Cohn, Jacob. The Royal Table - VWC: Faculty/Staff Web

12 THE ROYAL TABLE
not again smite all living things" (Gen. VIII, 21).
Man's recognition of God is what keeps the world from
dissolution. Hence the animals who are sustained by man's
efforts are his property to the extent that he may use them
for food. 14 But permission to eat does not carry with It
a license for unbridled cruelty. A limb may
not be torn
from a living animal and eaten. "Flesh with the life
thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall you
not eat"
(Gen. IX, 4). 15 Rabbi Chanina ben Gamlid insists that
not only a limb so torn is forbidden, but even blood of a
living animal may not be used as food. 16 When the crown
of glory which comes through abstinence proved impossible
for frail Adam to uphold, animals should have been
given to him at once for food. But in that event he would
have benefited by his wickedness. Hence God waited until
Noah, who was not sinful, and who could likewise justify
his use of meat by a semblance of logic. Only then could
divine sanction be given to the practice. Ever since that
time this has been the law for the gentiles
Noai." 17
plan
the "sons of
Sixteen generations passed, and in order to complete His
the Eternal chose one nation whom He drew close
to Himself and appointed as a kingdom of priests and a
holy people. Now much may have been well and fitting
for ordinary clay, which is totally unfit for those of royal
M Or Hachayim, Commentary to Genesis: imp
.im IIBD 5na5> T ^ vnn m^> /it te *n:>i rtv JDIMI
The same thought is also found in Midrash Agadah 58:
.tmp npiw ^ na *x
w Torath Cohanim, Shemini 2: ^n JiWiD flDn-tt bz K
M Sanhedrin S6a.
.'Jin P -DK "JOB ,
17 Midrash Agadah 58: Drt mvttf tew mn 1V2 na ur
1
^ onaijr on ann ? ^Dn^ IB^ tnin *?
*m K^P H3 ^JiDK 1
? D"t^ nmn