Reeh 12:16 · unit 4

TT #64 · 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 / Chullin.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תִּשְׁפְּכֶנּוּ כַּמַּיִם – אָמַר לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב מִינָאָה לְרָבָא, קַיְימָא לַן חַיָּה בִּכְלַל בְּהֵמָה לְסִימָנִים, אֵימָא נָמֵי בְּהֵמָה בִּכְלַל חַיָּה לְכִסּוּי הַדָּם, אָמַר לֵיהּ, עָלֶיךָ אָמַר קְרָא עַל הָאָרֶץ תִּשְׁפְּכֶנּוּ כַּמַּיִם, מָה מַיִם לֹא בָּעֵי כִּסּוּי אַף הַאי נָמֵי לֹא בָּעֵי כִּסּוּי.

English: “You shall pour it out like water” — Yaakov the heretic said to Rava: We hold that a wild animal is included in the category of domestic animal for the signs [of kashrut]; say also that a domestic animal is included in the category of wild animal for the covering of the blood. He replied: Concerning you the verse states “on the earth you shall pour it out like water.” Just as water does not require covering, so this [blood of a domestic animal] does not require covering.

On the daf / in context: The comparison to water excludes the blood of ordinary domestic animals from the requirement of kisui ha-dam, which applies only to wild animals and birds.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei / Bavli) — limiting the obligation of covering the blood.

What Is Learned

The blood of ordinary domestic animals does not require covering; the obligation of kisui ha-dam applies only to wild animals and birds.