Engraved Case for a Shohet's (Ritual Slaughterer's) Knife

This perfectly smooth and sharpened blade (hallaf) was used by the shohet, the ritual slaughterer, for the slaughter of animals according to the rules of kashrut (shehita). The shehita requires an instrument without the slightest notch, verified before each use, in order to ensure a rapid slaughter conformant with Jewish law, rendering the meat fit for consumption. In Eastern Europe, the case protecting this knife sometimes bore the shohet's name and an inscription, marking the craftsman's attachment to his sacred instrument. An object of the ritual trade guaranteeing kashrut, it illustrates the central place of dietary laws in Jewish life.