1We have already explained in Hilchot Ma’achalot Assurot1 that the term treifah employed by the Torah refers to an animal that is on the verge of death.אכְּבָר בֵּאַרְנוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת אִסּוּרֵי מַאֲכָלוֹת, שֶׁהַטְּרֵפָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה הִיא הַנּוֹטָה לָמוּת.
The term treifah - which literally means “torn apart” - was employed only because the Torah speaks with regard to prevalent situations, e.g., a lion or the like attacked it and wounded it, but it had not died yet.וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר "טְרֵפָה" (שמות כב, ל), אֶלָא שֶׁדִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בַּהוֹוֶה - כְּגוֹן שֶׁטְּרָפָהּ אֲרִי וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ וְשִׁבְּרָהּ, וַעֲדַיִן לֹא מֵתָה.
2There are other maladies which if they affect an animal will cause it to be considered treifah. They were transmitted as a halachah to Moses at Sinai. בוְיֵשׁ שָׁם חֳלָאִים אֲחֵרִים אִם יֶאֶרְעוּ לָהּ תֵּחָשֵׁב טְרֵפָה, וְהֵן הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי.
In particular, eight conditions that cause an animal to be considered as treifah were transmitted to Moses at Sinai.2 They are derusah, nekuvah, chaseirah, netulah, pesukah, keru’ah, nefulah, and sheburah.3 וּשְׁמוֹנָה מִינֵי טְרֵפוֹת נֶאְמְרוּ לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: דְּרוּסָה, נְקוּבָה, חֲסֵרָה, נְטוּלָה, פְּסוּקָה, קְרוּעָה, נְפוּלָה, וּשְׁבוּרָה.
3Although they were all transmitted as halachot to Moses at Sinai,4 since only derusah is explicitly mentioned in the Torah,5 our Sages ruled more stringently with regard to it. Any questionable situation that arises with regard to derisah causes the animal to be forbidden.גאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכֻּלָּן הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי, הוֹאִיל וְאֵין לָךְ בַּפֵּרוּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה אֶלָא דְּרוּסָה, הֶחְמִירוּ בָּהּ, וְכָל סָפֵק שֶׁיִּסְתַּפֵּק בִּדְרוּסָה, אָסוּר.

Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)

Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.

There are, by contrast, questionable situations that may arise with regard to the seven other conditions that render an animal treifah in which the animal is permitted as will be explained.6 וּשְׁאָר שִׁבְעָה מִינֵי טְרֵפוֹת, יֵשׁ בָּהֶן סְפֵקוֹת מֻתָּרִין כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר.
4Derusah refers to a situation where a lion or the like will attack an animal and assault it with its paw or a hawk, an eagle, or the like will assault a fowl.7דהַדְּרוּסָה - הוּא שֶׁיִּטְרֹף הָאֲרִי וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ הַבְּהֵמָה וְיִדְרֹס עָלֶיהָ בְּיָדוֹ, אוֹ יִדְרֹס הַנֵּץ וְהַנֶּשֶׁר וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן עַל הָעוֹף.
The laws of derisah apply with regard to a large domesticated animal8 or a large wild beast only when it is attacked by a lion.9 The laws of derisah apply with regard to a small domesticated animal10 or a small wild beast only when it is attacked by a wolf or a larger animal. The laws of derisah apply with regard to kids and lambs even when attacked by cats, foxes, martens,11 and the like. Needless to say, this applies with regard to fowl.12 וְאֵין דְּרִיסָה בִּבְהֵמָה גַּסָּה וּבְחַיָּה גַּסָּה, אֶלָא לָאֲרִי בִּלְבָד; וּבִבְהֵמָה דַּקָּה וּבְחַיָּה דַּקָּה, מִן הַזְּאֵב וּלְמַעְלָה. וּבִגְדָיִים וּטְלָאִים - אַפִלּוּ חָתוּל וְשׁוּעָל וּנְמִיָּה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן, יֵשׁ לָהֶן דְּרִיסָה. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בְּעוֹפוֹת.
5When a hawk attacks, the laws of derisah apply even with regard to a larger fowl.13הוְהַנֵּץ - יֵשׁ לוֹ דְּרִיסָה, וְאַפִלּוּ בְּעוֹף גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ.
With regard to other birds of prey the laws of derisah apply only with regard to fowl their size and not with regard to fowl which are larger than they are.14 אֲבָל שְׁאָר עוֹפוֹת הַדּוֹרְסִים - יֵשׁ לוֹ דְּרִיסָה בְּעוֹף שֶׁכְּמוֹתוֹ, וְאֵין לוֹ דְּרִיסָה בְּעוֹף שֶׁהוּא גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ.
