Melacha #26: SHOCHET - SLAUGHTERING

Av Melacha: Killing an animal for its skin.

Principle: Removing the life force from a living being (for any constructive purpose).

Toldot: Killing a living being or wounding it (blood is considered the life of a living being).

Prohibitions (Patur aval Assur):

1. Killing a bee or mosquito, even if it bothers a person very much or it might bite him. In the event of a great objective danger (e.g. poisonous snake), it is even permitted to kill it on Shabbat.

2. Flushing a (live) fly or ant in water, or removing a living fish from water.

3. Wounding a person or animal in a way that blood will be extracted (even internally). This act is Chayav when bleeding is a necessary part of the act, and Patur aval Assur when it is not.

Permitted: Lice and nits may be killed, as they are a lower life form.

Insect repellant may be sprayed in the air, and/or liquid may be spread on one's body.

Melacha #27: MAF'SHEET: SKINNING

Av Melacha: Skinning an animal for the sake of using the hide.

The prohibition of Maf'sheet does not apply to removing the skin of cooked food.