ויקח משה חצי הדם וישם באגנת וחצי הדם זרק על המזבח
And Moshe took half of the blood and put it into the basins. And half of the blood he threw onto the Mizbeach
At Har Sinai, Moshe built a Mizbeach and offered sacrifices. The Torah records how Moshe took half of the blood and placed it into basins to sprinkle on the people. The other half he sprinkled onto the Mizbeach.
One of the names for man is אדם (Adam). This name is specifically used for the Jewish people. אדם is made up of the word דם (blood), with an additional א at the beginning.
The blood represents our physicality and the lifeforce of the Nefesh. This is the source of our material desires. It is also the source of our negative Middos and behaviours.
But we also have an א, which alludes to the G-dly spark which shines within us. It is this spark that elevates us from being דם, to become אדם, an elevated, G-dly being.
The Torah instructs us לא תעמוד על דם רעך, “Do not stand over the blood of your fellow”. Literally this verse teaches that we may not stand idly by when our friend’s life is in danger.
Tiferes Shlomo interprets the verse as telling us that when we stand over our fellow to pass judgment, we should not see them as דם and define them by their negativity, shortcomings. Rather, we must see the G-dly spark, the א within them.
The Posuk in Parshas Mishpatim teach us how Moshe took this attitude to the next level.
Moshe was able to divide the דם. Even in the “blood” aspect of a person i.e. their physicality, Moshe was able to discern and find positive qualities, that could be elevated to Hashem and directed to His service.