6The laws of derisah apply when a weasel attacks a fowl.ווְיֵשׁ לַחֻלְדָּה דְּרִיסָה בָּעוֹפוֹת.
The laws of derisah do not apply at all when a dog attacks, not when it attacks a fowl, an animal, or a beast.וְכֶלֶב - אֵין לוֹ דְּרִיסָה כָּל עִיקָר, לֹא בָעוֹף וְלֹא בִּבְהֵמָה וְחַיָּה.
The laws of derisah apply when an hawk attacks kids or lambs should its claws penetrate to the animal’s inner cavity. 15וְהַנֵּץ, יֵשׁ לוֹ דְּרִיסָה בִּגְדָיִים וּטְלָאִים. וְהוּא, שֶׁיִּקֹּב בְּצִפָּרְנָיו לְבֵית הַחֲלָל.
7The laws of derisah apply only when the attacking animal strikes its victim with its forelegs. If it strikes it with its hindlegs,16 we show no concern.17זאֵין דְּרִיסָה אֶלָא בְּיַד הַטּוֹרֵף, אֲבָל בְּרַגְלָיו - אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין לָהּ.
Similarly, the laws of derisah apply only when the attacking animal strikes its victim with its claw. If it bites it, we show no concern unless it penetrates to its internal cavity.18 We then check if it perforated one of the organs that cause an animal to be considered treifah if even the tiniest perforation was made.וְאֵין דְּרִיסָה אֶלָא בַּצִּפֹּרֶן, אֲבָל בְּשֵׁן - אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין לָהּ. אֶלָא אִם כֵּן נָקַב עַד בֵּית הַחֲלָל, וּבוֹדְקִין שֶׁמָּא נִקַּב אֶחָד מִן הָאֵבָרִים שֶׁנִּטְרֶפֶת בִּנְקִיבָתָן.
The laws of derisah apply only when the attacking animal has that intent. If, however, the beast of prey fell and its claws became lodged in the other animal, the laws of derisah do not apply.19וְאֵין דְּרִיסָה, אֶלָא בְּכַוָּנַת הַטּוֹרֵף; אֲבָל אִם נָפַל הַדּוֹרֵס וְנִשְׁתַּקְּעוּ צִפָּרְנָיו בַּנִּטְרָף, אֵין זוֹ דְּרִיסָה.
Similarly, the laws of derisah apply only when the attacking animal is alive. If, however, it attacked and was killed, but its claws remained lodged in the victim and were not removed until after the attacker’s death, we are not concerned.20 וְאֵין דְּרִיסָה אֶלָא מֵחַיִּים. אֲבָל אִם דָּרַס וְנֶהְרַג וַעֲדַיִן יָדוֹ בַּדְּרוּסָה, וְלֹא שָׁמַט צִפָּרְנָיו מִמֶּנָּה אֶלָא אַחַר מוֹתוֹ - אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין לָהּ.
8What are the laws applying to an animal that was attacked? Whenever we stated that “we show concern,” the attacked animal should be slaughtered and its entire internal cavity - from its feet to its forehead - must be checked. If it is found to be flawless with regard to all the factors that render an animal treifah and there is no sign that it was attacked,21 it is permitted.22 If there is a sign that it was attacked, it is treifah and forbidden by Scriptural Law.חוְכֵיצַד דִּין הַדְּרוּסָה? כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ 'חוֹשְׁשִׁין לָהּ' - שׁוֹחֲטִין אֶת הַנִּטְרָף וּבוֹדְקִין כָּל הַחֲלָל שֶׁלּוֹ מִכַּף הַיָּרֵךְ עַד הַקָּדְקֹד: אִם נִמְצֵאת כֻּלָּהּ שְׁלֵמָה מִכָּל מִינֵי טְרֵפוֹת, וְלֹא נִמְצָא בָּהּ רֹשֶׁם הַדְּרִיסָה - הֲרֵי זוֹ מֻתֶּרֶת; וְאִם נִמְצָא בָּהּ רֹשֶׁם הַדְּרִיסָה - הֲרֵי זוֹ טְרֵפָה, וַאֲסוּרָה מִן הַתּוֹרָה.
9What is meant by “a sign that it was attacked”? That the flesh above the intestines turns red.23טאֵיזֶה הוּא 'רֹשֶׁם הַדְּרִיסָה'? שֶׁיַּאְדִּים הַבָּשָׂר כְּנֶגֶד בְּנֵי מֵעַיִם.
