2,527. The Slaughter of a Heretic

Hilchos Shechita 4:13

If a non-Jew started to slaughter an animal and he cut the minor part of the signs, after which a Jew finished the slaughter, or if a Jew started the slaughter and a non-Jew finished it, the slaughter is invalid because shechita must be continuous from start to finish. However, let’s say that a non-Jew cut an organ that doesn’t render an animal a neveila, such as if he cut half the trachea. If a Jew finishes the slaughter, then it’s valid.

Hilchos Shechita 4:14

A Jew who is an apostate because of one particular sin but who is an expert in shechita may slaughter even at the outset. A Jew in good standing must check the knife and then give it to the apostate to use because we assume that the apostate won’t bother to do it himself. However, if he was an apostate for worshiping false powers, public desecration of Shabbos, or heresy by denying the Torah and Moshe as was described in Hilchos Teshuvah 3:8, then the law for him is the same as for a non-Jew and what he slaughters is a neveila.