Is Human Blood Kosher?

Question:

I know that the Torah prohibits the consumption of blood. Does this apply to my own blood as well?

Answer:

When the Torah tells us that we are allowed to eat the meat of kosher animals, we are warned that "…you shall not eat the blood…."

Although human blood is not included in this Biblical prohibition, it is nevertheless forbidden. This is because human blood resembles animal blood; one who observes people eating human blood might believe it is permitted to consume animal blood.

If you cut yourself while preparing food and a drop of blood accidentally falls into your dish, just get rid of the spot where the blood landed. If the blood got lost in the food and is unnoticeable, Halachah does not require you to throw out the dish, since there is no concern that an observer would think the food contains animal blood.

On the same note, if you are eating an apple and notice that there a flecks of blood in the apple (presumably from a cut on your gum) you cannot eat that part of the apple. However, if you are bleeding in your mouth, and the blood did not leave your mouth, you have nothing to worry about.

This is all from a halachic perspective. From a health perspective, you might wish to be more wary of consuming human blood.

Oh, and please be careful when cutting salads—even if it will still be kosher.

Yours truly,

Rabbi Eliezer Posner

Sources

Deuteronomy 12:16.
Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah 66:10.

By Eliezer Posner

Eliezer Posner is a former member of the Chabad.org Ask the Rabbi team.

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21 Comments

A. K. August 28, 2023

Why does Negative Commandment 184 - It is forbidden to eat blood - not apply to Noahides? Reply

Rabbi Shmary Brownstein For Chabad.org August 30, 2023

in response to A. K.:

This question could probably be asked about any of the Kosher laws. The laws of what one may or may not eat were not made obligatory on non-Jews, although they may keep Kosher if they choose. The one exception, not to eat meat torn from a living animal, is binding on all people, it would seem, because it involves pain to the animal. Reply

A. K. August 31, 2023

in response to Rabbi Shmary Brownstein:

I know it's a kosher law that only applies to Jews. But the reason I'm asking the question is because I've read that Jews shouldn't eat blood because the soul is in the blood. So for that reason I wondered why non-Jews should be allowed to eat blood when the soul is in the blood. Reply

Jonathan July 18, 2019

Helpful, thank you. However, does this mean by extension that cannibalism is not prohibited D’Oraita? I would hope that this is an actual Torah prohibition and not simply a D’Rabanan/Maarit Ayin issue as blood seems to be. Reply

Rabbi Mendel Adelman for Chabad.org July 19, 2019

in response to Jonathan:

The Rambam (Laws of Forbidden Foods 2:3) writes that one who eats a human is not liable for lashes, but it is forbidden, as the Torah writes (Leviticus 11:2): "These shall you eat", excluding humans.

The Rema (Yoreh Deah 79:1) writes clearly that human flesh is Biblically forbidden. The Sha"ch writes that the only time that you do not get lashes is if the human is still alive at the time. But if he is dead, according to all opinions, it is a Biblical prohibition and one would get lashed. Reply

Ellie May 10, 2021

in response to Rabbi Mendel Adelman for Chabad.org:

According to the Rema then can I eat myself? Reply

Jonathan May 31, 2021

in response to Rabbi Mendel Adelman for Chabad.org:

This is extremely disturbing - you are saying it is not a Torah prohibition to eat the flesh of a living human being? Reply

Rabbi Adelman June 1, 2021

in response to Jonathan:

Firstly, the Rema says that there is. Even according to the Shach, it is forbidden. There are many things that the Torah does not prohibit outright, but are included in the general injunction of “be holy”.

