משנה: דַּם מְהַלְּכֵי שְׁתַּיִם שָׁוֶה לְדַם בְּהֵמָה לְהַכְשִׁיר אֶת הַזְּרָעִים. וְדַם הַשֶּׁרֶץ אֵין חַייָבִין עָלָיו. MISHNAH: The blood of two-legged beings143Humans and possibly big apes. Vegetables cannot become impure unless “prepared” by a desired contact with fluids (cf. Terumot 1, No. 7; Demay 2, Notes 136–141). Since all human body fluids are preparing, the assertion here is rather that blood of kosher animals prepares like human blood. On the other hand, the prohibition of blood as food extends only to birds and kosher animals (Lev.7:26), not to humans. is similar to the blood of animals in that it prepares plants, but one is not guilty because of the blood of crawling beings144“Crawling beings” are the eight species enumerated in Lev. 11:29–30. Since they are classified as “impure” without reference to body parts, there is no distinction made between their flesh and their blood. Eating their blood is classified as eating their flesh, a simple transgression, not punishable by extirpation like eating blood of kosher animals (Lev. 17:10)..
הלכה: רִבִּי בָּא רַב הוּנָא בְשֵׁם רַב. אִם הִתְרוּ בוֹ לוֹקֶה. וְהָתַנִּינָן דַּם הַשֶּׁרֶץ אֵין חַייָבִין עָלָיו. אָמַר רִבִּי בָּא אֵין חַייָבִין עָלָיו כָּרֵת. וְהָתַנֵּי דַּם מְהַלְּכֵי שְׁתַּיִם שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ טוּמְאָה קַלָּה. דַּם הַשֶּׁרֶץ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ טוּמְאָה חֲמוּרָה. אָמַר רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר אָדָא הָדָא דְתֵימַר בְּשֶׁהִתְרוּ בוֹ מִשּׁוּם דָּם. אֲבָל אִם הִתְרוּ בוֹ מִשּׁוּם שֶׁקֶץ לוֹקֶה. HALAKHAH: Rebbi Abba, Rav Huna in the name of Rav: If he was warned, he is whipped145A person cannot be criminally prosecuted unless he was duly informed about the criminality of his intended action; cf. Kilaim 8, Note 9. In the Babli, Keritut 21b, the statement is by Rav Jehudah in the name of Rav.. But did we not state: “But one is not guilty because of the blood of crawling beings”? Rebbi Abba said, one is not subject to extirpation for it146But he might be whipped for committing a misdemeanor. In the Babli, this argument is without attribution.. But was it not stated: “The blood of two-legged beings which have no minor impurity, the blood of crawling things which have no major impurity”?147This cryptic argument is somewhat expanded in the Babli, Keritut20b; the full statement is in Sifra Ẓav Parašah 10(11): “(Lev. 7:26) ‘Any blood you should not eat’. I could also think the blood of two-legged beings, the blood of crawling things, the blood in eggs, the blood of locusts, and the blood of fish, are all included, but the verse says ‘of birds and animals’. Birds and animals are special in that they can be the source of minor impurity (which only affects foodstuffs) and of major impurity (which affects humans, their garments and vessels), some are forbidden (as carcasses) and some are permitted (if slaughtered correctly), and they are meat. This excludes the blood of two-legged beings who cannot be the source of minor impurity (according to biblical standards), the blood of crawling things who cannot be a source of major impurity, the blood of eggs which are not meat, the blood of locusts and fish who are always permitted.” The implication is that there is no biblical injunction against eating blood of crawling things. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada said, that is, if they warned him because of blood. But if they warned him because of abomination, he is whipped148Since blood is a part of the animal. In the Babli, this is reported in the name of R. Zeïra..