Searching through, it appeears that the definition of "lechayaim" in English would be the jaw and the cheekbone. I have seen some people think that this includes the tongue. However, I have been unable to find an explicit reference as to what exactly the "lechayayim" consist of.
I expect that Art Scroll would have such a picture, but am unsure where in the four volumes of Chulin to find it.
Would you be able to point to a good definition.
Hillel Markowitz, Baltimore, MD USA
1) The Torah tells us (Devarim 18:3) that when one slaughters an animal, one of the parts that he must give to the Kohen is the "Lechayayim." Rashi there cites the Gemara in Chulin (133a) that one must give the tongue together with the Lechayayim.
2) I suggest that you use the Sefer Sichas Chulin on Maseches Chulin, by Rabbi Amitai ben David. In the index there are quite a few references to Lechayayim. There is the upper jaw and the lower jaw. The Gemara in Chulin (44a) states that if the lower Lechi has been removed, the animal is still Kosher. Commenting on that Gemara, the Sichas Chulin (page 124) writes that the word "Lechi" when used by Chazal refers to the jaws, and does not mean the cheek. There is a picture there of the upper and lower jaws, and on page 536 (referring to the Mishnah, Chulin 134b, "What is the Lechi?"), the Sichas Chulin discusses at some length what area the jaws cover, with the help of a diagram.
Kol Tuv,
Dovid Bloom