Essence of Pomegranates

On the Laws of Anatomical Defects

Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, wrote in the chapter titled "These are the Defects" Original: Elu Terefot, a chapter in the Talmudic tractate Chullin: Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rav that any extra part is [forbidden], but Rav Ashi said that any part not found in the "place of the cut" Referring to the specific anatomical regions where the lungs are divided is not considered a forbidden extra, and is thus fit for consumption. Maimonides The Rambam, 1138–1204, of blessed memory, wrote in the sixth chapter of the Laws of Ritual Slaughter: If an extra organ is found—for example, if the animal has two lungs, two livers, two gallbladders, two spleens, two stomachs, two omasums Original: misesot, one of the four stomach compartments, or two second stomachs Original: batei cosot, the reticulum—it is considered treifah Unfit for consumption. This is based on the general rule: Every extra part is treated as if it were missing, and any missing organ renders the animal unfit, except for the spleen and the kidneys; if those are missing, the animal remains fit. The Tur Jacob ben Asher, c. 1269–1343, of blessed memory, wrote in Section 41: Every extra part is treated as if it were missing, and any missing organ renders the animal unfit, except for the spleen and the kidneys; if those are missing, the animal remains fit. The Beit Yosef Joseph Karo, 1488–1575, of blessed memory, wrote there: The Rashba Solomon ben Aderet, 1235–1310 wrote in the Torat HaBayit that specifically an extra part which is functionally equivalent to a missing part is forbidden, but an extra part that does not count as "missing" is fit.

The following diagrams illustrate the structure of the animal's lungs to help the slaughterer identify the lobes (unot) and the windpipe (kaneh). They specifically highlight the "rose lobe" (una varda) and demonstrate where an extra growth might appear.

The central diagram shows the trachea (windpipe) leading to the various lobes of the lungs. The labels indicate:

• Windpipe Hebrew: Kaneh
• Lobe Hebrew: Una
• The Rose Lobe Hebrew: Una Varda, a small accessory lobe found in the right lung of ruminants

It is further written there: The Rosh Asher ben Jehiel, c. 1250–1327 wrote in a Responsum that only an extra part treated as missing is forbidden, but an extra that is not treated as missing is fit. It is further written there: The Ran Nissim of Gerona, 1310–1375 wrote in the chapter "These are the Defects" that only an extra part treated as missing is forbidden, but an extra that is not treated as missing is fit. It is further written there: The Mordechai Mordecai ben Hillel, d. 1298 wrote in the chapter "These are the Defects" that only an extra part treated as missing is forbidden, but an extra that is not treated as missing is fit. It is further written there: The Agur Jacob Baruch ben Moses Neuburg, 15th century wrote in Section 766 that only an extra part treated as missing is forbidden, but an extra that is not treated as missing is fit. It is further written there: The Kol Bo A 13th-14th century collection of laws wrote in Section 108 that only an extra part treated as missing is forbidden, but an extra that is not treated as missing is fit. It is further written there: The Orchot Chaim Aaron ben Jacob ha-Kohen of Narbonne, 14th century wrote in Section 108 that only an extra part treated as missing is forbidden, but an extra that is not treated as missing is fit. It is further written there: The HaManhig Abraham ben Nathan, 12th century wrote in Section 108 that only an extra part treated as missing is forbidden, but an extra that is not treated as missing is fit.