2,621. Who Must Cover

Hilchos Shechita 14:15

The one who slaughters should cover the blood, as per Leviticus 17:13, “cover it with earth.” If he didn’t cover the blood and someone else sees it, that person must cover it, because this is an independent mitzvah, not limited to the one who performed shechitah.

Hilchos Shechita 14:16

When someone covers blood, he shouldn’t do so with his feet. Rather, he should use his hands, a knife or some utensil, so as not to treat the mitzvah disrespectfully. The mitzvos themselves are not inherently deserving of honor; the honor is for Hashem, Who commanded us to keep them. He kept us from groping in spiritual darkness by providing a lamp to light our ways as per Psalms 119:105, “Your words are a lamp to my feet and a light for my ways.”