Chelev

Two pieces of flank steak. The left one is covered with a sheet of real chelev, the right one has only some non-kosher tendons (Krumim).

The Hebrew noun chelev is the term given to some kinds of animal fats in Judaism.

The fat of animal sacrifices is subject to specific regulations in the Hebrew Bible.^[1] Although modern Judaism does not sacrifice animals on altars, there is some application of the rules regarding sacrificial fats to dietary practice.

Hebrew Bible

וְאֵת כָּל-חֶלְבּוֹ, יַקְרִיב מִמֶּנּוּ--אֵת, הָאַלְיָה, וְאֶת-הַחֵלֶב, הַמְכַסֶּה אֶת-הַקֶּרֶב

And he shall offer of it all the fat (cheilev) thereof: the fat tail (alyah), and the fat that covereth the inwards,Lev. 7, 3

Hebrew language

In Hebrew the word for fat is (Hebrew: חֵלֶב‎ khelev, often transliterated chelev) in the Hebrew Bible this is first used for the "fats" of Abel's offering, and most often used for fats of animal sacrifices on the altar of the Tabernacle or Temple and which the Israelites and the priests were forbidden to eaten. The same word is also used in the phrase "the fat of the land."

On the other hand, shuman are called those fats which were not offered^{[clarification needed]}, and therefore kosher for human consumption.

Rabbinical interpretation

The punishment for eating chelev bemeizid (on purpose) is kareth. The atonement for eating it by mistake is to bring a korban hattath (atonement sacrifice).

The prohibition on chelev is only regarding those animal types which were used as a korban: cattle, lamb and goat, which are the only kosher domestic livestock. Fats from avians and deer may be eaten, and different types of bovinae are in state of doubt.

In order that fat should be considered chelev it must look like a sheet of fats, like a thick fibrous skin that can be removed (see picture). Some tendons and muscles are also removed due to the rabbinic law, since they are neighboring and resolving^{[clarification needed]} some chelev.

The chelev must be removed by a qualified menaker in a process called nikkur (purging).

Kidney fats

The fats surrounding the kidneys are called chelev hakloyoth, and are considered non-kosher.

Abdominal fats

The sheet of fat which is covering the interior of the abdominopelvic cavity is real chelev, except at some regions where it is covered with steak, not with skin or tendon. However even where it is covered with meat, there is some fat which is still forbidden, since could occasionally get uncovered while the animals walks^{[clarification needed]}. Therefore one must be well trained in order to identify kosher fat.

Digestive system fats

There are many fats around the digestive organs such as the stomach and intestines, and one must be highly educated and trained in order to identify them.

Tail fat

The tail fat of the fat-tailed sheep, called "alyah" in Hebrew, is a large fatty membrane located on the hindquarters of certain breeds of sheep. The written Torah identifies the alyah as cheilev, and forbids its consumption.

Today only Karaite Jews maintain the prohibition against eating the alyah.^{[citation needed]} Mainstream rabbinic opinion^[who?] considers the alyah to be kosher, despite references in the Talmud suggesting otherwise.^{[clarification needed]}

References

1. ^ Leviticus and Numbers - Page 25 Richard Nelson Boyce - 2008 "Prohibition of Fat and Blood Leviticus 7:22–27 Before leaving the first run- through of the Manual of Sacrifice, the people are reminded of God's claim on two portions of any animal sacrifice: the fat and the blood."

External links

• Laws of Judaism concerning eating fat from the Torah and Maimonides’ Code of Jewish Law
• Getting the Knack of Nikkur
• Chabad
• OU Film