Cohn, Jacob. The Royal Table - VWC: Faculty/Staff Web

WHEN IS AN ANIMAL OR FOWL TREFAH 71
needle found outside of the organs in the body cavity
could not have gotten there without some perforation of
the viscera and hence is likewise a cause of trefak. 56 The
gizzard has two skins. When only one is perforated the
fowl is kosher; but when both are perforated opposite each
other in such a manner as to make a continuous hole, al-
lowing the passage of food into the body cavity,
the fowl
is trefah. 57 A needle encased in the thick walls of the
gizzard so completely that neither end protrudes, but near
which no blood clots are found either inside or outside,
renders the fowl trejah, according to the best authorities.
But in cases where the loss would be considerable if this
rule were rigidly followed, a lenient opinion, which con-
siders the absence of blood clot on the outer side favorable,
may be trusted, and the fowl used. 58
If a blood clot were
to be found on the outer side even the lenient opinion con-
siders it trefak. The case of a needle found in the cavity
of the gizzard gives rise to many complications, concerning
which there is some difference of opinion among the best
authorities. If the needle is not imbedded in the wall of
the gizzard, and there are no blood clots, the fowl is kosher.
Though blood clots, if found in certain instances, constitute
a trejah defect, one is not obliged to look for them.
If the needle is imbedded in the wall, but does not seem to
have pierced through the thick tissue, the outer side should
be examined opposite the needle. If no blood clot is
found, all is well; but if a clot is detected, it proves positively
that the needle has pierced through the wall and
the fowl is trejah?* Occasionally the needle is found to
w
Y. D. 48 and 49 at length.
K
Y. D 48, 11. Ramah and Schach ad loc
58
Ibid.
TO
Yoreh Deah 49, 3, and commentaries ad loc. See especially Taz
ad loc. subsection 2, where he differs with many earlier authorities.