GID HANESHEH

Ch. 32, v. 33: "Al kein lo yochlu vnei Yisroel es Gid HaNesheh …… ad ha'yom ha'zeh"

That night, Yaacov divides his camp in two, and crosses over the ford of the YabbokRiver. Yaacov was left alone, and a man wrestled with him, until the break of dawn. When the "man" (who is regarded by the mmentators as the arch angel of Esau), perceived that he could not overcome Yaacov, he struck the socket of Yaacov's hip, dislocating it, as he wrestled with Yaacov.

The "man" then begs Yaacov to let him go, for dawn has broken. Yaacov, however, insists on first receiving a blessing. The man informs Yaacov that his name will no longer be "Yaacov," instead he shall become known as "Israel," "for you [Yaacov] have striven with the Divine and with human and have overcome.

As a result of the confrontation and Yaacov's injury, the Torah states that the Children of Israel are not permitted to eat the dislocated sinew on the hip-socket to this day.

What exactly is the prohibitedGid HaNesheh?

Literally: ‘Gid’ means ‘sinew,’ and ‘Nesheh’ is an expression of ‘jumping’ – as explained to us by Rashi. So in short, one could translate Gid HaNesheh as ‘the dislocated sinew’.

Anatomically, two tendons extend from the animal's hip to the thigh, an inner tendon and an outer tendon. Eating even a miniscule amount of the inner tendon, even a piece no bigger than the size of an olive, violates this biblical injunction. Eating the outside tendon is a violation of rabbinic law. Since fowl do not have hip sockets of this nature, their tendons are not included in this prohibition.

Because of this prohibition, most observant Jews outside of Israelnever eat any of the hind quarters of kosher animals. Instead, those parts are sold for non-kosher consumption. However in Israel, where meat is more expensive, butchers carefully purge every last trace of these nervesand the surrounding fat as well (known as nikur). It requires a great deal of expertise to remove these forbidden parts.

There is a difference of opinion between Rabbi Yehudah and the Sages (Chulin 90b) if the prohibition against Gid HaNesheh applies only to the tendon of the right leg or also to the left. Rabbi Yehudah maintains that the angel wounded only Yaakov’s right hip. The Sages, by contrast, maintain that both hips were dislocated. (“He struck him on both hips until both [tendons] were dislocated and rose”)

Also, Targum Yonoson ben Uziel says Gid HaNesheh is "divira v'cheivosa," of a domesticated or undomesticated animal, seemingly excluding from this prohibition that of a humanGid HaNesheh. Further, there is no additional prohibition on the "Gid haNesheh" of a non-kosher animal.

The Kreisi U'fleisi Y.D. #65 s.k. 16 relates that a man went from community to community in Europe, claiming that the sinew that was being removed was not in fact the Gid HaNesheh, and that he knew which Gid was the true Gid NaNesheh. The gid which this man claimed was the realGid HaNosheh was only to be found in male animals.Upon coming to the community where R' Yonasan Ibishitz (author of Kreisi U'fleisi) lived, R' Yonasan convinced him that he was wrong by showing him the Sefer Halachos Gedolos (SH”G) which says that the Gid HaNoshehapplies to both males and females. This is extremely puzzling since it is well known that the intention of the SH"G was that the mitzvah applies to both men and women, and not in which gender of animal the Gid is to be found. A number of explanations are given including:

1) R' Yonasan writes that his first reaction was that the man must be wrong because ALL of Klal Yisroel cannot be doing this mitzvah incorrectly. He therefore attempted with any means at his disposal to prevent him from spreading his incorrect opinion. Not knowing how great of a scholar this man was, he used this trick and was successful.

2) There is a printing mistake and in the place of SH"G it should have said SH"N, which stands for Sefer Hilchos Nikur. This is a book which deals with the technical removal of prohibited parts of the animal and where it says males and females, it is indeed talking about the animal.

