Vayikra(Leviticus) - Chapter 17 10-12

A fork from the Genesis thread.

Arch.buff quoted Leviticus 17:11 to show how scientificly accurate the Bible is. After pointing out that the quote reffered to a religious prohibition and not to a science lecture, he said that I was ignorant of the scripture.

In fact, I am. I realized that I didn't even know the name of Leviticus in Hebrew--Vayikra. As ignorant as I am , I remembered that there is a huge body of commentary on Torah written by celebrated scholars.

The quotes below are commented by Rashi. Learn about Rshi

10. And any man of the House of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My attention upon the soul who eats the blood, and I will cut him off from among his people. any blood Since Scripture says, �[For it is the blood] that atones for the soul� (next verse), one might think that a person is liable only for [eating] the blood of sanctified things, [which effects atonement]. Scripture, therefore, says here, �any blood� [to include even the blood of ordinary animals]. � [Kereithoth 4b] I will set my attention Heb. פָנַי. [The word פָנַי here is to be understood to mean] My פְּנַאי, i.e., My leisure. [God is saying,] �I will make Myself free (פּוֹנֶה from all My affairs, and I will deal with this person!� - [Torath Kohanim 17:108] 11. For the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I have therefore given it to you [to be placed] upon the altar, to atone for your souls. For it is the blood that atones for the soul. For the soul of the flesh of every creature is dependent upon the blood, and therefore, I have given it to atone for the soul of man. [In this way,] one �soul� [namely, the blood of a sacrifice] shall come and atone for another soul. 12. Therefore, I said to the children of Israel: None of you shall eat blood, and the stranger who sojourns among you shall not eat blood. None of you [This phrase] comes to warn adults regarding minors [not to feed them blood]. � [Torath Kohanim 17:110; Yev. 114a]

http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=9918&showrashi =true

Edited by hugoestr