trefah

Trefah, also spelled trefa or treifah, is a Hebrew term used in Jewish dietary law to designate meat or other food that is not kosher. The word derives from the Hebrew root taraf, meaning to tear or break, reflecting the belief that certain injuries, defects, or illnesses render an animal unsuitable for consumption. In halacha (comparative Jewish law), treifah status is applied to meat that would be forbidden because of conditions that prevent the animal from meeting the criteria for kosher slaughter and preparation.

In practice, kosher meat must come from a permitted species and from an animal that possesses the required physical characteristics, and it must be slaughtered and processed according to halachic rules. Even when these general conditions are met, meat can be deemed treifah if post-slaughter examination reveals defects or diseases that would render the animal non-kosher or cause it to die within a certain period. Examples discussed in rabbinic sources include serious injuries, abnormal growths, or diseases considered life-threatening. The determination of treifah is typically conducted by a qualified rabbinic authority or shochet after inspection of the carcass; if it is declared treifah, the meat is not permitted for consumption and is usually excluded from food preparation.

The term treifah is common in rabbinic literature and modern translations of Jewish texts. It is also used metaphorically in secular contexts to describe something deemed unacceptable or spoiled. There is no widely recognized geographic place named Trefah; the word is primarily a religious term relating to dietary laws rather than a location.