More Discussions for this daf
1. A Mesorah for a Chayah 2. Non-Kosher Animals 3. Llama and kangaroo
4. Upper Teeth 5. Signs of Kosher Birds
DAF DISCUSSIONS - CHULIN 59

A. Littmann asked:

The shach 80-1 and chochmas odom 36-1... state that we need a mesorah even for chayos. Our maggid shiur told us that in Europe no-one ate "venison" as we do not even have a mesorah for what a Tzvi is!

And, yet, the local butcher shop (glatt) sells bison and restauraunts under reliable supervision sell venison and bison, buffalo?

Do we go by the shach, chochmas odom and other poskim re: needing a mesorah for chayos or not?

The Kollel replies:

We relate to this subject in our Insights to the Daf to Chulin 59:6, which is included below.

Both buffalo and bison are a Behemah, not a Chayah, and thus the ruling of the Shach is not relevant to them (except according to the view of the Chazon Ish, as mentioned in the Insights). For a very nice discussion, see Rabbi Dr. Ari Zivotofsky's article at www.kashrut.com/articles/buffalo .

Regarding a Tzvi, the accepted practice is to follow the ruling of the Shach to require a Mesorah for a Chayah. However, it is clear from the Halachic sources that it is possible for one place to have a Mesorah while another place does not (compare the menu of Yemenite Jews with those of Ashkenazim). Regarding whether one place may rely on the Mesorah of another place is a subject of dispute.)

Y. Shaw