Reeh 12:16 · unit 2

TT #62 · Parashas Reeh · First Aliyah · Passuk 12:16

The Complete Passuk

רַ֥ק הַדָּ֖ם לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ תִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּ כַּמָּֽיִם׃

Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.

Chabad.org — 12:16

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei / Pesachim.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תִּשְׁפְּכֶנּוּ כַּמַּיִם – אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, מִנַּיִן לְדַם קָדָשִׁים שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַכְשִׁיר לְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר עַל הָאָרֶץ תִּשְׁפְּכֶנּוּ כַּמַּיִם, דָּם שֶׁנִּשְׁפָּךְ כַּמַּיִם מַכְשִׁיר, דָּם שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִשְׁפָּךְ כַּמַּיִם אֵינוֹ מַכְשִׁיר.

English: “You shall pour it out like water” — R’ Chiyya bar Abba said in the name of R’ Yochanan: From where do we know that the blood of sacrificial animals does not prepare [food] to receive impurity? The verse states “on the earth you shall pour it out like water.” Blood that is poured out like water prepares; blood that is not poured out like water does not prepare.

On the daf / in context: Sacrificial blood, which is dashed on the altar rather than poured on the ground, lacks the capacity to render food susceptible to tumah.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei / Bavli) — the limited role of sacrificial blood in tumah.

What Is Learned

Sacrificial blood does not render foodstuffs susceptible to ritual impurity.