There is a famous Chassidic saying: What you are not allowed to do, you cannot do. But even what you are permitted to do, you do not have to do. And what you are commanded to do, you must do.
In short, life includes:
The things we must do,
The things we must not do,
Everything in between.
This applies to our day-to-day lives as well as to our spiritual lives.
We do not want to live like robots. We want a life that is vibrant, and full of energy and enthusiasm. A lesson from the Torah’s “law about blood,” however, can help us learn how to balance the good energy and the potential pitfalls that can come from too much enthusiasm.
In this week’s Torah portion, Acharei - Kedoshim, we learn that the blood of a bird or a wild animal must be covered after slaughter, while the blood of a domesticated animal such as a cow, sheep, or goat, may be left exposed.
Why the difference?
When offerings were brought in the Temple, animals that were placed on the altar had their blood used in the service, and that blood was left exposed. Animals that were not brought to the altar had their blood covered.
Here is the deeper meaning behind this distinction:
Blood represents life. It is our vitality, our passion, and our drive. But that same energy can go in two very different directions.
If a person is on the altar, meaning that their energy is directed toward serving G-d, then that passion becomes a powerful force for good. It fuels enthusiasm, warmth, and excitement when doing a mitzvah.
But if that same energy is not directed toward something higher, it can easily become a source of negative behavior. In that case, it must be covered or restrained, or even better, it can be redirected.
Not everything needs to be avoided, and not everything needs to be embraced.
Like the energy of blood, the things we are permitted to do can go either way. If we leave them as they are, they remain ordinary, and sometimes even pull us down. But if we bring them onto the altar by infusing them with intention and purpose, they become elevated.
Judaism is not only about choosing between right and wrong. It is about choosing what to do with everything in between.
Will we leave it ordinary, or will we elevate it?
Shabbat Shalom