יחזקאל, פרק ל״ג, פסוק כ״ה

A harsh rebuke from the prophet shatters the people's illusion that they possess an unconditional right to the Land of Israel. Residing in the land depends entirely on following the Torah, yet the people chose to commit the most severe sins that defile the land, primarily idolatry and bloodshed [מלבי״ם].

The accusation opens by addressing the practice of eating over blood. The primary approach among commentators is that this describes a dark, idolatrous ritual of sacrificing to demons. Worshippers would gather around the blood of a sacrifice and eat the meat, believing that the demons were feeding on the blood itself. This practice created the feeling of a shared meal and a deep connection with impure forces, directly violating the Torah's prohibition against such acts [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Some describe this ritual as involving standing directly in a puddle of blood to summon spirits and demons [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Offering a contrasting, social-moral perspective, [רש״י] explains that this act refers to eating luxury foods bought with blood money. In this view, the people were murdering the wealthy specifically to steal their property and fund their lavish lifestyles.

The prophet continues by condemning their desire for foreign worship. The people turn their attention to idols, looking up to them with the intent to bow down and serve them. This directly violates the strict prohibition against turning toward or even looking at idols [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל]. Furthermore, they are guilty of shedding the blood of innocent, guiltless people.

In light of these severe actions, the prophet asks a piercing rhetorical question: how can they possibly imagine they deserve to inherit the land while committing such acts? The Land of Israel naturally cannot tolerate these abominations. Just as the land expelled the Canaanites before them for the exact same sins of idolatry and bloodshed, it will expel them as well [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. The current generation holds no advantage over those who have already died or been sent into exile. Having violated the fundamental condition for living in the land, they have no right to compare themselves to Abraham or rely on the merit of their ancestors [מצודת דוד, רש״י].