That we not eat forbidden fat (chelev): That we not eat the forbidden fat of a pure animal, as it is stated (Leviticus 7:23), “Any chelev of an ox or sheep or goat you shall not eat.”
I have already written in the prohibition of “torn” animals (treifah) in the Order of Mishpatim (Sefer HaChinukh 73) that in that the body is the vessel for the soul and with it does it act properly — and according to his merit and the quality of his constitution does he understand the wisdom placed in it and believes its counsel and follows it — because of this a man must regardless make efforts for the welfare of his body, to preserve its order, health and strength. And the thing is well-known and famous among people that the body functions for health or illness, according to foods [that it consumes]. As the flesh of the body spoils on each and every day, and it is formed in return by good nourishment. And it was from God’s great kindnesses towards us — His people that He chose — that He distanced from us all food that injures the body and that produces bad fluids in it. And this is the principle that I have according to the simple understanding about all prohibitions of foods, as we said above. And it is well-known that forbidden fat clings and produces bad fluids.
From the laws of the commandment is, for example, that which they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Keritot 4b) that the prohibition of forbidden fat is only with the three beasts in Scripture — the ox, the sheep and the goat. And one is liable for the chelev of these three, whether they are fit (kosher), torn or carcasses. But the chelev of other types of animals — whether impure or pure — is like its meat. And so [too,] there is no prohibition of chelev in the fetus that is called the embryo that is in the innards of the three beasts mentioned. And therefore, they said (Chullin 74b) [about] one who slaughters an animal and found an embryo in it, [that] all of its chelev is permitted — and even if he found it alive. But if it finished its months and he found it alive — even though it did not hover over the ground and it does not require slaughter — its chelev is forbidden, and we are liable excision for it. And behold, its law is like [adult] beasts regarding its chelev. And hence we must remove all the fibers and all of the forbidden membranes from it. This is the opinion of Rambam, may his memory be blessed, (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Forbidden Foods 7:3) regarding an embryo that has finished its months — that there is a liability for excision with its chelev. But the majority of the commentators disagree with this and say that its chelev is permissible. And the words of the Gemara (Chullin 92b) decide like them. As behold we found Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehudah disagreeing about its chelev; and Rabbi Yehudah — whom we follow — is the one that permits it.
And they, may their memory be blessed, also taught us (Chullin 75a) about the law of the embryo, that [the Torah] permits it with four benchmarks (its two and the two of its mother) — such that if its mother becomes “torn,” one can slaughter the embryo and it is permissible; as it is not the “thigh of its mother.” And that which they said (Chullin 75b) that if it hovered over the ground it requires slaughter; it is only because of appearances that we need to slaughter it. And therefore we do not disqualify it with pausing, pressing and the other types of [causing it to be] “torn.” And there are three forbidden fats in a beast that have a liability of excision: that on the innards; that on the kidneys; and that on the flanks. And the understanding of the three of them is [found] with great elucidation in its place in the Gemara (Chullin 93a). And more generally, they, may their memory be blessed, said in Chullin 93a, “Chelev that meat surrounds is permissible; as [the Torah] stated, ‘upon the flanks,’ and not ‘within the flanks.’”
And besides these three, there are also fibers and membranes that are forbidden on account of chelev. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Chullin 89b) that slaughterers that are expert in removing the chelev are trusted about the matter, so long they do not leave their status of their being expert and fit. And the chelev of the heart and the chelev of the intestines — and that is the small [tissues] wrapped around [them] — are permitted, and behold they are like shuman (permitted fats); except for the head of the intestines which is adjacent the maw, which is at the beginning of the intestines, as a man needs to scrape the chelev from upon it. And about it, they, may their memory be blessed, said in the Gemara (Chullin 93a), “The head of the intestines requires an ell of scraping.” (Rashi: Where the small [tissues] exit from the maw, there is a need to scrape the chelev from on top of them the length of an ell.) And there are some of the Geonim that said (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Forbidden Foods 7:15) that this intestine is the intestine from which the rectum comes out, which is the end of the intestines. And the rest of the details of the commandment and all of its content are elucidated in the seventh chapter of Chullin. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 64.)
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and eats a kazayit of chelev volitionally is lashed; inadvertently, he must bring a fixed sin-offering.
שֶׁלֹּא נֹאכַל חֵלֶב – שֶׁלֹּא נֹאכַל חֵלֶב בְּהֵמָה טְהוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ז כג) כָּל חֵלֶב שׁוֹר וְכֶשֶׂב וָעֵז לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ.
