Color Code: Case: Black; Ruling: Green or Red; Name of Tanna: Gold; Reason: Blue; Condition: Purple; Proof: Grey ; Rule: Fuscia
Chapter 6
The sixth chapter of Meseches Chullin outlines the Halochos of covering the blood of non-domesticated animals and fowl. The Torah teaches,
אִ֨ישׁ אִ֜ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וּמִן־הַגֵּר֙ הַגָּ֣ר בְּתוֹכָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצ֜וּד צֵ֥יד חַיָּ֛ה אוֹ־ע֖וֹף אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵאָכֵ֑ל וְשָׁפַךְ֙ אֶת־דָּמ֔וֹ וְכִסָּ֖הוּ בֶּעָפָֽר׃
Our Perek will describe who is obligated and when, what type of animals, the proper procedures for covering the blood, blood-like mixtures and which substances may be used to cover the blood.
Mishnah 6:1
Like the prior Perek and the ones that follow, our Mishah begins by setting out the geographical scope, time frame, consecration status and types of animals subject to the Mitzvah of Kisui HaDam. The Mishnah concludes with a discussion of the Koy, an animal for which the Chachomim are uncertain as to which category, wild or domestic, it falls.
כִּסּוּי הַדָּם נוֹהֵג
בָּאָרֶץ וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ,
בִּפְנֵי הַבַּיִת וְשֶׁלֹּא בִפְנֵי הַבַּיִת,
בְּחֻלִּין אֲבָל לֹא בְמֻקְדָּשִׁים.
וְנוֹהֵג בְּחַיָּה וּבְעוֹף,
בִּמְזֻמָּן וּבְשֶׁאֵינוֹ מְזֻמָּן.
וְנוֹהֵג בְּכוֹי, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא סָפֵק.
וְאֵין שׁוֹחֲטִין אוֹתוֹ בְיוֹם טוֹב.
וְאִם שְׁחָטוֹ, אֵין מְכַסִּין אֶת דָּמוֹ:
(1) [The law of] “covering up the blood” applies both within the land of Israel and outside it, both during the existence of the Temple and after it, It applies to unconsecrated animal, but not consecrated animals. It applies [only] to wild animals and birds, whether they are at one's disposal or not. It applies also to a koy, for it is an animal about which there is a doubt. It may [therefore] not be slaughtered on a festival; and if it was slaughtered [on a festival] one may not cover up its blood.
Mishnah 6:2
Our Mishnah describes the procedures for situations when either the Shechita was improperly undertaken because the animal itself is not able to be eaten based on ulterior factors or when the Shechita itself is improper. In the former, the rule is in dispute. In the later, all agree that no Kisui HaDam is performed.
הַשּׁוֹחֵט וְנִמְצָא טְרֵפָה,
וְהַשּׁוֹחֵט לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה,
וְהַשּׁוֹחֵט חֻלִּין בִּפְנִים,
וְקָדָשִׁים בַּחוּץ,
חַיָּה וָעוֹף הַנִּסְקָלִים,
רַבִּי מֵאִיר מְחַיֵּב, וַחֲכָמִים פּוֹטְרִין.
הַשׁוֹחֵט וְנִתְנַבְּלָה בְיָדוֹ, הַנּוֹחֵר, וְהַמְעַקֵּר, פָּטוּר מִלְּכַסּוֹת:
(2) If a person slaughtered [a wild animal or a bird] and it was found to be terefah, or if he slaughtered [it as an offering] to idols, or if he slaughtered that which was unconsecrated inside the sanctuary or that which was consecrated outside, or if he slaughtered a wild animal or a bird that was condemned to be stoned: Rabbi Meir makes him liable to cover up the blood; But the sages make him exempt. If he slaughtered [a wild animal or a bird] and it became nevelah under his hand, or if he stabbed it, or tore away [the organs of the throat], he is exempt from covering up [the blood].
Mishnah 6:3
As we learned in the first Mishnah in the Mesechta, certain people are unfit to Shecht an animal. One of these categories are unsupervised Cheresh, Shoteh v'Katan. However, when supervised by a competent adult, their Shechita is valid.
