Q. My brother sent me this url (http://www.benpekuahmeats.com/) and asked me if I would eat from them. I replied, “Not without consulting a Rabbinic authority”.

Upon analyzing the issue, I noticed that Rav Wosner and Rav Menashe Klein were both against the idea of mass-producing this meat, each for theological reasons of their own. I write theological because they do not seem to have Halachic difficulties with it. They don’t seem to consider the problem of ensuring that the herd not be in contact with normal animals (something a competitor might engineer) or with members of the herd getting into our animal groups, causing the resultant offspring not to have a heter shechita due to shehiya.

I also had difficulty with this Ben Pekuah* organization who seem to think that we can rely on the singular opinion of the Meshech Chochmo to allow Basar B’chalav with the Basar of a Ben Pekuah. Also, they seem to assume that the Cheilev and Gid haNasheh of a Ben Pekuah is permitted, even though this is a Machlokes Rishonim and the Shach is machria like the Rambam that both are forbidden.

What is Rav Miller’s position on mass-producing Ben Pekuah meat, and the issues regarding Ben Pekuah of Basar Bechalav, Cheilev, Gid HaNashe, Shechita without B’dikas HaSakin, etc.

A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that it is not a commendable enterprise at all and should be avoided, since the likelihood of the interbreeding with non- pakua animals over a very long period of time is great. (It could eventually be centuries and in very different and difficult settings.) Therefore the potential for a “michshol” and disaster down the road that could not be then verified is very likely.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a

* Ben Pekuah is the live offspring of a Kosher pregnant animal found inside of the properly slaughtered (Shechita) parent after the Shechita.