That we not eat forbidden fat (chelev): That we not eat the forbidden fat of a pure animal, as it is stated (Leviticus 7:23), “Any chelev of an ox or sheep or goat you shall not eat.”
כְּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי בְּאִסּוּר טְרֵפָה בְּסֵדֶר מִשְׁפָּטִים (מצוה עג) כִּי מִהְיוֹת הַגּוּף כְּלִי לַנֶּפֶשׁ וּבוֹ תִּפְעַל כֹּשֶׁר פְּעֻלּוֹתֶיהָ, וּלְפִי זְכוּתוֹ וְטוּב מִזְגּוֹ יָבִין דֶּרֶךְ הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחֲכָמָה הַנְּתוּנָה בּוֹ, וְיַאֲמִין לַעֲצָתָהּ וְיֵלֵךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ, מִפְּנֵי זֶה צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל עַל כָּל פָּנִים בְּמַהוּת גּוּפוֹ לְהַעֲמִידוֹ עַל יָשְׁרוֹ וּבֻרְיוֹ וְכֹחוֹ. וְיָדוּעַ הַדָּבָר וּמְפֻרְסָם בֵּין בְּנֵי אָדָם כִּי לְפִי הַמַּאֲכָלִים יִתְפַּעֵל הַגּוּף בִּבְרִיאוּת אוֹ בְּחֹלִי, כִּי בְּשַׂר הַגּוּף הַזֶּה נִפְסָד בְּכָל יוֹם וְיוֹם, וּלְפִי הַמְּזוֹנוֹת הַטּוֹבִים יִתְהַוֶּה בְּהֶפֶךְ. וְעַל כֵּן הָיָה מֵחַסְדֵי הָאֵל הַגְּדוֹלִים עָלֵינוּ אֲנַחְנוּ עַמּוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר וְהִרְחִיק מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל מַאֲכָל מַזִּיק אֶל הַגּוּף וּמוֹלִיד בּוֹ לֵחוֹת רָעוֹת. וְזֶה הַכְּלָל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי לְפִי הַפְּשָׁט בְּכָל אִסּוּר הַמַּאֲכָלוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה. וְיָדוּעַ כִּי הַחֵלֶב דָּבֵק וּמוֹלִיד לֵחוֹת רָעוֹת.
I have already written in the prohibition of “torn” animals (treifah) in the Order of Mishpatim (Sefer HaChinukh 73) that in that the body is the vessel for the soul and with it does it act properly — and according to his merit and the quality of his constitution does he understand the wisdom placed in it and believes its counsel and follows it — because of this a man must regardless make efforts for the welfare of his body, to preserve its order, health and strength. And the thing is well-known and famous among people that the body functions for health or illness, according to foods [that it consumes]. As the flesh of the body spoils on each and every day, and it is formed in return by good nourishment. And it was from God’s great kindnesses towards us — His people that He chose — that He distanced from us all food that injures the body and that produces bad fluids in it. And this is the principle that I have according to the simple understanding about all prohibitions of foods, as we said above. And it is well-known that forbidden fat clings and produces bad fluids.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, כְּגוֹן מַה שֶׁפֵּרְשׁוּ לָנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (כריתות ד ב) שֶׁאֵין אִסּוּר חֵלֶב אֶלָּא בְּשָׁלֹשׁ בְּהֵמוֹת שֶׁבַּכָּתוּב שׁוֹר וְכֶשֶׂב וָעֵז, וְאוֹתָן שָׁלֹשׁ בֵּין כְּשֵׁרוֹת אוֹ טְרֵפוֹת וּנְבֵלוֹת, חַיָּב עַל חֶלְבָּן, אֲבָל שְׁאָר מִינֵי בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה בֵּין טְמֵאָה בֵּין טְהוֹרָה, חֶלְבָּהּ כִּבְשָׂרָהּ. וְכֵן עֻבָּר הַנִּקְרָא שְׁלִיל הַנִּמְצָא בִּמְעֵי שָׁלֹשׁ בְּהֵמוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרוֹת אֵין בּוֹ גַּם כֵּן אִסּוּר חֵלֶב, וּלְפִיכָךְ אָמְרוּ (חולין עד א) הַשּׁוֹחֵט אֶת הַבְּהֵמָה וּמָצָא בָּהּ שְׁלִיל כָּל חֶלְבּוֹ מֻתָּר וַאֲפִלּוּ מְצָאוֹ חַי. וְאִם שָׁלְמוּ לוֹ חֳדָשָׁיו וּמְצָאוֹ חַי, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִפְרִיס עַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע וְאֵינוֹ טָעוּן