"Mishpatim — Part VI — Na’aseh V’nishma: Covenant and Sacred Time"

6.3 — The Blood of the Covenant

The bond between heaven and earth at Sinai

At the conclusion of the covenant ceremony in Parshas Mishpatim, the Torah describes a powerful and symbolic act. After reading the Sefer HaBris and hearing the people declare na’aseh v’nishma, Moshe performs a ritual that seals the covenant between Hashem and Israel.

The Torah states:

שמות כ״ד:ח׳
“וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הַדָּם, וַיִּזְרֹק עַל־הָעָם; וַיֹּאמֶר: הִנֵּה דַם הַבְּרִית, אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת ה׳ עִמָּכֶם עַל כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה.”
“Moshe took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people, and he said: ‘Behold the blood of the covenant that Hashem has made with you regarding all these words.’”

This moment is not merely ceremonial. It expresses the nature of covenant itself. The bond between Hashem and Israel is not only intellectual or emotional. It is sealed through action, sacrifice, and commitment.

Covenant as a living bond

In the ancient world, covenants were often sealed with blood. The symbolism was clear: a covenant is not a casual agreement. It is a life-binding relationship. It demands loyalty, sacrifice, and permanence.

At Sinai, the Torah adopts this language but transforms its meaning. The blood does not represent violence or domination. It represents the offering of life in the service of a higher purpose.

Moshe divides the blood between the altar and the people:

• The altar represents the Divine side of the covenant.
• The people represent the human side.

The same blood touches both. This act symbolizes a single shared bond. The covenant unites heaven and earth.

Rashi: a covenant sealed through sacrifice

Rashi explains that the blood came from the offerings brought at the covenant ceremony. The people first offered sacrifices, expressing their devotion to Hashem. Only afterward was the blood sprinkled upon them.

This sequence teaches that covenant requires action. The people did not merely speak words of loyalty. They demonstrated commitment through sacrifice.

For Rashi, the blood of the covenant shows that Torah is not only about belief or emotion. It is about concrete acts that bind a person to Hashem.

Ramban: a covenant of mutual belonging

Ramban explains the symbolism of the divided blood. Half was placed on the altar, and half was sprinkled on the people. This represented a partnership. Just as the blood on the altar signified the Divine presence, the blood on the people signified their commitment.

Through this act, the two sides of the covenant became joined. The same life-blood linked them together.

Ramban understands this as a profound statement: the covenant is not one-sided. It is not only Hashem commanding and the people obeying. It is a relationship of mutual belonging. Hashem binds Himself to Israel, and Israel binds itself to Hashem.

Sforno: sacrifice as the expression of commitment

Sforno explains that the offerings brought before the covenant represent the people’s readiness to dedicate themselves entirely to the Divine will. Sacrifice, in this context, is not about loss. It is about transformation.

By offering something of value to Hashem, the people declare that their lives are not their own alone. They belong to the covenant.

The sprinkling of the blood makes this idea visible. It shows that the covenant is not an abstract concept. It touches the physical world. It involves the body, the community, and daily life.

Abarbanel: the moment that creates a nation

Abarbanel emphasizes that this ceremony marks the true birth of Israel as a covenantal nation. The revelation at Sinai was the moment of Divine communication. But the covenant ceremony in Mishpatim is the moment of national formation.

Through the blood of the covenant:

• The people accept the Torah.
• The covenant becomes formal and binding.
• Israel becomes a nation defined by its relationship with Hashem.

This moment transforms a group of freed slaves into a covenantal community.

Commitment over convenience

The image of the blood of the covenant carries a powerful message. Covenant is not built on convenience. It is not based on comfort, preference, or passing inspiration.

It is built on commitment.

Blood represents life itself. To seal a covenant in blood is to say: this relationship is worth sacrifice. It is worth loyalty, even when it is difficult.

At Sinai, the people commit themselves not only in words, but in life.

Salt: the covenant of permanence

The Torah later calls salt “the salt of the covenant” (Vayikra 2:13), requiring it to accompany every offering. Chazal explain that salt symbolizes permanence. It preserves and prevents decay. Ramban adds that salt contains both nourishing and destructive elements, reflecting the full range of Divine attributes—mercy and judgment, kindness and restraint.

Just as the blood of the covenant at Sinai sealed the bond between Hashem and Israel, the salt placed on every sacrifice becomes a daily reminder of that same covenant. It transforms each offering into a sign of enduring commitment.

Read the dvar Torah “The Covenant of Salt: Why Jewish Life Begins With a Pinch of Salt”.

Application for Today — commitment over convenience

Modern culture often treats commitments as temporary. Relationships, beliefs, and obligations are kept only as long as they are comfortable. When they become difficult, they are abandoned.

The covenant at Sinai teaches a different model. It teaches that the deepest relationships are not built on convenience. They are built on loyalty and sacrifice.

A practical way to live this teaching includes:

• Keeping mitzvos even when they are inconvenient or challenging.
• Honoring commitments to family, community, and Torah.
• Choosing long-term responsibility over short-term comfort.
• Viewing Shabbos, prayer, and study as covenantal bonds, not optional habits.

The blood of the covenant reminds us that a meaningful life is not one of endless choice, but of faithful commitment.

📖 Sources

• Full sources available on the Mitzvah Minute Parshas Mishpatim page under insights and commentaries.