ושחט אותו (א:יא)

The chassid Reb Shulem Shochet zt”l served as the shochet (ritual slaughterer) in Lizhensk and, later, as shochet for the elderly chassidim living in America.

There is a Belz minhag (custom) for the shochet to show his חלף (slaughtering knife)  to their Rebbe so that they can inspect the blade that it is sharp and smooth, without any blemishes.

Reb Shulem once traveled to the old country and used the opportunity to visit his Rebbe, Maran Reb Yissochor Dov of Belz zt”l. When allowed into the Rebbe’s inner sanctuary, he handed his Kvittel (written note with his requests for a blessing) and used the opportunity to show Maran his Chalaf (slaughtering knife).  After finishing to inspect the knife, Maran asked him: “דער בהמה זעהט אויך אמאהל דעם חלף?” – does the animal also see this knife?”

Maran Reb Yissocher Dov had a deeper intention with this message.  Unfortunately, in the first half of the 20th century, America was rife with lax shochtim (ritual slaughterers), who used to set aside one well-sharpened knife to show their Rav, and so make them believe that all their other knives were fit for purpose.  In reality, they used a different knife to slaughter the animals, which was not compliant with the required stringencies of halachic ritual slaughter.