The Eddie B Sit edition, an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, specifically Masechet Chullin, has been dedicated by our good friend Mr. Joey Jamal and his wife in honor of their son Jack's engagement to Shirley Sutton. Bezrat Hashem, may they get married besha'ah tovah u'mutzlachat, and through the merit of the learning that we will engage in over the next several months in Masechet Chullin, may they enjoy much nachat, shalom bayit, peace, prosperity, and all the blessings. Amen.
We begin our study on Daf Kuf Tet, starting from the Mishna, three lines from the bottom. The term "kachal" refers to the udder of an animal. The udder contains both milk and meat. The question arises: how do we consume it? The Mishna states that one should cut it open and drain the milk. If one does not cut it open, they are not transgressing the prohibition of cooking a kid in its mother's milk, even though it may seem that one is cooking milk and meat, as the milk is contained within the udder.
Rashi explains that if one does not cut it open, they are not liable for punishment, neither for eating it nor for cooking it, because the milk of the udder is not considered regular milk. The Gemara elaborates on whether there is a rabbinic prohibition involved. It appears that the milk within the udder does not carry the same halachic status as meat and milk in general. However, ideally, one should cut it open, drain it, and then eat it.
Next, we discuss the heart, referred to as "lev." The heart contains blood, and one cannot prepare it without first cutting it open. The Mishna states that one must cut it open and drain the blood. If one does not cut it open, they are not liable for any transgression regarding the prohibition of blood. The blood of the heart does not carry the same severity as other prohibited blood. Rashi notes that if one does not cut it open, they will not be liable for karet, which is a severe punishment.
In Masechet Keritut, it is clarified that this discussion pertains to the heart of a bird, which does not contain a significant amount of blood, thus exempting it from the karet punishment. However, in the case of a large animal, failure to cut it open after cooking can lead to karet because the blood is more substantial. Nonetheless, the flesh of the heart remains permissible since it does not absorb the blood. Rashi further explains that the flesh of the heart is smooth and does not absorb the blood, which is why it remains permissible.
The Gemara begins on Amud Bet, stating that one is not transgressing if they cook the kachal with the milk intact. Not only is one not transgressing a Torah prohibition, but it is also permissible to eat it. Rashi clarifies that one is not transgressing a Torah prohibition, and it is permitted to eat it without cutting it open first. Even if milk is squeezed out and subsequently absorbed back into the meat, the milk does not carry a rabbinic prohibition.
This leads us to a general principle: milk found in an animal after it has been slaughtered is not prohibited by Torah law. However, if one were to milk an animal while it is alive, that milk is prohibited when mixed with meat. The milk found in a slaughtered animal, known as chalav shechuta, is only rabbinically prohibited if mixed with meat. Since the milk in the kachal is absorbed within the flesh, the Rabbis did not impose a rabbinic prohibition on it. Ideally, one should drain the milk, but if they did not, it is permissible to eat.
Now, the Gemara discusses the method of cutting the kachal. Rabbi Yehuda states that it should be cut in two directions—down and across—and then squeezed against the wall to ensure the milk drains properly. Rabbi Elazar, however, tells his servant to simply cut it open and roast it without the additional steps, indicating a more lenient approach.
Yalta, the wife of Rav Nachman, raises an insightful point: everything that the Torah prohibits has a permissible alternative. For instance, while blood is forbidden, the liver can be consumed as it contains blood yet is permissible. She provides several examples to illustrate this principle, culminating in her desire to eat meat and milk together, which is ordinarily forbidden. Rav Nachman instructs his butchers to roast the kachal, which retains the flavor of milk and meat, thus providing a legal way to experience that taste.
The Gemara notes that the prohibition of cutting the kachal before roasting applies only when cooking in a pot, as cooking causes the milk to escape and re-enter the meat. In contrast, when roasting, the milk that escapes does not return, making it permissible. The discussion continues, emphasizing that even if one did not cut the kachal before roasting, it remains permissible to eat after the fact, as the milk is absorbed in the meat.
In conclusion, the Gemara reiterates that there is no rabbinic prohibition against eating the kachal if it was not cut open prior to roasting. The discussion highlights the differences in halachic treatment between the kachal and the heart, illustrating the nuanced approach to these laws. We conclude with a blessing, Baruch Adonai le-olam, amen ve-amen.