סימן יז – דין השוחט בהמה המסכנת למות,
Siman 17
The law regarding one who slaughters an animal that is in danger of dying.
א
הַשּׁוֹחֵט אֶת הַבְּרִיאָה וְלֹא פִּרְכְּסָה. הֲרֵי זוֹ מֻתֶּרֶת; אֲבָל הַמְסֻכֶּנֶת וְהוּא כָּל שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִים אוֹתָהּ בִּגְעָרָה אוֹ בְּמַקֵּל וְאֵינָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא אוֹכֶלֶת מַאֲכַל בְּרִיאוֹת, שְׁחָטָהּ וְלֹא פִּרְכְּסָה כְּלָל, הֲרֵי זוֹ נְבֵלָה וְלוֹקִין עָלֶיהָ; וְאִם פִּרְכְּסָה, הֲרֵי זוֹ מֻתֶּרֶת, וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַפִּרְכּוּס בְּסוֹף הַשְּׁחִיטָה וְלִמְשֹׁךְ עַד אַחַר הַשְּׁחִיטָה , אֲבָל בִּתְחִלָּתָהּ אֵינוֹ מוֹעִיל. כֵּיצַד הוּא הַפִּרְכּוּס, בִּבְהֵמָה דַּקָּה וּבְחַיָּה גַּסָה וְדַקָּה, בֵּין שֶׁפָּשְׁטָה יָדָהּ וְהֶחֱזִירָה אוֹ שֶׁפָּשְׁטָה רַגְלָהּ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הֶחֱזִירָתָה, אוֹ שֶׁכָּפְפָה רַגְלָהּ בִּלְבַד, הֲרֵי זֶה פִּרְכּוּס וּמֻתָּר; אֲבָל אִם פָּשְׁטָה יָדָהּ וְלֹא הֶחֱזִירָה, הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲסוּרָה, שֶׁאֵין זוֹ אֶלָּא הוֹצָאַת נֶפֶשׁ בִּלְבַד; וּבִבְהֵמָה גַּסָה אֶחָד הַיָּד וְאֶחָד הָרֶגֶּל, בֵּין שֶׁפָּשְׁטָה וְלֹא כָּפְפָה, בֵּין כָּפְפָה וְלֹא פָּשְׁטָה, הֲרֵי זֶה פִּרְכּוּס וּמֻתֶּרֶת. וְאִם לֹא פָּשְׁטָה, לֹא יָד וְלֹא רֶגֶל, וְלֹא כָּפְפָה כְּלָל, הֲרֵי זוֹ נְבֵלָה; וּבְעוֹף, אֲפִלּוּ לֹא רִפְרֵף אֶלָּא בְּעֵינוֹ, וְלֹא כִּשְׁכֵּשׁ אֶלָּא בִּזְנָבוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה פִּרְכּוּס.
Seif 1
When one slaughters a healthy animal and after slaughtering it does not make convulsive movements, it is permitted.
However regarding an animal that is dangerously ill, i.e., one which cannot maintain itself when others cause it to stand it up, even if it eats the food of healthy animals. If such an animal is slaughtered and does not make any convulsive movements at all, it is a nevelah and one is liable for lashes [for partaking] of it. If it makes convulsive movements, it is permitted.
The convulsive movements must be made at the end of the slaughter. If they are made at the beginning, they are of no consequence.
What is meant by convulsive movements? For a small domesticated animal and for both a small and a large wild beast,
the intent is that it extended its foreleg and returned it, extended its hind leg even though it did not return it, or merely bent its hind leg. This is considered a convulsive movement and [the animal] is permitted. If, however, it merely extended its foreleg and did not return it, it is forbidden. This movement is merely a result of the expiration of the soul.
If it either extended its foreleg or its hind leg without bending it or bent its foreleg or hind leg without extending it, it is considered as a convulsive movement and it is permitted.
If, however, it neither extended or bent its foreleg or its hind leg at all, it is considered as a nevelah.
With regard to a fowl, even if it only blinked its eyelid or swatted its tail, it is considered a convulsive movement.