שְׁחִיטָה חֶלְבּוֹ אָסוּר, וְחַיָּבִין עָלָיו כָּרֵת, וַהֲרֵי דִּינוֹ כִּשְׁאָר הַבְּהֵמוֹת בְּעִנְיַן חֶלְבּוֹ. וּלְפִיכָךְ יֵשׁ לָנוּ לְהוֹצִיא מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל הַחוּטִין וְכָל הַקְּרוּמוֹת הָאֲסוּרִין זֶהוּ דַּעַת הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (מאכלות אסורות ז ג) בִּשְׁלִיל שֶׁכָּלוּ לוֹ חֳדָשָׁיו שֶׁיֵּשׁ חִיּוּב כָּרֵת בְּחֶלְבּוֹ אֲבָל רֻבֵּי הַמְּפָרְשִׁים חוֹלְקִים בָּזֶה וְאָמְרוּ דְּחֶלְבּוֹ מֻתָּר, וְדִבְרֵי הַגְּמָרָא (שם צב ב) מַכְרַעַת כְּמוֹתָן, דְּהָא אַשְׁכְּחַן רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה דִּפְלִיגִי בְּחֶלְבּוֹ, וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה דְּקַיְמָא לַן כְּוָתֵהּ הוּא דְּשָׁרֵי לֵיהּ.
From the laws of the commandment is, for example, that which they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Keritot 4b) that the prohibition of forbidden fat is only with the three beasts in Scripture — the ox, the sheep and the goat. And one is liable for the chelev of these three, whether they are fit (kosher), torn or carcasses. But the chelev of other types of animals — whether impure or pure — is like its meat. And so [too,] there is no prohibition of chelev in the fetus that is called the embryo that is in the innards of the three beasts mentioned. And therefore, they said (Chullin 74b) [about] one who slaughters an animal and found an embryo in it, [that] all of its chelev is permitted — and even if he found it alive. But if it finished its months and he found it alive — even though it did not hover over the ground and it does not require slaughter — its chelev is forbidden, and we are liable excision for it. And behold, its law is like [adult] beasts regarding its chelev. And hence we must remove all the fibers and all of the forbidden membranes from it. This is the opinion of Rambam, may his memory be blessed, (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Forbidden Foods 7:3) regarding an embryo that has finished its months — that there is a liability for excision with its chelev. But the majority of the commentators disagree with this and say that its chelev is permissible. And the words of the Gemara (Chullin 92b) decide like them. As behold we found Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehudah disagreeing about its chelev; and Rabbi Yehudah — whom we follow — is the one that permits it.
וְעוֹד לִמְּדוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם עה א) בְּדִין שְׁלִיל שֶׁאַרְבָּעָה סִימָנִין אַכְשַׁר בֵּהּ רַחֲמָנָא. שֶׁאִם נִטְרְפָה אִמּוֹ שׁוֹחֲטָהּ וְהַשְּׁלִיל מֻתָּר, דְּלָאו יֶרֶךְ אִמּוֹ הוּא. וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ שָׁם (עמוד ב') שֶׁאִם הִפְרִיס עַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע דְּבָעֵי שְׁחִיטָה, מִפְּנֵי מַרְאִית הָעַיִן לְבַד הוּא דְּבָעֵינַן לְמִשְׁחֲטֵהּ, וּלְפִיכָךְ לָא מִפְּסִיל בִּשְׁהִיָּה וּדְרָסָה וּשְׁאָר מִינֵי טְרֵפוֹת. וּשְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָבִים הֵם בַּבְּהֵמָה, שֶׁהֵן בְּחִיּוּב כָּרֵת שֶׁעַל הַקֶּרֶב וְשֶׁעַל הַכְּלָיוֹת וְשֶׁעַל הַכְּסָלִים. וּפֵרוּשׁ שְׁלָשְׁתָּן בְּבֵאוּר רָחָב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ בַּגְּמָרָא (שם צג א), וּבִכְלָל אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּחֻלִּין (שם) חֵלֶב שֶׁהַבָּשָׂר חוֹפֶה אוֹתוֹ מֻתָּר, שֶׁעַל הַכְּסָלִים אָמַר רַחֲמָנָא (ויקרא ג ד), וְלֹא שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַכְּסָלִים.
