[Avodah] schechtworthy

[Jacob Farkas]

>  R' Saul.Z.Newman <at> kp.org wrote:
> 
>  > seen on a  newsletter---  A /shochet/ that watches television is
>  > violating Biblical prohibitions. While this casts aspersions on his
>  > trustworthiness, he should not be removed. He must be first warned to
>  > cease from such behaviour (Shevet Halevi YD 2).
> 
>  >> q-is this a generally accepted disqualifier?  does the OU use this
>  >> criteria?  are there people that wouldn't eat from tv-shchita?
>  >> what other professions does tv disqualify?
>  >> wouldnt this be an edah related issur  [ like  matza shruya], since
>  >> many jews would not hold that this is true?

R' Zev Sero wrote:

> It's a question of poretz geder.  In a community where TV-watching is
> not accepted, someone who does raises questions about his yiras shomayim,
> and a shochet's yiras shomayim must be beyond question.  The same applies
> to shaving or trimming, and in an earlier era even to wearing galoshes!
> Someone whose community regards these things as normal is just behaving
> normally, and no question need be raised.
> 
> R' Elchonon Loebenstein was a shochet in Melbourne for many decades.
> He was one of the Dunera Boys, and when he started shechting for the
> L community in Melbourne some were concerned because he trimmed his
> beard.  They wrote to the LR, who replied that since he came from
> Germany where this was normal, it did not cause any problem at all
> with his shechita.

I was curious whether it is fair to apply the standards of yesteryear to 
the modern day Shoheit. The role of a Shoheit today has (in most cases) 
been drastically reduced, given that he is usually part of a larger 
operation that has a league of Kosher overseers who decide matters of 
policy, procedure, and more particularly, decide the Kashrus of any 
specific animal in question.

This is not to suggest that current Shohetim are human machines whose 
exclusive task is to perform holakha vehava'ah. It is still imperative 
for him to apply his training and knowledge on the spot. The 
prerequisites of qualification still need to apply.

To compare him to an old-school Shoheit (e.g. one-man operation), whose 
ne'emanus and often whose pesaq about the meat was enough for the 
community, is unfair. Clearly, the need for such a Shoheit to maintain a 
very high standard of religious observance is a given.

Why should we force a specific ideology (e.g. no TV) on modern day 
Shohetim, finding a technicality in Halakhah as a stick? Shouldn't it 
make more sense, given the reality on the ground (defining the Shoheit's 
current position) to relax the standards on modern day Shohetim?

I am merely raising the question...

--Jacob Farkas