Chullin 13 – Shechitah Does Not Require Intent

From the fact that a minor can do shechitah we see that intent is not required for it – as opposed to the slaughter of sacrifices. Indeed, we learned that if one threw a knife to plunge it into the wall, and as the knife went in flight, it slaughtered the animal in a proper way, Rabbi Nathan says that it is a valid shechitah. But, for a short knife one needs to move his knife back and forth!? – In this case also, the knife rebounded from the wall and completed the slaughter.

A non-Jew does not need to eat kosher meat. Since the Torah said, “And you shall slaughter... and you may eat,” one who does not need to eat kosher meat cannot slaughter it either. Therefore, if he did slaughter it, the animal becomes a nevelah, same as if it died by itself, and its meat conveys ritual impurity, which was important when the Temple was standing. It is not, however, prohibited for benefit – as would be the case with idol sacrifices – because today's idolaters are considered idol-worshipers by rote, and not out of ideological conviction.

Art: Lombard School - A man eating and drinking at a partly-draped table in an interior