Reeh 12:21 · unit 8

TT #87 · Parashas Reeh · Second Aliyah · Passuk 12:21

The Complete Passuk

כִּֽי־יִרְחַ֨ק מִמְּךָ֜ הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִבְחַ֜ר יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֘יךָ֮ לָשׂ֣וּם שְׁמ֣וֹ שָׁם֒ וְזָבַחְתָּ֞ מִבְּקָרְךָ֣ וּמִצֹּֽאנְךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤ן יְהֹוָה֙ לְךָ֔ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹ֖ל אַוַּ֥ת נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

If the place that Hashem your God will choose to put His Name there is too far from you, then you shall slaughter from your herd and from your flock that Hashem has given you, as I have commanded you, and you shall eat within your gates according to all the desire of your soul.

Chabad.org — 12:21

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei / Chullin.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְזָבַחְתָּ – תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר, לֹא בָּעֵינַן כַּוָּנָה לִזְבִיחָה אֲפִלּוּ לַחֲתִיכָה בְּעָלְמָא, מַאי טַעְמָא, וְחָתַכְתָּ לֹא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא וְזָבַחְתָּ, וּמִדְּלֹא בָּעֵינַן כַּוָּנָה לִזְבִיחָה, לַחֲתִיכָה נָמֵי לֹא בָּעֵי.

English: “And you shall slaughter” — It was taught: R’ Natan says: We do not require intention for the act of slaughtering, even for mere cutting. What is the reason? “And you shall cut” is not written, but “and you shall slaughter.” And since we do not require intention for the slaughtering, we likewise do not require it for the cutting.

On the daf / in context: Even the lesser requirement of intention for the physical act of cutting is not imposed for ordinary shechitah.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — further limiting the requirement of intention.

What Is Learned

Ordinary shechitah requires neither intention for the ritual act nor even intention for the physical cutting.