Our Mishnah describes a dispute as to how to treat the Shechita of an unsupervised "ChaSHok." Per Rabi Meir, this Shechita is deemed wholly invalid and, therefore, you need neither cover the blood (in fact, it may be prohibted to do so) or worry about potential violations of Oso V'es Beno. Whereas, the Chachomim remain unsure as to the Shechita's validity and, therefore, require Kisui HaDam and restrict Shechting in violation of Oso V'es Beno.
חֵרֵשׁ, שׁוֹטֶה וְקָטָן שֶׁשָּׁחֲטוּ וַאֲחֵרִים רוֹאִין אוֹתָן, חַיָּב לְכַסּוֹת.
בֵּינָן לְבֵין עַצְמָם, פָּטוּר מִלְּכַסּוֹת.
וְכֵן לְעִנְיַן אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בְּנוֹ, שֶׁשָּׁחֲטוּ וַאֲחֵרִים רוֹאִין אוֹתָן, אָסוּר לִשְׁחֹט אַחֲרֵיהֶם.
בֵּינָן לְבֵין עַצְמָן, רַבִּי מֵאִיר מַתִּיר לִשְׁחֹט אַחֲרֵיהֶן, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹסְרִים.
וּמוֹדִים שֶׁאִם שָׁחַט, שֶׁאֵינוֹ סוֹפֵג אֶת הָאַרְבָּעִים:
(3) If a deaf-mute, an imbecile or a minor slaughtered while others watched them, one must cover up the blood; But if they were alone, they are exempt from covering it up. Similarly for the matter of “it and its young”: if they slaughtered while others watched them, it is forbidden to slaughter after them [the mother/young], But if they were alone: Rabbi Meir permits to slaughter after them [the mother/young]. But the rabbis forbid it. They agree, that if a person did slaughter [after them], he has not incurred forty lashes.
Mishnah 6:4
Our Mishnah focuses on some of the particular mechanics of the Mitzvah, beginning with the application of the Mitzvah when more than one animal or fowl (or a mixture) is being Shechted at the same time.
Importantly, our Mishnah teaches that the Mitzvah is for the blood to be covered and, therefore, in a situation where a person notices a pool of uncovered blood, that person has an affirmative obligation to cover the blood. If the blood is subsequently uncovered, there is no obligation to recover the blood.
The final case of the Misha suggests that the covering must be undertaken by human intervention and not natural phenomena. Nevertheless, the Gemara, followed by most Meforshim, understand this clause as connected to the prior and, therefore, the obligation in such a situation to cover the blood is only if the blood was subsequently revealed. If however, the wind covered the blood, there is no longer any obligation to cover the blood.
שָׁחַט מֵאָה חַיּוֹת בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, כִּסּוּי אֶחָד לְכֻלָּן.
מֵאָה עוֹפוֹת בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, כִּסּוּי אֶחָד לְכֻלָּן.
חַיָּה וָעוֹף בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, כִּסּוּי אֶחָד לְכֻלָּן.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, שָׁחַט חַיָּה, יְכַסֶּנָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִשְׁחֹט אֶת הָעוֹף.
שָׁחַט וְלֹא כִסָּה וְרָאָהוּ אַחֵר, חַיָּב לְכַסּוֹת.
כִּסָּהוּ וְנִתְגַּלָּה, פָּטוּר מִלְּכַסּוֹת.
כִּסָּהוּ הָרוּחַ, חַיָּב לְכַסּוֹת:
(4) If a person slaughtered a hundred wild animals in one place, one covering suffices for all. If [he slaughtered] a hundred birds in one place, one covering suffices for all. If [he slaughtered] a wild animal and a bird in one place, one covering suffices for both. Rabbi Judah says: if he slaughtered a wild animal he should cover up its blood and then slaughter the bird [and cover it up also]. If a person slaughtered and did not cover up the blood and another person saw it, the other must cover it up. If he covered it up and it became uncovered, he need not cover it up again. If the wind covered it up, he must cover it up again.
