rendering the bird a treifa. This diagnostic procedure relies on checking for a change in color – either from red to green, or from green to red, depending on the specific internal organ being evaluated.

Following the Mishnaic list of kosher conditions in a bird that do not render it a treifa, the Amoraim introduce specific qualifications and limitations to restrict the scope of some of these permitted cases.