זבחים לב

At a gathering of רבנים and other prominent members of the קהילה in Vilna, the discussion turned to a מומר who had become a Bishop but continued to speak well of Jews.  There were those who spoke לגנאי and others who spoke לשבח.  The נצי״ב was present and was asked his opinion.  He said: “There was once a man who was deathly ill. The top doctors were consulted, but none had a cure other than him eating pork. The patient refused but after the רב said that he must follow the instructions of the doctors because it is a matter of פיקוח נפש, he agreed but on condition that the animal be slaughtered by a kosher שחיטה.  The רב instructed the שוחט to do the שחיטה according to מנהג ישראל.   After slaughtering the pig, however, the שוחט did בדיקה and found a סירכה in the lung.  He brought it to the רב to examine.  The רב responded: “שוטים שבעולם!  Why are you asking me about this?  No matter what you do or find, a pig remains a pig.”

06/10/2021