Our tradition teaches that some things run so deep, they require a complete overhaul of how we see the world.
That brings us to a seemingly simple verse in Devarim (Deuteronomy 12:23): "Only strengthen yourself not to eat the blood." Seems straightforward enough, right? Don't eat blood. But wait... there's more.
Rabbi Yehudah, whose insights are always worth paying attention to, offers a fascinating interpretation in Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal midrashim on the Book of Deuteronomy. He says that this verse isn’t just a commandment; it's a reflection of the past. It teaches us that the Israelites were utterly "steeped" in blood before the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Steeped in blood? What does that even mean?
Think about it. Before the Torah, before the intricate system of sacrifices and ritual purity, life was…different. While we don't have explicit details laid out in this particular passage, we can infer. Bloodshed may have been more commonplace, perhaps less regulated, less understood in its spiritual significance. Maybe it was just part of daily life in a way that’s hard for us to imagine now.
So, the command not to eat blood wasn't just a new rule out of the blue. It was a deliberate act of separation. A way to break free from old habits and ingrained behaviors. It's not enough to just tell people not to do something if they've been doing it their whole lives, right? You have to help them understand why. You have to strengthen them to resist the urge, to choose a different path.
Imagine trying to give up a lifelong habit. It's not just about willpower. It's about understanding the roots of that habit, acknowledging its power over you, and actively working to create new neural pathways, new ways of being.
That's what this verse is about, according to R. Yehudah. The Israelites needed to be strengthened because the pull of the past, the familiarity of old ways, was incredibly strong. The Torah wasn't just giving them a new set of laws; it was giving them the tools to fundamentally transform themselves.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What "blood" are we steeped in today? What ingrained habits, what unconscious behaviors, are holding us back from fully embracing the values and teachings of our tradition? And what steps can we take to strengthen ourselves, to break free, and to truly live a life of holiness and purpose?