Factsheet: Ritual Slaughter

Abstract

"Dietary laws pertaining to the slaughter of animals are integral religious mandates for many, in particular for Jews and Muslims who are required to eat meat certified as kosher or halal, respectively. To ensure proper certification, an animal must be slaughtered according to methods of shechita and dhabīh. ah. Shechita refers to the process of slaughter handed down by oral tradition and codified in halakha (Jewish religious laws). Among a number of requirements, the person performing the ritual (shochet) must cut the neck with a knife in a back and forth motion and sever the trachea and esophagus of the animal. Dhabīh. ah, prescribed by Islamic law from the Quran, involves using a well-sharpened knife to make a swift, deep incision that cuts the carotid artery, trachea, and jugular veins but leaves the spinal cord intact. Dietary laws such as these traditionally serve a variety of functions for adherents, including fulfilling health, philosophical, ethical, and spiritual needs"