And they, may their memory be blessed, also taught us (Chullin 75a) about the law of the embryo, that [the Torah] permits it with four benchmarks (its two and the two of its mother) — such that if its mother becomes “torn,” one can slaughter the embryo and it is permissible; as it is not the “thigh of its mother.” And that which they said (Chullin 75b) that if it hovered over the ground it requires slaughter; it is only because of appearances that we need to slaughter it. And therefore we do not disqualify it with pausing, pressing and the other types of [causing it to be] “torn.” And there are three forbidden fats in a beast that have a liability of excision: that on the innards; that on the kidneys; and that on the flanks. And the understanding of the three of them is [found] with great elucidation in its place in the Gemara (Chullin 93a). And more generally, they, may their memory be blessed, said in Chullin 93a, “Chelev that meat surrounds is permissible; as [the Torah] stated, ‘upon the flanks,’ and not ‘within the flanks.’”
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ בַּבְּהֵמָה מִלְּבַד אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה חוּטִין וּקְרוּמוֹת שֶׁאֲסוּרִין מִשּׁוּם חֵלֶב. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם פט ב), שֶׁהַטַּבָּחִים הַבְּקִיאִים בְּנִקּוּר הַחֵלֶב, נֶאֱמָנִין עַל הַדָּבָר כָּל זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא יָצְאוּ מֵחֶזְקַת בְּקִיאוּתָן וְכַשְׁרוּתָן. וְחֵלֶב הַלֵּב וְחֵלֶב הַמֵּעַיִם וְהֵן הַדַּקִּים הַמְּלֻפָּפִים מֻתָּרִין וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּשֻׁמָּן, חוּץ מֵרֹאשׁ הַמֵּעַיִם הַסָּמוּךְ לַקֵּבָה, שֶׁהוּא תְּחִלַּת בְּנֵי מֵעַיִם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְגָרֵר הַחֵלֶב שֶׁעָלָיו, וּמִמֶּנּוּ אָמְרוּ ז"ל בַּגְּמָרָא (שם צג א) רֵישׁ מַעְיָא בְּאַמְּתָא בָּעֲיָא גְּרִירָא (רש"י כשהדקין יוצאין מן הקיבה צריך לגרר חלב שעליהן אורך אמה). וְיֵשׁ מִן הַגְּאוֹנִים שֶׁאָמְרוּ (רמב"ם שם טו) שֶׁזֶּה הַמְּעִי הוּא הַמְּעִי שֶׁיּוֹצֵא בוֹ הָרְעִי. שֶׁהוּא סוֹף הַמֵּעַיִם. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֵי הַמִּצְוָה וְכָל עִנְיָנֶיהָ, מְבֹאָרִים בְּפֶרֶק שְׁבִיעִי מֵחֻלִּין [י"ד סימן ס"ד].
And besides these three, there are also fibers and membranes that are forbidden on account of chelev. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Chullin 89b) that slaughterers that are expert in removing the chelev are trusted about the matter, so long they do not leave their status of their being expert and fit. And the chelev of the heart and the chelev of the intestines — and that is the small [tissues] wrapped around [them] — are permitted, and behold they are like shuman (permitted fats); except for the head of the intestines which is adjacent the maw, which is at the beginning of the intestines, as a man needs to scrape the chelev from upon it. And about it, they, may their memory be blessed, said in the Gemara (Chullin 93a), “The head of the intestines requires an ell of scraping.” (Rashi: Where the small [tissues] exit from the maw, there is a need to scrape the chelev from on top of them the length of an ell.) And there are some of the Geonim that said (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Forbidden Foods 7:15) that this intestine is the intestine from which the rectum comes out, which is the end of the intestines. And the rest of the details of the commandment and all of its content are elucidated in the seventh chapter of Chullin. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 64.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּבִנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְאָכַל כַּזַּיִת חֵלֶב בְּמֵזִיד לוֹקֶה. בְּשׁוֹגֵג מֵבִיא חַטָּאת קְבוּעָה.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and eats a kazayit of chelev volitionally is lashed; inadvertently, he must bring a fixed sin-offering.