Prohibition of Blood/2

Prohibition of Blood

Exegetical Approaches

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Lesson in the Sanctity of Life

Refraining from eating blood, the source or symbol of an animal's vitality and soul, reminds one of the sanctity of all life. Eating it would be repugnant and cruel.

Sources:RambanVayikra 17:11About R. Moshe b. Nachman #2,¹ Sefer HaChinukh148About Sefer HaChinukh, AbarbanelVayikra 17Devarim 12:20About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel #3,²  Keli YekarVayikra 17:13About R. Shelomo Ephraim Luntschitz, ShadalDevarim 12:23About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto,³ R. D"Z HoffmannVayikra 3:17Vayikra 17:11-14Devarim 12:23-25About R. David Zvi Hoffmann,⁴ R. Kook

Detrimental to Health

Eating blood is detrimental to both one's physical and spiritual health.

Sources:Ibn EzraVayikra 3:17Devarim 12:25Bereshit First Commentary 9:4About R. Avraham ibn Ezra,⁵ RambanVayikra 17:11About R. Moshe b. Nachman, Sefer Hachinukh148About Sefer HaChinukh,⁶ RalbagVayikra 3:16-17Vayikra 17:11-14Vayikra Toalot 3:17About R. Levi b. Gershom #3, Abarbanel Vayikra 17Devarim 12:20About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel#2,⁷ SefornoVayikra 17:14Vayikra 19:26Devarim 12:23About R. Ovadyah Seforno,⁸ Or HaChayyimVayikra 17:10Vayikra 17:11Vayikra 17:13About R. Chayyim b. Atar, R. HirschVayikra 3:17Vayikra 7:26Vayikra 17:10-12Devarim 12:23About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch, NetzivVayikra 17:11-14Devarim 12:23About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin⁹

Distancing from Idolatry

Consuming blood is prohibited since it is related to idolatrous practices.

Sources:RambamMoreh Nevukhim 3:46About R. Moshe b. Maimon, RalbagVayikra 3:16-17Vayikra 17:11-14Vayikra Toalot 3:17About R. Levi b. Gershom, SefornoVayikra 17:14Vayikra 19:26Devarim 12:23About R. Ovadyah Seforno, ShadalVayikra 7:26Vayikra 17:13Devarim 12:23About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto¹⁰

Sanctified to Hashem

Since the blood of animals is thrown on the altar and sanctified to Hashem, it is not fit for human consumption.

Sources:Ibn EzraVayikra 3:17Devarim 12:25Bereshit First Commentary 9:4About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorVayikra 7:23Vayikra 17:11Vayikra 19:19About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor,¹¹ RambanVayikra 17:11About R. Moshe b. Nachman, RalbagVayikra 3:16-17Vayikra 17:11-14Vayikra Toalot 3:17About R. Levi b. Gershom, AbarbanelBereshit 9:1Vayikra 3Vayikra 17Devarim 12:20About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel #1, R. Avraham SabaTzeror HaMor Vayikra 17:3About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor), NetzivVayikra 17:11-14Devarim 12:23About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, R. David Zvi HoffmannVayikra 3:17Vayikra 17:11-14Devarim 12:23-25About R. David Zvi Hoffmann  

¹ Ramban also speaks of the blood's detrimental effects on human nature and its allocation to Hashem.

² Abarbanel brings many reasons for the prohibition; this is the third possibility he raises in his commentary on Vayikra 17 and Devarim 12.

³ He also connects aspects of the prohibition to idolatrous practices.

⁴ R. Hoffmann also suggests that the prohibition relates to the fact that the blood is sanctified to Hashem.

⁵ In his comments to Vayikra 3 he, instead, explains that blood is prohibited since it Hashem's portion.  It is possible that he differentiates between the reason for the prohibition with regards to domesticated animals (which are fit for sacrificing) and non-domesticated animals (which are not fit for sacrificing).  Since the blood of the latter is not allocated to Hashem, there must be a different reason for the prohibition.

⁶ He refers to both the spiritual and physical aspects.

⁷ Abarbanel brings many reasons for the prohibition; this is the second possibility he raises in his commentary on Vayikra 17 and Devarim 12.

⁸ He also relates the prohibition to idolatrous practices.

⁹ Netziv distinguishes between the reason for the prohibition of eating the blood of domesticated and non-domesticated animals and maintains that only the latter is related to the negative effects it will have on man's nature.

¹⁰ This is his first explanation for the command to cover the blood of birds and non-domesticated animals.  Though he does not explicitly state that it is also the reason for the initial prohibition of blood, the two would seem to be connected.

¹¹ He maintains that  this only relates to animals which are fit for sacrifices.  The blood of such domesticated animals is prohibited for two reasons - its being apportioned to Hashem as atonement and the fact that it is the animal's soul.  Non domesticated animals and birds are prohibited only for the second reason.