The Issur of Neveila
8. A neveila is an animal that died without shechita or had a halachically invalid shechita. A neveila may not be eaten, as the posuk says (דברים י''ד, כ''א ), “לא תאכלו כל נבלה .” One who eats a neveila violates a lav and gets malkus. Hence, the only way to eat a kosher animal is through shechita; shechita permits it to be eaten.
Mitzva of Shechita
9. There is a mitzvas asei d’oraisa for anyone who wants to eat meat from an animal or bird to first shecht and then eat, as the posuk says (פ' ראה י''ב, כ''א ), “וזבחת מבקרך וכו' כאשר צויתיך .” However, the halachos of shechita are not specified in the Torah; they were transmitted orally to Moshe on Har Sinai, as stated in the Gemara (חולין דף כ''ח ע''א ): “כאשר צויתיך ” – This teaches that Moshe Rabbeinu ע"ה was commanded orally about the halachos of shechita.
Reasons for the Mitzva
10. Two reasons. Some give reasons for the mitzva of shechita. 1) As is known, more of the body’s blood will come out from the neck than from other places on the body. Thus, we are commanded to shecht there so that all the blood comes out before it is eaten; 2) So as not to cause animals excessive pain (חינוך מצוה תנ''א ).
11. Decree of the Torah. However, others hold it is a decree of the King, and we do not expound on the reasons of pesukim (מנחת יעקב בלק''י סק''א, תבואות שור סי' כ''ג סק''א, פמ''ג פתיחה להל' שחיטה ). We specifically don’t give reasons so as not to cause any pitfalls, ח"ו , of changing the mitzva in absence of the reasons.
One of the Mitzvos
12. The Rishonim argue about the classification of the mitzva of shechita. Some Acharonim discuss this (עי' זכר יצחק סי' מ', קובץ הערות).
13. Mitzvas asei. The Rambam (מצוה קמ''ו ) writes, We are commanded to shecht animals and birds and then eat their meat, and that there will be no heter for them other than shechita, as the posuk says, “וזבחת מבקרך וכו'.” It is clear that the Rambam’s opinion is that shechting animals and birds is one of the mitzvos of the Torah (כס''מ ).
14. A “matir.” However, some Rishonim hold it is not a mitzva; if one does not want to eat meat, he can refrain from shechita without violating a mitzvas asei. Rather, it is like an asei derived from a lav – “Don’t eat eiver min hachai or a neveila; only eat a shechted animal” (ראב''ד בהשגות, לפי ביאור הכס''מ שם, רמב''ן ספה''מ שורש א' בדעת הבה''ג ). Although it is not a mitzva, one can make a bracha on the shechita, since it is a “matir” [i.e., it allows something that is otherwise assur] (ריצב''א תוס' שבועות דף כ''ב ע''א ד''ה האוכל ).
