# 3880 By the Skin of your Teeth

Rambam (Ma’acholos Assuros 4: 21) rules that human skin is the same as the flesh and is equally prohibited to be eaten. However, Rashbo (Responsa 365) leans to permit, unless it derives from a cadaver, which would render the skin prohibited in benefit.

Although the human flesh eating prohibition is Biblical, regarding skin Poskim disagree whether the prohibition is Biblical or only Rabbinical. (Ben Ish Chai - P. Emor 2: 5, Maadanei Hashulchan 34).

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit’a.