If the flesh above the intestines decays to the extent it becomes like flesh which a doctor would scrape from a wound, we consider that flesh as if it were lacking and rule that the animal is treifah.24וְאִם נִמּוֹק הַבָּשָׂר כְּנֶגֶד בְּנֵי מֵעַיִם, עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה כַּבָּשָׂר שֶׁהָרוֹפֵא גּוֹרְדוֹ מִן הַחַבּוּרָה - רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ הַבָּשָׂר כְּאִלּוּ חָסֵר, וּטְרֵפָה.
10If the predator attacked the “signs” which must be cut for ritual slaughter, the animal is treifah if they turn red.25יוְאִם דָּרַס בַּסִּימָנִין - מִשֶּׁיַּאְדִּימוּ, טְרֵפָה.
The slightest wound is significant. If even the smallest portion of them becomes red because of an attack, the animal is treifah.26 וּדְרִיסָתָן בְּמַשֶׁהוּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֶאְדִּים בָּהֶן כָּל שֶׁהוּא מֵחֲמַת דְּרִיסָה, טְרֵפָה.
11When there is a question whether an animal has been attacked or not, we do not permit it unless it is checked as one would an animal that had definitely been attacked.27יאסְפֵק דְּרוּסָה - אֲסוּרָה עַד שֶׁתִּבָּדֵק כִּדְרוּסָה וַדָּאִית.
What is implied? When a lion enters among oxen and a claw was found in the back of one of them,28 we suspect that the lion attacked it. We do not rationalize and say: “Maybe it scratched itself on a wall.”29כֵּיצַד? אֲרִי שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבֵין שְׁוָרִים, וְנִמְצָא צִפֹּרֶן בְּגַבּוֹ שֶׁל אֶחָד מֵהֶן - חוֹשְׁשִׁין שֶׁמָּא אֲרִי דְּרָסוֹ, וְאֵין אוֹמְרִין: שֶׁמָּא בַּכּוֹתָל נִתְחַכֵּךְ.
Similarly, if a fox or a marten enter among fowls, the predator is silent and they crowing, we fear that he attacked.30וְכֵן שׁוּעָל אוֹ נְמִיָּה שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבֵין הָעוֹפוֹת, וְהוּא שׁוֹתֵק וְהֵן מְקַרְקְרִין - חוֹשְׁשִׁין שֶׁמָּא דָּרַס.
If, however, the predator is roaring and they are crowing, we assume that they are crowing out of fear of him and his roaring.אֲבָל אִם הָיָה הוּא נוֹהֵם וְהֵן מְקַרְקְרִין, מִיִּרְאָתוֹ וּמִנְּהִימָתוֹ הֵן מְקַרְקְרִין.
Similarly, if he cuts off the head of one of them,31 we assume his fury has subsided.וְכֵן אִם קָטַע רֹאשׁ אֶחָד מֵהֶן, הִנֵּה נָח רָגְזוֹ.
Similarly, if both the predator and the fowl are silent, we do not suspect anything. For if he had harmed them, they would crow.32 וְכֵן אִם שָׁתַק הוּא וְהֵן, אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין - שֶׁאִלּוּ הִזִּיק, הָיוּ מְקַרְקְרִין.
12When there is a question of whether or not a predator entered a place where animals are kept or we saw an animal enter such a place, but were unable to see if it is one of the predators or not, we do not harbor suspicions.33יבסָפֵק שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְכָאן טוֹרֵף אוֹ לֹא נִכְנַס לְכָאן, אוֹ שֶׁרְאִינוּהוּ שֶׁנִּכְנַס וְלֹא נוֹדַע אִם זֶה מִן הַטּוֹרְפִין אוֹ אֵינוֹ מִן הַטּוֹרְפִין - אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין.
Similarly, if a fowl entered a woods or reeds and came out with its head or neck dripping blood, we do not suspect that it was attacked. Instead, we say: “Perhaps it was wounded among the trees.”34 וְכֵן עוֹף שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבֵין הָעֵצִים, אוֹ לְבֵין הַקָּנִים, וְיָצָא וְרֹאשׁוֹ מְנַטֵּף דָּם, אוֹ צַוָּארוֹ - אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין לוֹ שֶׁמָּא נִטְרַף, אֶלָא אוֹמְרִין: שֶׁמָּא בָּעֵצִים נִזָּק.