(Devarim 12:23) "Only strengthen yourself not to eat the blood": R. Yehudah says: We are hereby taught that they were "steeped" in blood before the giving of the Torah.
I might think, (that they were steeped in blood) even after they received it; it is, therefore, written "only" (a term of limitation). Once they received it, they observed it with joy. [Rabban Gamliel says: It states "Only strengthen yourself not to eat the blood". If Scripture exhorted us so concerning the "lightest" mitzvah of the Torah, (not to eat) blood, how much more so are we thus exhorted concerning the other mitzvoth of the Torah!]
R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Every mitzvah that Israel accepted with joy at Mount Sinai they still observe with joy, and every mitzvah that they did not accept with joy they do not observe with joy. R. Shimon b. Eliezer says: Every mitzvah for which Israel gave their lives at a time of shmad (enforced conversion) they adhere to strongly, and every mitzvah for which they did not give their lives at a time of shmad is still "weak" in their hands. [R. Shimon Berebbi says: We can say of all the mitzvoth of the Torah: If Scripture exhorted us so concerning the "lightest" mitzvah of the Torah, (not to eat) blood, how much more so are we thus exhorted concerning the other mitzvoth of the Torah!]
"and you shall not eat the soul with the flesh": This is eiver min hechai (a limb torn from a living animal). (Why is a verse needed for this?) Does it not follow a fortiori? Viz.: If (eating) meat with milk, which is permitted to a Noachide is forbidden to an Israelite, then eiver min hechai, which is forbidden to a Noachide, how much more so should it be forbidden to an Israelite! — (No,) this is refuted by yefath toar (a woman of beautiful form [viz. Ibid. 21:11-12]) and all like it, being forbidden to a Noachide, yet permitted to an Israelite. Do not wonder, then, if eiver min hechai, even though it is forbidden to a Noachide, would be permitted to an Israelite. It must, therefore, be written "and you shall not eat the soul with the flesh" — This is eiver min hechai.
(Ibid. 12:25) "You shall not eat it": to include (as forbidden, eating) meat with milk. (Why is a verse needed for this?) Does it not follow a fortiori, viz.: If neveilah (carcass), which is permitted to be cooked, is forbidden to be eaten, then meat with milk, which is forbidden to be cooked, how much more so should it be forbidden to be eaten! — (No.) this is refuted by mixed seeds (klai hakerem), which, although they are forbidden to be sown, are permitted to be eaten. Do not wonder, then, if meat with milk, even though it is forbidden to be cooked, would be permitted to be eaten. It must, therefore, be written "You shall not eat it" — to include (as forbidden to be eaten) meat with milk.
R. Eliezer says: If the Paschal lamb, which is not forbidden to be cooked (raw), is forbidden to be eaten (raw, viz. Shemoth 12:9), then meat with milk, which is forbidden to be cooked, how much more so should it be forbidden to be eaten! — (No,) this is refuted by the compounding of the incense, whose compounding is forbidden (viz. Shemoth 30:28) and not its inhaling. Do not wonder, then, if meat with milk, even though it is forbidden to be cooked would be permitted to be eaten. It must, therefore, be written "You shall not eat it" — to include (as forbidden to be eaten) meat with milk.
(Rabban Gamliel says: It states "Only strengthen yourself not to eat the blood". If Scripture exhorted us so concerning the "lightest" mitzvah of the Torah, (not to eat) blood, how much more so are we thus exhorted concerning the other mitzvoth of the Torah!)
(דברים יב כג) רַק חֲזַק לְבִלְתִּי אֲכוֹל הַדָּם, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מַגִּיד שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל שְׁטוּפִים בַּדָּם קוֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה.
(Devarim 12:23) "Only strengthen yourself not to eat the blood": R. Yehudah says: We are hereby taught that they were "steeped" in blood before the giving of the Torah.
