''Nikkur'' () is the process of making an animal kosher by removing '' chelev'' (forbidden fats) and the '' gid hanasheh'' (sciatic nerve). The basis for this practice is , "You shall not eat of any fatty suet, whether from cattle, sheep, or goats." The English word '' porge'', or ''porging'' is from Judeo-Spanish ''porgar'' (from Spanish "to purge"); the

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

is ''treibern'' (''traibering'' in

Yinglish Yiddish words used in the English language include both words that have been Language shift, assimilated into English language, Englishused by both Yiddish and English speakersand many that have not. An English sentence that uses either may be des ...

). The process is done by a ''menakker''.

Etymology

From the Biblical root נקר ''NQR'' meaning to "put out, bore, dig, gnaw" etc.

Regional practices

It is much easier to perform ''nikkur'' on the front part of the animal. It is also easier to perform on non-domestic animals such as deer as the ''chelev'' does not need to be removed from such animals. Since it is difficult to perform ''nikkur'' on the hind part of domestic animals, the entire hind part is usually sold to the non-Jewish market in

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

Jewish communities. However, among

Yemenite Jews Yemenite Jews, also known as Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ; ), are a Jewish diaspora group who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. After several waves of antisemitism, persecution, the vast majority ...

, ''nikkur'' on the hind part of the animal is still practised. This tradition goes back for centuries. While many Muslims today do accept food from People of the Book based on the Quranic precept, not all Muslim communities accept Kosher-slaughtered meat, including those hindquarters, as ''

halal ''Halal'' (; ) is an Arabic word that translates to in English. Although the term ''halal'' is often associated with Islamic dietary laws, particularly meat that is slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines, it also governs ethical practices ...

''; communities that do not accept it include many on the Indian subcontinent.HalalPAK comparison between halal and kosher
On the other hand, in countries like Israel, specially trained men are hired to prepare the hindquarters for sale as kosher.

References

External links

Laws of Judaism concerning eating fat
from the Torah and Maimonides’ Code of Jewish Law {{Kashrut Jewish religious occupations Hebrew words and phrases Kashrut Meat industry Jewish law and rituals Animal anatomy Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law

Etymology

Regional practices

See also

References

External links