[Avodah] Foie Gras

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

I last touched this topic in 2013
http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol31/v31n137.shtml#12

In that post MK R Moshe Gafni (degel) assumed the production of foie gras
was assur and voted atainst legalizing production in Israel. RYSE was asked,
said mutar. RMF (EhE 4:92) distinguishes based on the quailty of the
benefit to people. RMF felt that white veal was not that much more than
a marketing ploy, and the tza'ar ba'aei chaim is not justifiable. Nothing
directly about foie gras, though. Oral tradition has it that the Chasam
Sofer often ate foie gras. (Presumably he wouldn't have if its production
was assur, even if the resulting food is kosher.)

RMT prohibits both, but on the grounds that the resulting goose or calf is
too likely to be a tereifah, not tzaar baalei chaim.

Well, a new contribution, also (like the dishwasher post above) from
the R' Asher Weiss web site
<http://en.tvunah.org/2016/08/25/kashrus-of-goose-liver>.
Here's the English, there is much more in Hebrew. (My impression: The
same kind of mutar but is this really what we want to be doing? as the
Noda biYhudah on hunting.)

    Question:

    Kvod Harav, what is your view and psak halacha in regards to the
    consumption of goose liver which has presumably been force fed,
    assuming there was no issue of treifos in the veshet/kaneh, but
    rather due to tzaar baalei chaim, from the little bit that I have
    seen, being that its done for mankind, and its done by a non jew,
    and it may only be a Drabanan, would that impose an issur on someone
    who hasnt taken part in the force feeding, from eat it? thank you.

    Answer:

    Something being done to an animal for the purpose of food preparation
    is permitted according to the letter of the law. Nevertheless, the
    Rama at the end of Even Haezer Siman 5 writes that even when there
    is no actual prohibition of Tzaar Baalei Chaim, there is still the
    concern of acting with cruelty towards animals. For this reason,
    he explains, people tend to refrain from such procedures, when they
    are not totally necessary. This would seem to be true of foie gras
    as well. The question of using such methods should be considered
    within this context, and judged based on the necessity and gain
    while considering the animals pain. Consumption of the food after
    the fact would not seem to pose a problem, although we should not
    be encouraging such procedures even done by non Jews.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             I always give much away,
micha at aishdas.org        and so gather happiness instead of pleasure.
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