Just because there is no prohibition does not mean that something is allowed or suggested. The question here is not whether it is allowed, but whether one gets lashes. Reply

Robyn February 4, 2016

It is very funny when the anti Semites say that we eat blood when we're not even allowed to, much less want too! Reply

Learning Texas March 21, 2013

Blood I can say there is some comfusion on my part. I thought I read in the book of Leviticus that if you hunt for food you may eat it if the blood is poured upon the ground?
Leviticus 17:13
Now I have not memorized the whole thing but I am reading from it every day. I also have now come to understand that it is probably safer if you bathe every evening also. Never knew that before. Reply

Lincoln 11238, NYC February 27, 2012

This reminds me of Shakespeare When Portia told Shylock "You are completely entitled to your pound of flesh, but if you draw one drop of blood, I'll kill you." Is g-d saying the same thing? "Eat as much meat as you want, just don't eat even one drop of blood." Reply

Lincoln 11238, NYC February 26, 2012

Good Point, Rabii Schmaltz You're right. It's impossible to eat meat and not eat a drop of blood. Yet in Deuteronomy 12, G-d explicitly tells us we may eat meat? Hmmmm. Is G-d teasing us? Reply

Rabii Schmaltz Fargo, ND February 26, 2012

Meat contains blood There is no way possible to eat any kind of meat without consuming blood. The only way into heaven is to abstain from meat from the day you were born. Even one cell of blood consumed means your ticket to heaven has been cancelled. That means any dental work pretty much dooms you, as all of the bleeding can never be completely cleaned, and you will consume even a small amount. Reply

Yiska Alliance, OH October 3, 2011

Blood Transfusions I feel the rabbi gave an excellent explanation. Unfortunately, members of the religion Jehovah's Witnesses take the command of not consuming blood to the extreme and do not allow blood transfusions. Reply

MZ September 25, 2009

Hmmm, The sages forbade consuming human blood because it looks like you're consuming animal blood.

So once your finger is already in your mouth, swallowing the blood should certainly be permitted, because no one sees what your doing anyways. Reply

Menachem Posner for Chabad.org September 24, 2009

One additional followup question Well, you may certainly stick your finger in your mouth, whether or not one may actually swallow that blood is debated by the halachic authorities (see Darkei Teshuvah). Reply

Anonymous --, USA September 12, 2009

One additional followup question So this answer covers food that is touched by human blood if you cut yourself while cooking. But what about if you get a papercut while not preparing food? Is it kosher to stick your finger in your mouth to staunch the bleeding and help it clot? Reply

Anonymous March 31, 2009

Patty, I have always felt the same way. . . I am stuck in X-ianity for now due to having a large family. This is an aspect that has gotten to me and I am Eastern Orthodox. This explanation is so right on and so simple-- why haven't more people naturally been clued in to this? Reply

Eliezer Posner, Chabad.org February 25, 2009

RE: Goths The person who originally asked this question wanted to know what to do if she bled while preparing food. So the Goths are nebach paining and mutilating themselves, but you can rest assured that the person who asked this question is OK. Reply

Patty February 24, 2009

To John Re Human Blood I thought that too, that it could be someone from a goth culture. But it could also possibly be from a Jew pestered by J4J. As a former Catholic myself I always thought it strange that xtians would say JC told Jews to drink his blood.

Knowing what I know now, I can't fathom any Jew advising his followers to drink blood--symbolically or otherwise.

This was an exellent question and response from the good rabbi. I've wanted to ask that myself but was ashamed to. It would torment me as a kid to be at Mass and then get to the part where everyone drinks the "blood" of JC.

I kept thinking of the bible forbidding it and wondering why JC would tell his followers to do it, if he was the observant Jew xtians make him out to be.

Thank G-d, He is close to all who call upon Him in truth and I am totally out of xtianity. I guess the best thing to do when confronted with missionaries or anything is to put shame aside and ask a rabbi! Reply

John T Cambridge, UK February 24, 2009

Human Blood I wonder if the person asking is one of the goth subculture? If so, please listen to words of warning from an ex-goth (ie; me!). Like many goths, I was very interested in vampires when I was young, and like many I didn't stop at dressing like a vampire, I also drank blood - my own and that of an ex-girlfriend. Please believe me that, when you get older, you'll regret doing so because it leaves ugly scars. I haven't been swimming for years as a result and have to wear long sleeves at all times - this make it awkward to lay tefillin, as you can imagine. The goth scene can be great: I have friends I met in goth clubs 20 years ago, but please think carefully if that's why you have an interest in whether or not human blood is kosher. Reply

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