Eliah Forli

Eliah ben Joseph of Forli was a ritual slaughterer in Mantua in the early seventeenth century. In 1614, he wrote a letter authorizing Isota bat Elḥanan da Fano to slaughter fowl. In this letter, he praises her knowledge of ritual slaughter, stating that she had studied under his tutelage, he had examined her on the material, and she had practiced slaughtering under his supervision. His letter assures the reader that she is perfectly qualified to act as a ritual slaughterer of fowl and that there should be no doubt regarding the kashrut of any bird slaughtered by her. After Isota married one Menaḥem Mazliaḥ Foa, Eliah ben Joseph added a further authorization (dated 1623) testifying to her expertise in ritually cleaning a slaughtered animal (removing veins, sinews, and forbidden fat according to Jewish law).