The Sacred Covenant: Prohibition of Blood Consumption
The prohibition on consuming blood is imposed because, in the biblical understanding, blood symbolizes the life or soul of an animal, which God deems sacred. Thus, after the flood, when mankind was first permitted to eat meat, God established a covenant stating that blood should not be consumed, for it is life. This is evident, for example, in the following passage:"We read that after the flood, the Lord gave humans the right to eat the flesh of birds, fish, and animals, but not to consume blood (Gen. 9:4). When Israel left Egypt, the Lord provided the people with a similar commandment. In the book of Leviticus it is written: 'Do not eat any blood in all your dwellings, whether from birds or livestock. Whoever eats any blood shall have their soul cut off from among their people' (Lev. 7:26-27). When offering birds and animals as sacrifices, the Israelites were required to drain out their blood (Deut. 12:27). The Lord explained why people should not mishandle the blood: 'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement' (Lev. 17:11). He further confirmed this by saying: 'Take care that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life; you shall not eat the life along with the flesh' (Deut. 12:23)." (Source: link txt)In other words, blood was equated with life, and life always belongs to God. Thus, the consumption of blood was regarded as a violation of the sacred covenant and the sanctity of life. This prohibition was reiterated and clarified later in the laws established by Moses, where the precautions taken during the offering of sacrifices and the consumption of meat became an integral part of ritual practice, ensuring that the life granted by God would never be defiled.