Introduction to 6:5
Our Mishnah describes situations when the when the blood of an animal or fowl that requires covering is mixed with either water, wine or other blood and whether the entire mixture requires covering.
Our Mishnah is an almost verbatim copy of the Mishnah in Zevachim 8:6 describing the same set of mixtures as they relate to the blood of Korbonos. That could be why our Mishnah retains the word "Chaya" despite אישא in context it makes no sense as a Chaya is obligated in the Mitzvah. (The meforshim answer that we are talking about the blood of a wild animal that comes from a wound or some other source, but not Shechita).
דָּם שֶׁנִּתְעָרֵב בְּמַיִם, אִם יֶשׁ בּוֹ מַרְאִית דָּם, חַיָּב לְכַסּוֹת.
נִתְעָרֵב בְּיַיִן, רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ כְאִלּוּ הוּא מָיִם.
נִתְעָרֵב בְּדַם הַבְּהֵמָה אוֹ בְדַם הַחַיָּה, רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ כְאִלּוּ הוּא מָיִם.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אֵין דָּם מְבַטֵּל דָּם:
(5) If the blood became mixed with water and it still has the color of blood, it must be covered up. If it became mixed with wine, [the wine] is to be regarded as though it was water. If it became mixed with the blood of a beast or with the blood of a wild animal, it is to be regarded as though it was water. Rabbi Judah says: blood does not annul other blood.
Introduction to 6:6
Typically, the Mitzvah of Kisui HaDam is performed on the pool of blood that is formed following Shechita. However, at times, all that may be left is the blood remaining on the knife or that sprayed on to the wall. In such a case, our Mishnah teaches that one must still perform the Mitzvah by covering the remaining blood.
As if often the case, Rabi Yehuda is merely clarifying the Tana Kama's position and is not arguing.
דָּם הַנִּתָּז וְשֶׁעַל הַסַּכִּין, חַיָּב לְכַסּוֹת.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אֵימָתַי, בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין שָׁם דָּם אֶלָּא הוּא.
אֲבָל יֵשׁ שָׁם דָּם שֶׁלֹּא הוּא, פָּטוּר מִלְּכַסּוֹת:
(6) The blood which spurted out and that which is upon the knife must also be covered up. Rabbi Judah says: when is this the case? When there is no other blood but that; but when there is other blood besides this, it need not be covered up.
Introduction to 6:7
If the Mitzvah is to cover the blood, the obvious question is, with what shall you cover it with? The Torah's obvious choice is dirt, however the Chachomim give this an expansive definition. The final Mishnah of our Perek describes the various "dirt-like" substances that qualify for this MItzvah.
בַּמֶּה מְכַסִּין, וּבַמָּה אֵין מְכַסִּין.
מְכַסִּין בְּזֶבֶל הַדַּק, וּבְחֹל הַדַּק, בְּסִיד, וּבְחַרְסִית, וּבִלְבֵנָה וּבִמְגוּפָה שֶׁכְּתָשָׁן.
אֲבָל אֵין מְכַסִּין לֹא בְזֶבֶל הַגַּס, וְלֹא בְחוֹל הַגַּס, וְלֹא בִלְבֵנָה וּמְגוּפָה שֶׁלֹא כְתָשָׁן,
וְלֹא יִכְפֶּה עָלָיו אֶת הַכֶּלִי.
כְּלָל אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל,
דָּבָר שֶׁמְּגַדֵּל בּוֹ צְמָחִין, מְכַסִּין בּוֹ.
וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ מְגַדֵּל צְמָחִין, אֵין מְכַסִּין בּוֹ:
(7) With what may one cover up [the blood] and with what may one not cover it up?One may cover it up with fine dung, with fine sand, with lime, with white clay, or a brick or an earthenware stopper [of a cask] that have been ground into powder. But one may not cover it up with coarse dung or coarse sand, or with a brick or an earthenware stopper [of a cask] that have not been ground into powder. Nor may one cover it with a vessel. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel stated a general rule: one may cover it with anything in which plants would grow; but one may not cover it with anything in which plants would not grow.