2,343. Rabbinic vs. Biblical Law - HaShoneh Halachos 2: Mishneh Torah

Rabbi Jack Abramowitz, MS Ed., is Torah Content Editor at the Orthodox Union. He is the author of nine books, including The Tzniyus Book, The Taryag Companion, The God Book and Ask Rabbi Jack. His two-volume The Complete Targum Onkelos is available from Kodesh Press as well as on Amazon.

Maachalos Assuros 7:15

We don’t presume there to be blood in any of the digestive organs where food passes.

Maachalos Assuros 7:16

The Rambam opines that all the aforementioned cords and membranes are prohibited under rabbinic law. If one were to say that they’re prohibited under Biblical law as part of the prohibitions against eating forbidden fats and blood, one would still not be liable to lashes for them, just to stripes for acting rebelliously. They would be comparable to eating half the volume of something prohibited in that they would be prohibited under Biblical law but one would not be liable to lashes over them.

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