Halocho #355 - When is gold like sand?

After slaughering a bird or a non-domestic animal (i.e. a "Chaya", for example a deer) one needs to cover its blood. This Mitzva of "Kisuy Hadam" does not apply to domestic animals ("Behemot") like cows, sheep and goats. It does apply to fowl. One needs to have sand on the floor before one slaughters. After slaughtering one puts other sand on top of the blood. Before covering the blood one makes a Bracha:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לקינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְווֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל כִּסּוּי הַדָּם

If one does not have sand or fine sawdust or something similar, one may use gold dust to cover the blood, since the Pasuk in Iyov (28:6) refers to gold as sand. Source: Rambam, Hilchot Shechita, Ch. 14 - Danny Wednesday, 2 Tamuz 5769

Please daven for a complete recovery for Naomi Malka bas Toiba Fradel

Halocho #349 - Calf and mother; can one eat them together?

It's a Torah prohibition to slaughter a calf and its mother on the same day.

It does not matter which animal was slaughtered first.

Even if the calf and its mother belong to 2 different people, it's still prohibited.

Even though it's prohibited, the meat of both animals is Kosher.

It does not matter how old the calf is.

One may slaughter a calf and its grandmother on the same day. If later on the same day one slaughters the mother/daughter, one transgresses 2 Torah prohibitions.

It's a debate if this prohibition applies to a calf and its father - even if one is 100% sure of the pedigree of the calf.

As in most of Jewish law, the day starts at sunset and ends the following day at dark.

There is no prohibition eating meat from a calf and its mother on the same day.

Source: Rambam, Hilchot Shechita (12:2)

- Danny Tuesday, 24 Sivan 5769

Please daven for a complete recovery for Chaya Uhdel Leah bat Shayna Yenta.

Halocho #83 - Can one sew on Yom Tov?

All 39 categories of "creative work" that are forbidden to do on Shabbos are also forbidden on Yom Tov, with some notable exceptions: - In order to prepare food for Yom Tov one may knead, cook, bake and shecht (ritually slaughter). - One may carry outside - even without an Eruv - on Yom Tov, as long as it's for some purpose, even if it's not food-related. - One may light a flame from an existing flame on Yom Tov if it's for some useful purpose, even if it's not food-related. However, one may not light a Yahrzeit candle on YomTov. - One may grind those spices on Yom Tov that would lose their flavor if ground before Yom Tov. - One may sew up stuffed chicken on Yom Tov, but the needle needs to be threaded before Yom Tov. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 98:1, 3, 15 ==================================================== Invite your friends to join Halocho a Day - here's a link to the invite page: http://www.facebook.com/groups/edit.php?members&gid=2387884087 ==================================================== - Danny