(Devarim 15:20) "And if there be in it a blemish": This tells me only of an animal that was born unblemished and became blemished. Whence do I derive (the same for) one that was born blemished! From "every blemish." Whence do we derive (the same for animals that are) scrofulous, warty, scabbied, old, sick, or malodorous? From "every." I might think that they could be slaughtered (and eaten) outside Jerusalem; it is, therefore, written "lame or blind': "lame" and "blind" were in the category (of blemished animals). Why did they leave that category (for special mention)? To make them the basis for a comparison, viz.: Just as "lame" and "blind" are distinct in being external blemishes, which do not heal, so, all (blemishes which render a bechor subject to slaughtering and eating outside Jerusalem) must be of that kind.

3. “But do not eat the blood” (Dt.15:23)— drinking it is like eating it.

“But” (Dt.15:23)— this [limiting term] requires that [punishment for intentional violation be preceded by] a warning from by-standers [not to violate this proscription].

“But” (Dt.15:23)— [this limiting term] establishes the volume of an olive [as the minimum quantity of blood] proscribed by the Torah.

“Pour it out upon the ground like water” (Dt.15:23)— but not over a pit or a ditch, and not over running water or streams. However, he may enter his home and slaughter it outside a ditch, while the blood flows into the ditch, so as not to make the house filthy. But in the street he may not do so, **lest he imitate [the custom of] the dissenters.**³⁹⁴. The term is usually taken to refer to Jewish followers of Jesus of Nazareth, but often denotes Jews who reject rabbinic authority and beliefs, such as the reality of the “coming eon,” etc. Cf. M. San.10:1, T. Ber.3:25, and M. Meg. 4:8-9. See also Pisqa’ 48.6

footnotes: ³⁹⁴ // M. Hul. 2:9; cf, T. Hul. 2:19. The Hebrew term for “dissenters” is minim

“Pour it out” (Dt.15:23)— pouring refers specifically to blood flowing from the arteries of the neck.

“Pour it out upon the ground like water” (Dt.15:23)— just as water prepares seeds to receive uncleanness, **so, too, the blood of slaughter prepares seeds to receive uncleanness.**³⁹⁵ Or [perhaps other types of blood are meant for inclusion]? Blood from a stab-wound, blood from a gouge-wound, spurting blood, blood drawn [for healing], blood from the spleen or the placenta, coagulating blood, **liver-blood, heart-blood, and post-mortem bleeding.**³⁹⁶ The Teaching states: “Pour it out . . . like water” (Dt.15:23). What can be poured out like water— that is what prepares [seeds to receive uncleanness]. These other sources [of blood] are excluded [from the rule], for they do not prepare [seeds to receive uncleanness].³⁹⁷ 126, p. 100b, n.4)—regards the entire block of text at 126.3 as foreign material supplied by a medieval copyist.

footnotes: ³⁹⁵ Cf. T. Mach. 3:14. ³⁹⁶ Cf. M. Mach. 6:8. ³⁹⁷ F:184. l.17-185. ls. 1-7—anticipated by Ish-Shalom (Pisqa’