Why does the Torah insert the double Lashon "Ish Ish"?
Sifra: To teach us that, even if the Shochet did not actually hunt the bird but purchased it, inherited it or received it as a gift, he is nevertheless obligated to cover its blood. 1
Targum Yonasan: Refer to 17:3:1:1*.
See Torah Temimah, note 49.
Having already written "asher Yatzud", why does the Pasuk need to insert the word "Tzeid"?
Rashi (citing Chulin 84a): To include the obligation to cover the blood of chickens and geese, even though they do not need to be caught (and even if they were automatically trapped - (Chulin 84a). 1
See Torah Temimah, note 50.
Since one is Chayav to cover the blood even of birds that do not require hunting, why does the Torah insert the words "asher Yatzud Tzeid Chayah"?
Rashi: To teach us that one should only eat meat under these circumstances (that one has gone to the trouble of hunting). 1
Refer to 17:13:4:5.
So that he should not become poor. See Torah Temimah, note 51.
What is the significance of the comparison of Of to Chayah?
Chulin, 84a: It teaches us that, just as a Chayah is Chulin, so too, do only Chulin birds require their blood to be covered, but not birds of Hekdesh.
Why does the Torah write "Chayah O Of" and not 'Chayah ve'Of'?
Chulin, 86b: To divide between Chayah and Of - to teach us that the blood of each one independently requires covering.
If one intends to Shecht a number of Chayos or birds, is he obligated to cover the blood of each one before proceeding to Shecht the next one?
Chulin, 86b: No! He is permitted to cover them all with one covering at the end - even if he is Shechting a Chayah and a bird - because both the words "Chayah" and "Of" imply both one and many. 1
See Torah Temimah, notes 54 & 55.
What is "Asher Ye'achel" coming to preclude?
Rashi: It precludesTamei species from the Mitzvah. 1
Targum Yonasan: It precludes birds and Chayos that became Neveilos or T'reifos via an improper Shechitah.
Chulin, 88a: It precludes someone who Shechts to Avodah Zarah, Chulin in the Azarah or Kodshim outside, a Chayah or a bird that are Chayav Sekilah or someone who Shechts and renders them a Neveilah, someone who tears them open or who pulls out the Simanim - all of whch may not be eaten.
See also Sifsei Chachamim.
What are the mplications of "Ve'shafach Ve'chisahu ? "?
Chulin, 84a: It implies that it is covered immediately following the Shechitah, to preclude The blood of Kodshim, which requires also scraping (from the Mizbe'ch) before covering, 1
Chulin, 87a: It implies that he should cover the blood with the hands with which he Shechted the Chayah or the bird - and not with his foot - so as not to treat Mitzvos with contempt. 2
Chulin, 86a: It implies that the person who Shechted the Chayah or the bird should cover the blood 3 - and "Va'omar li'Venei Yisrael" in Pasuk 14 teaches us that if the Shochet did not cover it, whoever sees it should cover it. 4
See Torah Temimah, note 57.
See Oznayim la'Torah.
Refer to 17:14:151:1.
See Torah Temimah, note 60.
What are the implications of "Ve'chisahu be'Afar"?
Chulin, 87a: It implies that if one covered the blood and a wind came and uncovered it, he is not obligated to cover it again. 1
Chulin, 88a: It implies that blood that squirts on to a different location and blood that remains on the Shechitah knife must be covered - provided there is no other blood that needs to be covered. 2
Why does the Torah insert the prefix "Vechisahu be'Afar"?
Chulin, 83b: To teach us that the blood must be covered by two layers of earth - one underneath and one on top.
If there is no earth available, can one cover the blood with something else?
Chulin, 16a: Despite the Pasuk ("be'Afar") a Halachah le'Moshe mi'Sinai permits covering the blood with other things. 1
Refer also to 17:13:3.6:1.
Why does the Torah insert the prefix "Vechisahu be'Afar"?
Chulin, 83b: To teach us that the blood must be covered by two layers of earth - one underneath and one on top.
Chulin, 88b: To teach us that it is not sufficient to cover the blood with stones or vessels, only with something that mixes with it such as earth.
What is the significance of the fact that the Torah writes "Vechisahu be'Afar" and not 'u'be'Afar Yechaseihu'?
Chulin, 88b: It teaches us that "Afar" is La'av Davka, and that one may cover the blood with anything in which things grow, such as thin feces or sand and ground earthenware or stones. 1
See Torah Temimah, citing Chulin, ibid. for more examples.
Seeing as "Afar" is La'av Davka, why does the Torah insert it?
Chulin, 88b: To preclude things in which nothing grows, such as thick feces or sand and ground metal or bricks. 1
See Torah Temimah, citing Chulin, ibid. for more examples.
Why does the Torah write "Ve'chisahu be'Afar" (with a 'Segol') and not ' ? b'Afar' (with a Sh'va')?
P'rishah and L'vush in Yoreh De'ah, 28: To teachus that one should designate the earth specifically for the Mitzvah of Kisy ha'Dam. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 69.
Why does the blood of Chayos and birds require covering?
Ramban: Because, as opposed to Beheimos, most of which go on the Mizbe'ach to atone, 1 they are generally Shechted in the field and need to be covered in order to avoid eating the Soul. 2
Ibn Ezra and Moshav Zekenim: To prevent us from thinking that it is the blood of a Korban to idolatry. 3
Seforno: To avoid contact eith the Sheidim, which would gather to drink the blood.
Oznayim la'Torah 6 : Because, as opposed to Beheimos, they are generally hunted and Shechted in the field - the habitat of Sheideim, who subsist on particles of blood. 7 Therefore the Torah requires the blood to be covered, in order to avoid having contact with the Sheidim, who would otherwise come to receive some blood. 8
And is not therefore subject to covering (See Ramban).
They did not explain why we are not concerned for blood of Beheimos. Perhaps they hold like the Ramban, that most Beheimos are offered for Korbanos to Hashem. (PF)
See Torah Temimah, note 53, who elaborates.
In the Midbar there was no concern for Dam Beheimah, since they were permitted only as Shelamim. Later, when Basar Ta'avah was permitted, Yisrael were already distanced from the lowly habit of eating blood (so the Torah did not add a Chiyuv to cover Dam Behemah, but the Chiyuv remains for blood of Chayos and birds. - PF). See also Torah Temimah, note 53.
This is a combination of answers #1 and #4.
See Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates.
If he slaughters more than one, must he cover each separately?
Moshav Zekenim: "Chayah" implies even many, and so does "Ohf"; one covering suffices for many. 1
Chulin 6:3. If he slaughtered a Chayah and a bird, Chachamim say, one covering suffices; R. Yehudah says, he covers Dam ha'Chayah, and afterwards slaughters the bird.
Why does it say "be'Afar", and not 'Afsar'?
Moshav Zekenim: (citing Chulin 83b): This teaches that one must put earth below the blood and on top. 1
Moshav Zekenim: R"Z says that this is only if he slaughters on wood or stone, but if it is on land (earth), he need not put below. This requires investigation from Chulin 31a (a man shot an arrow at a flying bird, and this was a Kosher Shechitah. The Gemara asked that one must cover the blood also below. Why should the Gemara assume that it was over wood or stone, in order to ask?! - PF)
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that we must cover the blood even of species that need not be hunted. If so, why does it say "Yatzud"?
