Soc.Culture.Jewish Newsgroups Frequently Asked Questions and Answers URL: www.scjfaq.org/faq/06-10.html

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Question 6.10:
What process is involved in Kosher Slaughter?

Slaughtering an animal is a complicated process. One must use an extremely sharp knife, and in a single action must slice through both the windpipe and the artery carrying blood to the head. This immediately renders the animal unconscious -- it dies before having the opportunity to feel any pain. The knife itself must be sharpened to perfection -- to the point that one cannot feel any imperfections in the blade. Otherwise the animal is rendered non-kosher. In addition, a detailed examination of the animal must be performed afterwards, to ensure that it was not sick or disabled. There is a blessing said in advance, as there is before performing any commandment, but this is not a prerequisite (and in addition, one blessing said in the morning applies to all animals a professional ritual slaughterer does that day). The word "professional" is very appropriate--it takes months of training for someone who is already a Rabbi to learn how to do this properly. The result, though, is the kosher animals are healthy and died with minimum pain.

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