Rabbi Z Aviner
Topics in Genesis -6/
But Flesh with its Soul, its Blood, Don’t Eat
Class given to Noahides
What is the Torah’s position against killing animals for food?
What is her stance on vegetarianis?
The prohibition of the children of Noah is stated in the verse
Every moving creature that is alive to you will be eaten
As a vegetable of the field, I have given you all
But flesh in his soul, his blood, you will not eat
The first verse permits animals to be killed for eating
The second verse forbids eating animal organs and animal blood
What is an organ?
Can contain bone and flesh and blood. For example, a leg. But an organ can be internal flesh without bones like tongue, liver, kidney. They are forbidden if taken from the animal while it is still alive. An organ is a functional unit in the body
Blood – This is blood in the bloodstream, on which the soul depends, that is, life. It’s not blood hidden inside organs like the liver.
It was said to the Israelites
The commandment was also spoken to Israel in Deuteronomy
Every mitzvah that was given to Noah and repeated by Moses to Israel, is applicable to both Nohides and Israel
It carries two seals on it – that of Moses and of Noah
The whole world listens to Moses, but Moses tells the children of Noah to listen to their father as well
Question: If the purpose of the prohibition is to teach a person compassion and to stay away from cruelty, why does the Torah permit the killing of the animals at all? The two verses seem to contradict each other
And why was blood banned? Is it out of a battle on sorcery, as people think?
In order to understand the matter, one must look at the context of these verses within the book of Genesis
A passage revolving around bloodshed Third Mitzvah
The commandment was said to Noah after the flood. It is within the entire section of the Torah dedicated to bloodshed from the first murder of Cain and Abel to Tubal Cain and his murderous gangs in Noah’s generation. We painted the entire section red to show that it revolves entirely around bloodshed, the third commandment of Adam
Before that, comes the story of Eden which revolves around ADULTERY, Adam’s second commandment
And before that, comes chapter 1 which revolves around IDOLATRY, the first commandment of Adam
In other words, as soon as man came to earth from the Garden of Eden, the first sin they committed was bloodshed—when Cain killed Abel. Since then, humanity has been divided into two camps according to religion, one worshiping ELKM and the other worshiping the Merciful YHVH. They also sinned with idolatry and ADULTERY, but the sin that brought upon them the flood was the terrible BLOODSHED committed by the two camps fighting each other .
After the flood, Noah refused to start civilization anew for fear that his sons would repeat the mistake of the past, and bloodshed would return. No matter the religion or philosophy of society, there will always be a split in humanity and the camps will fight each other. To the death Noah concluded that the true reason behind the war and BLOODSHED is the BLOODTHIRSTY human heart. If so, why should he bring children to the world ?
And when he came out of the ark, he and his family went to Mount Moriah, where the first murder had taken place.
Noah recognized the stones of Cain and Abel altar and re-erected it , and brough on the first elevation offering ever. It takes your thoughts straight to Heavens without saying a ward.
And as he stood there before the Creator he was adamant —I will not have children unless the heavenly court assures me that there will be two changes
A change in the human heart so that it would be less BLOODTHIRSTY
And a change in the heart of the Heavenly court – so that it would show us will – less judgment and more compassion
Then he had a revelation where he saw the Heavenly Court in all its full beauty. It appeared to him as two symmetrical wings, of YHVH and of ELKM, each of the answering Noah from its special viwpoint
YHVH says
Speak to your heart, the heart is in your hand and not the other way around
The evil drive of Mankind human for bloodshed is only in his youth. Man will mature and the drive will change throughout history
ELKM then introduces new Laws of bloodshed unknown before ,
Laws of BLOODSHEHD between Man and Animals
Laws of BLOODSHED between Man and Man
Noah’s seventh commandment appears in ELKM’s words about human-animal relations, and it’s all a novelty, the Talmud says
First line – ELKM permits Noah’s Sons to take the life of animals for its flesh. death for her flesh.
That means, that until that point mankind was forbidden to kill animals for their flesh
Indeed, at the end of chapter 1 of Genesis, ELKM forbids Adam to eat meat
“And ELKM said, Behold, I have given you all the grass that sows seed, which is on the whole earth
And all the tree in which the fruit of a seed sows a seed for you will be eaten”
And there Rashi says
He did not allow Adam to kill a creature and eat its flesh
Only every herb vegetable will all be eaten together. (Animals and Man)
And when Noah’s Sons came, he allowed them eating meat.
In other words, humanity has been vegetarian for generations from Adam to Noah, yet it has slipped into bloodshed between man to man. Vegetarianism did not stop wars and killing
Therefore, after the flood, ELKM allowed the human to kill animals and eat their flesh, as a concession.
Just as after the sin of the Golden Calf, where the Almighty recognized their fault and allowed sacrifices to be brought
ELKM says to Noah – you have asked for less judgment, so indeed I allow you to put end life f animal and eat its flesh, and I will not be particular about it as before. c
In nature, animals eat and eat. -for ELKM’s judgment. Eat and be eaten.
But as for you, I will not e particular and will not demand the blood of the animal from your hand
But on the other hand, there is a new ban on eating animal organs and animal blood taken from an animal as long as it is alive.
This new prohibition is against cruelty and the suffering of the animal while it is alive.
Clearly it is a demand of YHVH.
You’ve asked for more grace in the world, hence in order to receive it you must maintain grace and avoid cruelty. SO SAID ELKM
If you have to put her life to death for her flesh, do so with a minimum of suffering and pain
Jewish slaughter guarantees this
And the kosher meat in salt ensures that the blood in the meat comes out as much as possible
Says Rav Kook in the article Vegetarianism and Peace
Vegetarianism is an ideal state of man as told to Adam as soon as they appeared on earth
Vegetarianism also comes from to the natural morality and compassion of Man which naturally despises BLOODSHED
This natural feeling came to Adam in the Garden of Eden when they opened their eyes and saw that they were naked, that is, they acquired the perception ioof YHVH
This perception followed then to Earth
Therefore, every human carries a resentment for BLODSHED deeply in or souls,
emotion was brought to Israel and it is found in every person as if it were natural morality.
Against this natural sentiment there is an opposing natural sentiment that pushes Adam to commit BLOODSEHD – that Adam has inherited from the animal world in nature
It drives Adam to commit bloodshed in order to live in ELKM’s world.
That sentiment would also drive us to commit BLOODSEHD between Man and Man
When humanity has fallen, and slipped into BLOODSHED and wars, the rabbi says, there is no point in vegetarianism.
It is ridiculous to care about animals while spilling human blood all over the world
Therefore, ELKM consented to them and allowed an animal to be killed and to eat its flesh, until man rises on his own to re-gain th spiritual status of Adam.
When there would be no wars and peace would prevail in the land. then Vegetarianism would make sense.
Note that at the end of chapter one it is written that God forbade animal flesh, and immediately afterwards God feared all that He had done, and it was very good. Vegetarianism is a necessary step towards the Shabbat to come