יָכוֹל אַף מִשֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ אוֹתָהּ בְּשִׂמְחָה מֵהַר סִינַי? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: רַק. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן עַזַּי: וַהֲלֹא שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה בַּתּוֹרָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה, לוֹמַר: מָה הַדָּם, שֶׁאֵין בְּכָל הַמִּצְווֹת קַל מִמֶּנּוּ, הִזְהִירְךָ הַכָּתוּב עָלָיו; שְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת – עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
I might think, (that they were steeped in blood) even after they received it; it is, therefore, written "only" (a term of limitation). Once they received it, they observed it with joy. [Rabban Gamliel says: It states "Only strengthen yourself not to eat the blood". If Scripture exhorted us so concerning the "lightest" mitzvah of the Torah, (not to eat) blood, how much more so are we thus exhorted concerning the other mitzvoth of the Torah!]
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: כָּל מִצְוָה שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ אוֹתָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשִׂמְחָה מֵהַר סִינַי – עוֹשִׂים אוֹתָהּ בְּשִׂמְחָה, וְכָל מִצְוָה שֶׁלֹּא קִבְּלוּ אוֹתָהּ מֵהַר סִינַי בְּשִׂמְחָה – אֵין עוֹשִׂים אוֹתָהּ בְּשִׂמְחָה. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: כָּל מִצְוָה שֶׁמָּסְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַפְשָׁם עָלֶיהָ בִּשְׁעַת הַשְּׁמָד – נוֹהֲגִים אוֹתָהּ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, וְכָל מִצְוָה שֶׁלֹּא מָסְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַפְשָׁם עָלֶיהָ בִּשְׁעַת הַשְּׁמָד – עֲדַיִן הִיא רוֹפֶפֶת בְּיָדָם.
R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Every mitzvah that Israel accepted with joy at Mount Sinai they still observe with joy, and every mitzvah that they did not accept with joy they do not observe with joy. R. Shimon b. Eliezer says: Every mitzvah for which Israel gave their lives at a time of shmad (enforced conversion) they adhere to strongly, and every mitzvah for which they did not give their lives at a time of shmad is still "weak" in their hands. [R. Shimon Berebbi says: We can say of all the mitzvoth of the Torah: If Scripture exhorted us so concerning the "lightest" mitzvah of the Torah, (not to eat) blood, how much more so are we thus exhorted concerning the other mitzvoth of the Torah!]
כִּי הַדָּם הוּא הַנָּפֶשׁ – לְהַגִּיד מֶה גָּרַם.
"for the blood is the soul": This is the rationale for the mitzvah.
וְלֹא תֹאכַל הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר – זֶה אֵבֶר מִן הַחַי, וַהֲלֹא דִין הוּא: מָה בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב, שֶׁמֻּתָּר לִבְנֵי נֹחַ – אָסוּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵבֶר מִן הַחַי, שֶׁאָסוּר לִבְנֵי נֹחַ – אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁאָסוּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל? יְפַת תֹּאַר וְכָל הַדּוֹמִים לָהּ תּוֹכִיחַ, שֶׁאֲסוּרָה לִבְנֵי נֹחַ וּמֻתֶּרֶת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אַף אַתָּה אַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל אֵבֶר מִן הַחַי, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָסוּר לִבְנֵי נֹחַ שֶׁיְּהֵא מֻתָּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְלֹא תֹאכַל הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר – זֶה אֵבֶר מִן הַחַי.
"and you shall not eat the soul with the flesh": This is eiver min hechai (a limb torn from a living animal). (Why is a verse needed for this?) Does it not follow a fortiori? Viz.: If (eating) meat with milk, which is permitted to a Noachide is forbidden to an Israelite, then eiver min hechai, which is forbidden to a Noachide, how much more so should it be forbidden to an Israelite! — (No,) this is refuted by yefath toar (a woman of beautiful form [viz. Ibid. 21:11-12]) and all like it, being forbidden to a Noachide, yet permitted to an Israelite. Do not wonder, then, if eiver min hechai, even though it is forbidden to a Noachide, would be permitted to an Israelite. It must, therefore, be written "and you shall not eat the soul with the flesh" — This is eiver min hechai.
רַבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בֶן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: זֶה הַדָּם מִן הַחַי.
R. Chanina b. Gamliel says: This is blood from a living animal.
לֹא תֹּאכְלֶנּוּ – לְרַבּוֹת בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב. וַהֲלֹא דִין הוּא: מָה נְבֵלָה, שֶׁאֵין חַיָּבִים עַל בִּשּׁוּלָהּ, חַיָּבִים עַל אֲכִילָתָהּ, בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב, שֶׁחַיָּבִים עַל בִּשּׁוּלוֹ, אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁחַיָּבִים עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ? כִּלְאֵי זְרָעִים יוֹכִיחוּ, שֶׁחַיָּבִים עַל זְרִיעָתָם וְאֵין חַיָּבִים עַל אֲכִילָתָם, אַף אַתָּה אַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחַיָּבִים עַל בִּשּׁוּלוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ חַיָּבִים עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לֹא תֹּאכְלֶנּוּ, לְרַבּוֹת בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב.
(Ibid. 12:25) "You shall not eat it": to include (as forbidden, eating) meat with milk. (Why is a verse needed for this?) Does it not follow a fortiori, viz.: If neveilah (carcass), which is permitted to be cooked, is forbidden to be eaten, then meat with milk, which is forbidden to be cooked, how much more so should it be forbidden to be eaten! — (No.) this is refuted by mixed seeds (klai hakerem), which, although they are forbidden to be sown, are permitted to be eaten. Do not wonder, then, if meat with milk, even though it is forbidden to be cooked, would be permitted to be eaten. It must, therefore, be written "You shall not eat it" — to include (as forbidden to be eaten) meat with milk.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: וּמָה פֶּסַח, שֶׁאֵין חַיָּבִים עַל בִּשּׁוּלוֹ, חַיָּבִים עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ – בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב, שֶׁחַיָּבִים עַל בִּשּׁוּלוֹ, אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁחַיָּבִים עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ? פִּטּוּם הַקְּטֹרֶת יוֹכִיחַ, שֶׁחַיָּבִים עַל פִּטּוּמָהּ וְאֵין חַיָּבִים עַל רֵיחָהּ, וְאַף אַתָּה אַל תִּתְמַהּ עַל בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחַיָּבִים עַל בִּשּׁוּלוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ חַיָּבִים עַל אֲכִילָתוֹ. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״לֹא תֹּאכְלֶנּוּ״ – לְרַבּוֹת בָּשָׂר בְּחָלָב.
R. Eliezer says: If the Paschal lamb, which is not forbidden to be cooked (raw), is forbidden to be eaten (raw, viz. Shemoth 12:9), then meat with milk, which is forbidden to be cooked, how much more so should it be forbidden to be eaten! — (No,) this is refuted by the compounding of the incense, whose compounding is forbidden (viz. Shemoth 30:28) and not its inhaling. Do not wonder, then, if meat with milk, even though it is forbidden to be cooked would be permitted to be eaten. It must, therefore, be written "You shall not eat it" — to include (as forbidden to be eaten) meat with milk.
רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּרַבִּי אוֹמֵר: הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר רַק חֲזַק לְבִלְתִּי אֲכֹל הַדָּם, מָה דָּם, שֶׁאֵין בְּכָל הַמִּצְווֹת קַל מִמֶּנּוּ, הִזְהִירְךָ הַכָּתוּב עָלָיו – שְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
(Rabban Gamliel says: It states "Only strengthen yourself not to eat the blood". If Scripture exhorted us so concerning the "lightest" mitzvah of the Torah, (not to eat) blood, how much more so are we thus exhorted concerning the other mitzvoth of the Torah!)