Why does the Torah insert the words "Rak Chazak ... "?
Rashi #1 (citing R. Yehudah in the Sifri) and Targum Yonasan: To counter the people's passion 1 for drinking blood. 2
Rashi #2 (citing R. Shimon ben Azai in the Sifri): To teach us how careful we need to be not to transgress the Mitzvos. If regarding not drinking blood, for which people generally have no desire, the Torah finds it necessary to write such a strong warning to keep away from it, 3 how much more careful must one be about other Mitzvos! 4
Ramban (in Pasuk 22) 5 and Seforno: To counter their lust for blood, to communicate with the demons in order to prophecy and foretell the future. 6
Rashbam: The Torah is issuing a stern warning, because the blood is absorbed in all the limbs and is difficult to extract (and it requires soaking, salting and rinsing before one is permitted to eat it - Oznayim la'Torah). 7
Oznayim la'Torah: Because blood is synonymous with the soul - as the Pasuk goes on to explain - and would therefore serve as the ideal balm to revive someone who is feeling weak.
Ramban (in Pasuk 22): The Torah uses such a strong expression here about a single Mitzvah (See Ramban DH 'Aval Nir'ah li') because of the addiction to blood that they developed in Egypt - to sacrifice to demons and eat with them from the blood, in order to prophesy and foretell the future - Refer to 12:23:1:3, as the Torah indicates in Vayikra, Acharei-Mos Vayikra, 17:7 and in Ha'azinu, 32:17. In spite of all this, the main reason for the prohibition against drinking blood is because the living soul lies in the blood as the Torah goes on to state here and in Acharei-Mos Vayikra, 17:7.
See Sifsei Chachamim.
Refer to 12:23:1:1**
Seforno (citing Chagigah, 16a): They overhear future events, like angels do.
See Oznayim la'Torah, DH 'Rak Chazak #1, who elaborates.
What are the ramifications of the phrase "Ki ha'Dam hu ha'Nefesh"?
Pesachim, 16b: It teaches us that 'Dam ha'Tamtzis' (the blood that emerges from the animal whilst it is still alive after the initial Dam Shechitah has spurted out) - is not called Dam and is therefore not Machshir seeds to become Tamei. 1
Why does the Torah insert the Isur Dam - which it already taught us in Vayikra, Tzav and Acharei-Mos?
What is the warning "ve'Lo Sochal ha'Nefesh Im ha'Basar" referring to?
What are the implications of the term "ve'Lo Sochlu ha'Nefesh Im ha'Basar"?
Chulin, 102a: It implies that the limb is Asur only where the Basar is permitted when the animal is dead - to confine the Isur of Eiver min ha'Chai to a Beheimah, Chayah and Of of Tahor species. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 93.
How much must one eat of Eiver min ha'Chai in order to be Chayav?
Chulin, 10b: The minimum size is a k'Zayis 1 - since the Torah writes "Lo Sochal", and 'Achilah' always requires a k'Zayis.
See Torah Temimah, note 91.
Why does the Torah juxtapose Dam to Eiver min ha'Chai?
