In the previous Halacha we have discussed that it is forbidden to consume the blood sometimes found in eggs and that there are instances where the blood found in the egg can prohibit consumption of the entire egg since blood is an indication of the beginning of the chick’s embryotic development and the chick’s blood is indeed forbidden.
“Absorbed From the Earth”
Based on what we have explained that the blood is forbidden because it indicates the beginning of the chick’s embryotic development, a question arises regarding most eggs sold today by large companies whether or not the blood found in them is forbidden for consumption, for as we know, almost all of the hens which lay these eggs are enclosed in a coop without the ability to move in and out and with no male chickens present at all. Indeed, at least most eggs are laid in this way. The question therefore is: Is blood found in such eggs likewise forbidden although it can certainly not indicate the beginning of a chick’s embryotic development? (Our Sages refer to such eggs as “absorbed from the earth,” meaning that this egg was not laid through male fertilization, rather, it is as though the chicken “absorbed” the egg from the earth.)
The Opinion of Hagaon Harav Moshe Feinstein zt”l
This question has already been posed to Hagaon Harav Moshe Feinstein zt”l in the year 5717 (1957) to which he replied that according to the letter of the law, one may act leniently and merely remove the blood spot and the rest of the egg will be permissible for consumption. However, since there are farms which raise both male and female chickens for production of chicks (for eating) and there are times when they will have a surplus of eggs, more than are necessary for production of chicks, and these eggs laid from the fertilization of males will be sold along with eggs laid without males, it is correct to be stringent and dispose of the entire egg if blood is found inside (only if the blood is found in the yolk according to Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch or anywhere in the egg according to the Rama, as we have explained in the previous Halacha). Nevertheless, as we have written, according to the letter of the law there is room for leniency in this matter since a vast majority of the eggs sold on the market today are without male contact and there is no halachic need to be concerned about such a small minority, even nowadays.
On the other hand, the Minchat Yitzchak requires one to act stringently according to the law.
Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l deals with this matter lengthily in his responses (Yabia Omer Volume 2, Yoreh De’ah, Chapter 2 and Volume 3, Chapter 57) and concludes that one may act leniently regarding the eggs sold nowadays and one may merely dispose of the blood found in the egg; however, the rest of the egg is permissible for consumption, for the vast majority of eggs nowadays are not from male contact and the blood found in them is certainly not the beginning of a chick’s embryotic development. It is thus unnecessary to discuss the laws of blood found in eggs lengthily, since nowadays, people usually purchase eggs marketed by large companies from the supermarket or grocery store and it is sufficient to remove the blood and the rest of the egg is permissible. This ruling applies to both Sephardim and Ashkenazim.
