ויקרא, פרק ז׳, פסוק כ״ו

The Torah establishes an absolute and sweeping prohibition against the consumption of blood. Although this law is presented within the context of the laws of sacrifices, its scope is far broader than the prohibition against eating certain animal fats. It applies equally to ordinary meat prepared for daily consumption, not just to offerings brought to God [שד״ל, ביאור יש״ר, רש״ר הירש, הופמן, שטיינזלץ, רשב״ם, חזקוני]. The severity of this law is reflected in its consequences. Consuming the lifeblood, which is the blood through which the animal's life force departs during slaughter, carries the severe spiritual penalty of being cut off. In contrast, consuming the blood found within the limbs violates a standard negative commandment [פרדס יוסף]. Furthermore, the ban is comprehensive, encompassing the blood of all species, whether the animals and birds are ritually pure or impure [ביאור יש״ר, העמק דבר].

Because these instructions are situated among the laws of the Temple sacrifices, one might mistakenly assume that the restriction on blood applies only when the Temple is standing and sacrificial services are active. To prevent this misunderstanding, the laws clarify that the prohibition is eternal and applies in all locations [רש״י, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה, דברי דוד]. It is a personal obligation resting upon the individual rather than a rule tied to the physical land, meaning it must be observed both within the Land of Israel and in the diaspora [רש״י, שפתי חכמים].

When defining exactly which creatures this law covers, the primary approach among commentators is that the category of animals includes wild beasts, such as deer and rams, making their blood equally forbidden [שד״ל, מזרחי, רלב״ג, ברכת אשר, גור אריה, העמק דבר]. At the same time, specifying birds and mammals serves to exclude other creatures. The restriction applies specifically to these categories, thereby excluding the blood of fish, grasshoppers, creeping animals, eggs, and humans [רש״י, תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר, ברטנורא]. Some commentators note that [רש״י] deliberately highlights the exemption of fish and grasshoppers because their blood is inherently permitted and they do not require ritual slaughter. This contrasts with human blood or the blood of creeping creatures, which are forbidden for entirely different reasons, or the blood found in eggs, which is restricted by rabbinic decree [מזרחי, רבינו בחיי, ברטנורא, גור אריה, דברי דוד].

Both birds and animals are explicitly categorized to prevent incorrect logical deductions. If only birds had been restricted, one might assume that the blood of flock animals is permitted, since flock animals are subject to the distinct prohibition against mixing wool and linen, a rule that does not apply to birds. Conversely, if only animals had been restricted, one might conclude that the blood of pure birds is permitted, since birds are subject to the unique commandment of sending away the mother bird from a nest, which does not apply to mammals [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, ברטנורא, אדרת אליהו].

At its core, the restriction against consuming blood stems from the fact that blood represents the life force of a living creature. Notably, animal blood does not convey ritual impurity, unlike a human corpse. This distinction is designed to highlight the profound and fundamental difference between the life force of an animal and the soul of a human being. By distancing humanity from the consumption of blood, the Torah prevents the blurring of boundaries between humans and the animal kingdom, serving as a constant reminder that human destiny is elevated and distinct [רש״ר הירש].