Leviticus 12:1-8

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Sedra 4, Tazriy'a

Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59

Chapter 12

Rules governing childbirth


12:1 VA YEDABER YHVH EL MOSHEH LEMOR

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

KJ (King James translation): And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

BN (BibleNet translation): Then YHVH spoke to Mosheh, saying:


12:2 DABER EL BENEY YISRA-EL LEMOR ISHAH KI TAZRIY'A VE YALDAH ZACHAR VE TAM'AH SHIV'AT YAMIM KI YEMEY NIDAT DOTAH TITMA

דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר וְטָמְאָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים כִּימֵי נִדַּת דְּו‍ֹתָהּ תִּטְמָא

KJ: Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

BN: Speak to the Beney Yisra-El, saying: "When a woman gives birth, and bears a male child, she shall be considered unclean for seven days; as in the period of her menstruation she shall be considered unclean...


For the significance of the number seven, click here.


12:3 U VA YOM HA SHEMIYNI YIMOL BESAR ARLATO

וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ

KJ: And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

BN: And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.


The reason for the brit being on the 8th day thus appears to be connected to the period of her impurity, and not to the age of the child. At the same time, the 8th day is the one that immediately follows the period of Creation, at the end of which the deity handed over responsibility for the Earth to Humankind; if the first seven days belong to the deity, the 8th day is the first day of Humankind, and therefore the brit also acquires this symbolic value.


12:4 U SHELOSHIM YOM U SHELOSHET YAMIM TESHEV BID'MEY TAHARAH BE CHOL KODESH LO TIG'A VE EL HA MIKDASH LO TAVO AD MEL'OT YEMEY TAHARAH

וּשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּשֵׁב בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה בְּכָל קֹדֶשׁ לֹא תִגָּע וְאֶל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא תָבֹא עַד מְלֹאת יְמֵי טָהֳרָהּ

KJ: And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

BN: But for thirty days, and then for a further three days, she shall be regarded as equivalent to menstruating; she shall touch no holy object, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are complete.


U SHELOSHIM YOM U SHELOSHET YAMIM: The phrasing is unusual, and must therefore be read as deliberate; it does not say U SHELOSHIM VE SHELOSH YOM or U SHELOSHIM VE SHELOSHAH YAMIM, either of which would mean "thirty-three days" in the grammar of the time, and parallel the sixty-six days are given in the next verse; but this is definitely "thirty days" followed by an additional "three days". That total number is itself unusual - why 33? Thirty is a full month - a moon-number - and this is described as "equivalent to menstruating"; we can presume that she is waiting to be certain that menstruation has resumed. Three is generally a moon-number as well, associated with the three nights on which no moon is visible between waxing and waning, so there is an echoing of the moon-cycles in this too. However, thirty-three added to the seven of verse one makes 40, which is generally a sun-number, associated with Creation in the No'ach story - so presumably, as with the brit, both the male and female fertility deities require acknolwedgement, and in those days, when the gods were still multiple, the male and female were still equal... or were they? The instructions for a girl-baby in the next verse suggest otherwise.

EL HA MIKDASH LO TAVO: The instruction given here infers by default that, in normal times, women were free to attend the Sanctuary. This is the first of the time-bound commandments from which women are exempted when unclean; but note, "exempted", not excluded.


12:5 VE IM NEKEVAH TELED VE TAM'AH SHEVU'AYIM KE NIDATAH VE SHISHIM YOM VE SHESHET YAMIM TESHEV AL DEMEY TAHARAH

וְאִם נְקֵבָה תֵלֵד וְטָמְאָה שְׁבֻעַיִם כְּנִדָּתָהּ וְשִׁשִּׁים יוֹם וְשֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּשֵׁב עַל דְּמֵי טָהֳרָה

KJ: But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

BN: But if she bears a girl-child, then she shall continue to be unclean for two weeks, as in her impurity; and she shall continue in the blood of purification threescore and six days.


Why? Each of the numbers here is doubled - one week becomes two, the three days is two months' worth, and the lunar thirty likewise. But there is also clarification of the two sets of numbers, the thirty and sixty are for her parturition, the three and six are for the menstruation that was missed - and then interesting that there is no equivalent to make up for the other menstruations missed during the period of pregnancy.

But still, we can confirm from this verse that, in matters relating to fertility - and this, after all, was the core and esence of the cult - girls were valued double over boys.


12:6 U VI MEL'OT YEMEY TAHARAH LE VEN O LE VAT TAVIY KEVES BEN SHENATO LE OLAH U VEN YONAH O TOR LE CHATA'T EL PETACH OHEL MO'ED EL HA KOHEN

וּבִמְלֹאת יְמֵי טָהֳרָהּ לְבֵן אוֹ לְבַת תָּבִיא כֶּבֶשׂ בֶּן שְׁנָתוֹ לְעֹלָה וּבֶן יוֹנָה אוֹ תֹר לְחַטָּאת אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֶל הַכֹּהֵן

KJ: And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:

BN: And when the days of her purification are completed, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a yearling lamb for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtle-dove, for a sin-offering, to the door of the tent of meeting, to the priest.


Why these sacrifices? Note that she is responsible for them herself; this does not fall under the responsibility of her husband. But it does confirm that women brought sacrifices, just the same as men.


12:7 VE HIKRIYVO LIPHNEY YHVH VE CHIPER ALEYHA VE TAHARAH MI MEKOR DAMEYHA ZOT TORAT HA YOLEDET LA ZACHAR O LA NEKEVAH

וְהִקְרִיבוֹ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וְכִפֶּר עָלֶיהָ וְטָהֲרָה מִמְּקֹר דָּמֶיהָ זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַיֹּלֶדֶת לַזָּכָר אוֹ לַנְּקֵבָה

KJ: Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

BN: And he shall offer it before YHVH, and make atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed of the issue of her blood. This is the law for she who gives birth, whether the child be male or female.


VE HIKRIYVO: But though it is her responsibility to bring the sacrifice, she does not perform the slaughter; this is done by the Kohen; and the Kohen of Shechitah is always male.

MI MEKOR: Or MIMKOR?

TORAT: Sometimes the ordinance is called a Torah, sometimes a Chok, sometimes a Mishpat. What are the differences? Click here for Rashi's understanding of this.


12:8 VE IM LO TIMTSA YADAH DEY SEH VE LAK'CHA SHETEY TORIM O SHENEY BENEY YONAH ECHAD LE OLAH VE ECHAD LE CHATA'T VE CHIPER ALEYHA HA KOHEN VE TAHERAH

וְאִם לֹא תִמְצָא יָדָהּ דֵּי שֶׂה וְלָקְחָה שְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי יוֹנָה אֶחָד לְעֹלָה וְאֶחָד לְחַטָּאת וְכִפֶּר עָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן וְטָהֵרָה

KJ: And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

BN: And if her means do not suffice for a lamb, then she shall take two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons: the one for a burnt-offering, and the other for a sin-offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.


I have not much questioned the chaptering system superimposed on the Tanach by the early Christian translators, but on this occasion I must, at the very least, pass comment that this chapter has just eight verses.

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