Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Dgahler782 AT aol.com]

To Clay Bartholomay:  The reason for the covering of blood with dust/earth 
probably lies in the connection of the nefe$, i.e. lifeforce or "being 
alive",  
with  the blood  (ki nefe$-habasar badam,Lev. 17.:11) and therefore requires 
a 
"burial". Lev. 17:11  goes on to point to the use of blood for the atonement 
of sins. (Could one perhaps surmise that with a sacrifice it is not the 
animal 
per se but its blood which serves as the atoning factor, i.e.not the basar of 
the animal, but the dam?) At any rate,blood clearly is a  special, sacred 
liquid, requiring special treatment. One could here think of the burial 
requirement for Torah scrolls, also considered scared, though lacking the 
mystical 
quality of blood.
Re: Ez.24:17-18, it appears he draws an analogy of the "city" with  him/her 
who leaves blood uncovered, meaning exceedingly evil.
Doris Gahler