Chullin 120 – “Eating” Liquids

Previously we learned that gravy combines with meat for the volume of an egg, necessary to convey ritual impurity. Rava said, “Gravy is the fat that rises to the top of meat sauce.” Abbaye said to him, “That would be food in its own right, not only in combination with meat! Rather, it is congealed glaze, which people don't eat by itself, but only with meat.” Why does it have to be congealed? Didn't Resh Lakish say that salad dressing combines with the salad to transgress the fast of Yom Kippur? – That would not be a contradiction: on Yom Kippur all depends on alleviating the affliction of hunger, and the dressing helps that, whereas only congealed glaze combines with foods.

If one cooked blood to make it solid and then ate it, or if he dissolved the prohibited fat and then ate that, he is liable. Now, we understand about blood: by his actions he showed that he values it as solid and it has the status of food in his eyes, but the fat is only prohibited to eat, not to drink!? As Resh Lakish explained, the extra word “that soul” prohibits drinking the fat.

Art: Aurelio Zingoni - The Hungry Chimney Sweep