פירוש על חולין 1:1

הכל שוחטין – There is a refutation in the Gemara [that the words] הכל שוחטין –”everyone may [perform the act of ritual] slaughter [of animals]” [refer to the case] ab initio [and the words] ושחיטתן –”their slaughtering” [refers to a case] de facto, since from the beginning [of the Mishnah] [these words] imply that what we include from [the words]הכל שוחטין –”everyone may [perform the act of ritual] slaughter [of animals]” ab initio and from the conclusion [of the Mishnaic phrase] implies that when we include from [the word] הכל–”everyone” post facto, we [in fact] extend it, but ab initio, we do not extend [what is included in] it; and that we cannot say that our Mishnah withholds something ab initio and that one thing [only] is taught. And since [the Mishnah] teaches הכל שוחטין–everyone may [perform the act of ritual] slaughter [of animals], it is obvious that is fit [i.e. kosher] and that the upshot is [that] our Mishnah is explained as such in the Gemara. [The words] שוחטין–” [imply that] everyone may [perform the act of ritual] slaughter [of animals]” [means] that everyone who are specialists who know the laws of ritual slaughter [of animals] [may perform the act of] slaughter[ing] animals [ritually] even though they are not [necessarily] presumed for it, for they have not slaughtered [ritually] in the presence of us [i.e. the judges] three times to see if they have the [inner] fortitude not to be overcome (i.e., his hand not trembling – see Hullin 3b] while slaughtering and cause a pausing in the act of slaughtering [which would nullify their act ritually]. What case are we referring to? That they are considered specialists at the time that those who deliver to him [an animal] to ritually slaughter know and recognize in him that he knows the laws of ritual slaughter, but if they do not know concerning him if he [indeed] knows the laws of ritual slaughter, he should not [perform] a ritual slaughter, and if he did slaughter [an animal ritually], we examine him, and if he knows the laws of ritual slaughter, his [act of] slaughter[ing] is [considered] kosher–fit.

Introduction Our mishnah teaches some general rules with regard to who may slaughter and when.

חוץ מחרש שוטה וקטן – For even post facto, and [even if] they (i.e., the deaf-mute, imbecile and minor] know the laws of ritual slaughter, it is forbidden to eat from their slaughtering, since they are always presumed to ruin it since they lack [mature] awareness.

All may slaughter, and their slaughtering is valid, except a deaf-mute, an imbecile or a minor, lest they mess up [the animal] through their slaughtering. And if any of these slaughtered while others were standing over them, their slaughtering is valid. Anyone may slaughter an animal. The only exceptions are the three categories of people who are not considered to have “da’at,” intelligence. They are not allowed to slaughter and if they do slaughter, the animal is not kosher. The problem is that one cannot tell if an animal was validly slaughtered just by looking at it afterwards. Thus there is no way to check the results if one wasn’t there watching when the animal was slaughtered. Furthermore, these three people cannot be trusted to report on what they have done, because they are not considered to have intelligence. Therefore, their slaughtering is invalid. However, if an adult is watching them while they slaughter and sees that they do it correctly, the slaughtering is valid.

וכולן ששחטו – Since it [our Mishnah] does not teach [the words] “ואם שחטו–and if they slaughtered” but rather [taught the words] “וכולן ששחטו–and everyone who slaughtered” implies that it [the words] do not [refer to] the deaf-mute, imbecile and minor alone, but even regarding those who they [i.e. the judges] do not know if [the individual] knows the laws of ritual slaughter since the first part of the Mishnah refers to [the fact] that they examine him or bring him before them to examine him and he slaughters and others seem him and bring him before them to examine him, his slaughtering is [considered] kosher–fit but the law does not follow this Mishnah but rather, even though others do not see him and bring him [i.e. the slaughterer] before them to examine him, his slaughtering is [considered] kosher–fit, since most [people who are engaged] in ritual slaughter are specialists and even ab initio, may slaughter, even if though others do not see him [perform this act].

That which is slaughtered by a non-Jew is a nevelah and defiles by carrying. A non-Jew cannot ritually slaughter for a Jew. If he does, the animal is considered a nevelah (carrion) and it imparts defilement by being carried (as do all nevelot, see Leviticus 11:40). The mishnah probably notes that this meat defiles in order to teach that this animal is “deoraita” (by the Torah) considered a nevelah, and that this rule is not just a stringency initiated by the rabbis.

שחיטת עובד כוכבים – even [if the act of a ritual slaughter performed by an idolater] if it is done according to Jewish law with a Jew standing over him, it [his act of slaughtering] is considered to be like that of a carrion (an animal who died naturally) but it is not prohibited to derive benefit from [his act of slaughtering] since specifically the act of slaughtering of a person who holds fast to his idolatrous beliefs, [a Jew] is prohibited to derive benefit [from his acts], but not regarding the thinking of a heretic regarding idolatrous practices, but the idolater spoken of here is from those actions follow the behavior of his ancestors.

If one slaughtered at night, and also a blind man that slaughtered, the slaughtering is valid. Obviously, it would be better not to slaughter at night, and it is problematic for a blind person to slaughter. However, an animal slaughtered at night or by a blind person is still valid, as long as it was slaughtered properly.

ומטמאה במשא – As it is written (Leviticus 11:40): “[anyone who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and remain clean until evening;] and anyone who carries his carcass shall wash his clothes and remain clean until evening.” And even though he had not touched it. For the Mishnah did not have to teach this, for since it is something that died of itself (i.e., “neveilah”), it is known that an animal that died of itself defiles [an individual] by carrying it (i.e., a dead carcass), but it (the Mishnah) comes to inform you, that this defiles only via carrying alone, and there are others which defile even through content in the tent (where it is found). And which is this? An offering to an idol (Avodah Zarah 32b).

One who slaughtered on Shabbat or Yom Kippur, even though he is liable for his own life, the slaughtering is valid. Slaughtering is a prohibited labor on Shabbat and Yom Kippur and one who does so is liable for the death penalty (Shabbat) or karet (Yom Kippur). Nevertheless, the animal is still kosher. Just because the person sinned, doesn’t mean he didn’t slaughter in the correct way.

השוחט בלילה וכן הסומא – The Mishnah teaches that an individual who slaughters [an animal] at night is compared to a blind individual. Just as a blind person in a dark place [should not engage in ritual slaughter], so too an individual who engages in ritual slaughtering at night in a dark place, and in this matter it [our Mishnah] teaches [through the use of the word] "השוחט"–he who performs ritual slaughter – post facto, yes, but not ab initio., but when there is a torch before him, even ab initio, he may perform acts of ritual slaughter at night.

השוחט בשבת – Even though that if he acted (by performing an act of ritual slaughter on Shabbat) willfully, he would make himself liable [to the death penalty], his [act of] ritual slaughter is [considered] fit; but however, it would be forbidden to consume it on that day, and for this reason, it [the Mishnah] teaches “[he who ritually slaughters] on the Sabbath and on the Day of Atonement” in order to make an analogy between the Sabbath and the Day of Atonement. Just as it forbidden to eat [it] on Yom Kippur the entire day because [of the requirement] of “afflicting [of one’s soul],” so too on the Sabbath it is forbidden in eating it the entire day. But on Saturday night (i.e., the aftermath of the Sabbath), it is permitted [to be consumed] whether by him or by others. And a person who performs an act of ritual slaughtering on Shabbat for an infirm individual has acted in a permissible manner, and it is permitted for a healthy individual to eat from that [what had been slaughtered] raw meat, but not cooked, lest he increase it for him.