Giving of the foreleg, cheeks and abomasum

Foreleg, cheeks and maw

Halakhic texts relating to this article
Torah:	Deuteronomy 18:3
Mishnah:	Chullin 10:1
Babylonian Talmud:	Bekhorot 27a

The gift of the foreleg, cheeks and maw (Hebrew: זְּרועַ לְּחָיַיִם וְקֵּיבָה‎‎) of a kosher-slaughtered animal to a kohen is a positive commandment in the Hebrew Bible. In Mishnah interpretation a continuing application of the commandment is identified both in the Land of Israel and among Jewish diaspora (Hullin, 10). Rabbi Yosef Karo in Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 61:1, rules that after the slaughter of animal by a shochet (kosher slaughterer), he is obligated to separate the cuts of the foreleg, cheek and maw give them to a kohen freely, without the kohen paying or performing any service.

The source of the gift to the priest (Hebrew: kohen) is found in Deuteronomy:

And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.

In rabbinical interpretation this is a positive commandment requiring the shochet (ritual slaughterer) to give the aforementioned parts of a kosher-slaughtered animal to a kohen. excluding sacrificial animals such as Korban Olah or the Pascal lamb. This giving is required to be free of both monetary and servicial compensation (B.Bechoroth 27a).

Contrary to common misconception these gifts are entirely mundane ("chullin") and are not associated with all or part of the sacrificial offerings brought on the central altar in the Jerusalem temple (Mishna Chullin Ch. 10:1).

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