Interestingly, the verse can also allude to the rabbinical fast days of the year. “Bnai Yisrael should not eat” את גיד – Fast of Esther (א); Fast of Tisha bAv (ת); Fast of the Third day of Tishrei (ג); Fast of Tenth day of Teves (י); Fast of the 17th day of the fourth month –Tamuz (ד); הנשה is the same letters as השנה (the year).

PURPOSE OF THE PROHIBITION OF THE GID HANESHEH

Sefer Ha'Chinuch / Esav’s malach wanted to get rid of Yaakov and all his descendents, but was unable to do so, although he did injure him. This can be understood as an eternal message through the ages: Esav’s descendents cause us a lot of distress during the period of the Exile, but we must always remember that they will never destroy us entirely, and just as the sun shone on Yaakov and healed him, so too the sun of Moshiach will shine and heal us from our distress and redeem us speedily in our days.
Seforno / The prohibition of eating the sinew of the thigh is to show that, no matter how unfavorable the odds may appear to be, Jews must fight for survival, notwithstanding any physical limitations.
Chizkuni / This negative mitzvah is in essence a penalty for the bnei Yisroel for all generations because they left their elderly father alone, as is mentioned in verse 25, "Va'yivo'seir Yaacov l'vado." The brothers were physically powerful and should have stayed with him just in case he had some need, rather than going ahead. This negative mitzvah will serve as a permanent remembrance and will serve as a reminder to escort and accompany those who need it. From this incident Yaakov learned to escort Yosef when he sent him to find his brothers.
Rashbam / This mitzvah is not a punishment. Rather it is a memorial to remember Yaakov's phenomenal strength to overpower an angel, and also to remember HaShem's kindness in saving him from death at the hands of the angel.
Alshich / The prohibition of eating the sinew of the thigh is intended to serve as reminder to Jews to distance themselves from any evil, even a particular evil that has not yet become officially forbidden (such as marrying two sisters). Jews are forbidden to eat the thigh muscle, as a reminder that even the saintly Yaacov was held accountable for his sin.
Rivo / This mitzvah is a remembrance of the miracle that Yaakov was saved from the attempt of the angel to totally do him in. To serve as a remembrance that Yaakov was injured and endured pain in that sinew. This is akin to someone who often suffered from headaches. Even when he is free of pain he would refrain from eating the meat of the head of an animal as a remembrance that he often suffered aches to his head.
Radak / This mitzvah serves as a remembrance that Yaakov through his great cleavage to HaShem merited to have this prophetic encounter (see Rambam Moreh N'vuchim 2:42) Belief in prophecy is one of the cornerstones of our belief, so it deserves a memorial.
Rambam / Those who assert that the mitzvah of the sinew of the thigh, or any other mitzvah, references historical events, are mistaken. The reason Jews abstain from eating the thigh muscle, is not because Jews descended from Yaacov whose thigh muscle was injured in the confrontation, but because of G-d's commandment at Sinai, to do so.
Lubavitcher Rebbe / The theme of the mitzvahof Gid HaNeshehis to acknowledge G-d’s protection and providence over His people Israel so that they will not perish in their exile among the gentile nations. This mitzvah includes two extremes elements of the event (the commemoration of an event of very general significance; and the concentration on one particular dimension of the event) which evokes an (intellectual) rationale.
The entire creation “came into being solely from the truth of His being” and is controlled by His providence. With regard to the creation as a whole, He manifests His providence on every individual according to its positive virtue, (i.e., the extent to which it serves the Torah and the Jewish people). This is reflected in the general aspect of this mitzvah.
Nevertheless, G-d’s primary desire and choice focuses on the Jewish people alone. The commemoration of Yaacov’s deliverance involves only one dimension of the event (and emphasis is placed on only one particular element). This reflects the nature of the Divine providence which was focused on Yaacov (and on the Jewish people, his descendants).
This concept is emphasized through the mitzvah of the Gid HaNesheh in which the general commemoration of Yaacov’s deliverance is associated with one particular dimension of the event. This teaches us that every particular dimension was related to his deliverance as a whole event.