Misva #161: Tum’at Nebela – The Impurity of an Animal Carcass

The Torah in Parashat Shemini (Vayikra 11:39-40) establishes that if an animal dies without proper Shehita (slaughtering), the carcass – which is called a “Nebela” – imparts Tum’a (impurity). This means that a person or utensil that touches a Ke’zayit of flesh from the carcass becomes Tameh (impure). One who carries this amount of flesh from the carcass, even without touching it – such as if one carries a utensil containing the flesh – then he and his clothing are impure. This means that the halachic slaughtering of a kosher species of animal accomplishes two things – it renders the meat permissible for consumption, and also prevents the carcass from becoming a source of Tum’a. An animal which dies in any manner other than proper Shehita is considered a Nebela, and thus imparts Tum’a; hence, slaughtering an animal prevents it from becoming a source of impurity, in addition to allowing the meat to be eaten. There are a number of rare circumstances in which slaughtering a kosher species of animal does not render its meat permissible for consumption, but does have the effect of preventing the carcass from becoming a Nebela. One such circumstance is slaughtering an ordinary animal – meaning, one which has not been consecrated as a sacrifice – in the courtyard of the Bet Ha’mikdash. Slaughtering a non-consecrated animal in the Bet Ha’mikdash is forbidden (“Hulin Ba’azara”), and if this does occur, then the meat is forbidden for consumption. Nevertheless, since the animal was properly slaughtered, the carcass is not considered a Nebela, and it does not impart Tum’a. This applies also in the reverse case – where an animal consecrated as a Korban (sacrifice) was slaughtered outside the Bet Ha’mikdash. This, too, is strictly forbidden (“Shehuteh Hutz”), and the meat becomes forbidden for consumption, but it does not impart Tum’a, since the animal was killed via a proper Shehita. If one slaughtered an animal improperly – such as if the knife turned out to be invalid, or if one did not sever the animal’s trachea and esophagus to the required extent – then the carcass is considered a Nebela. Since the Shehita was invalid, this animal is no different than an animal that died without Shehita, and its carcass imparts Tum’a like any other Nebela. A non-kosher species of animal becomes a Nebela that imparts Tum’a even if it is slaughtered. Slaughtering such an animal has no halachic effect, as the animal is forbidden for consumption regardless, and thus its carcass is a Nebela that imparts Tum’a. An animal carcass imparts Tum’a only once it has died. If the animal is still convulsing (“Pirkus”), but has yet to die, it is not considered a Nebela, and one who touches it at this point does not become Tameh.