(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אִשָּׁה֙ כִּ֣י תַזְרִ֔יעַ וְיָלְדָ֖ה זָכָ֑ר וְטָֽמְאָה֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים כִּימֵ֛י נִדַּ֥ת דְּוֺתָ֖הּ תִּטְמָֽא׃ (ג) וּבַיּ֖וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֑י יִמּ֖וֹל בְּשַׂ֥ר עׇרְלָתֽוֹ׃ (ד) וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב בִּדְמֵ֣י טׇהֳרָ֑הֿ בְּכׇל־קֹ֣דֶשׁ לֹֽא־תִגָּ֗ע וְאֶל־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔א עַד־מְלֹ֖את יְמֵ֥י טׇהֳרָֽהּ׃ (ה) וְאִם־נְקֵבָ֣ה תֵלֵ֔ד וְטָמְאָ֥ה שְׁבֻעַ֖יִם כְּנִדָּתָ֑הּ וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְשֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב עַל־דְּמֵ֥י טׇהֳרָֽהֿ׃ (ו) וּבִמְלֹ֣את ׀ יְמֵ֣י טׇהֳרָ֗הּ לְבֵן֮ א֣וֹ לְבַת֒ תָּבִ֞יא כֶּ֤בֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָתוֹ֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה וּבֶן־יוֹנָ֥ה אוֹ־תֹ֖ר לְחַטָּ֑את אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (ז) וְהִקְרִיב֞וֹ לִפְנֵ֤י יהוה וְכִפֶּ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ וְטָהֲרָ֖הֿ מִמְּקֹ֣ר דָּמֶ֑יהָ זֹ֤את תּוֹרַת֙ הַיֹּלֶ֔דֶת לַזָּכָ֖ר א֥וֹ לַנְּקֵבָֽה׃ (ח) וְאִם־לֹ֨א תִמְצָ֣א יָדָהּ֮ דֵּ֣י שֶׂה֒ וְלָקְחָ֣ה שְׁתֵּֽי־תֹרִ֗ים א֤וֹ שְׁנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֔ה אֶחָ֥ד לְעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶחָ֣ד לְחַטָּ֑את וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלֶ֛יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטָהֵֽרָה׃ {פ}
(1) יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman at childbirth bears a male, she shall be impure seven days; she shall be impure as at the time of her condition of menstrual separation.— (3) On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.— (4) She shall remain in a state of blood purification for thirty-three days: she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until her period of purification is completed. (5) If she bears a female, she shall be impure two weeks as during her menstruation, and she shall remain in a state of blood purification for sixty-six days. (6) On the completion of her period of purification, for either son or daughter, she shall bring to the priest, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. (7) He shall offer it before יהוה and make expiation on her behalf; she shall then be pure from her flow of blood. Such are the rituals concerning her who bears a child, male or female. (8) If, however, her means do not suffice for a sheep, she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. The priest shall make expiation on her behalf, and she shall be pure.
A 1983 study noted that cultures that had low incidence of postpartum mood disorders had rituals providing support and care for new mothers. These diverse cultures shared five protective social structures: A distinct postpartum period; Protective measures reflecting the new mother's vulnerability; Social seclusion and mandated rest; Functional assistance; and Social recognition of her new role
We see most of these protective mechanisms in Parashat Tazria. The distinct period provides social seclusion to assist the new mother. Ritual impurity ensures time off from marital relations and a focus on the mother-child bond. Ending this period with a sacrifice, the mother re-enters the community in a visible new status.
While childbirth (in many parts of the world) is no longer the extreme danger to women's health that it once was, post-partum depression continues to be an issue. We can and should work to prevent, treat and heal it - in part by speaking about it and raising awareness. Tazria reminds us of the importance of childbirth and the role the community plays in ensuring the health of mothers and babies. Zot Torat HaYoledet.
-Rabbi Gail Diamond
What rest is needed after childbirth?What support is needed?How should the community respond?Nicole Auerbach, Senior Sermon HUC-JIR, April 2015.
Concerned with maintaining secure boundaries between holy and profane, and between life and death, the authors of Leviticus envision a world in which everything is either tahor or tamei. Typically these words are translated as meaning “pure” and “impure” or “clean” and “unclean.” But what is unclean, or impure about a woman who has given birth? As David Kraemer explains, citing Rabbi Eliezer, the term tahor is used to mark what is rightfully in our realm; tamei designates that which belongs to God. “We cannot eat the ‘impure’ animal,” he explains, “because God, its creator, has not granted us the right to do so. Its impurity marks it as ‘out of bounds.’” Likewise, “life and death,” and by extension, pregnancy and birth, “are in the realm of God.” Contact with God’s realm is what renders us tamei. When a woman gives birth, the Levitical system recognizes that she has breached the boundary between God’s domain and our own. It therefore creates ritual means for reestablishing that boundary and for bringing her back into her community.
http://forward.com/sisterhood/307061/telling-your-miscarriage-story/
How do you define tamei and tahor?Are these states you’ve experienced with yourself? Others?Is this system one that a person should engage with?
We see most of these protective mechanisms in Parashat Tazria. The distinct period provides social seclusion to assist the new mother. Ritual impurity ensures time off from marital relations and a focus on the mother-child bond. Ending this period with a sacrifice, the mother re-enters the community in a visible new status.
While childbirth (in many parts of the world) is no longer the extreme danger to women's health that it once was, post-partum depression continues to be an issue. We can and should work to prevent, treat and heal it - in part by speaking about it and raising awareness. Tazria reminds us of the importance of childbirth and the role the community plays in ensuring the health of mothers and babies. Zot Torat HaYoledet.
-Rabbi Gail Diamond
What rest is needed after childbirth?What support is needed?How should the community respond?Nicole Auerbach, Senior Sermon HUC-JIR, April 2015.
Concerned with maintaining secure boundaries between holy and profane, and between life and death, the authors of Leviticus envision a world in which everything is either tahor or tamei. Typically these words are translated as meaning “pure” and “impure” or “clean” and “unclean.” But what is unclean, or impure about a woman who has given birth? As David Kraemer explains, citing Rabbi Eliezer, the term tahor is used to mark what is rightfully in our realm; tamei designates that which belongs to God. “We cannot eat the ‘impure’ animal,” he explains, “because God, its creator, has not granted us the right to do so. Its impurity marks it as ‘out of bounds.’” Likewise, “life and death,” and by extension, pregnancy and birth, “are in the realm of God.” Contact with God’s realm is what renders us tamei. When a woman gives birth, the Levitical system recognizes that she has breached the boundary between God’s domain and our own. It therefore creates ritual means for reestablishing that boundary and for bringing her back into her community.
http://forward.com/sisterhood/307061/telling-your-miscarriage-story/
How do you define tamei and tahor?Are these states you’ve experienced with yourself? Others?Is this system one that a person should engage with?
Now, please take a look at these three immersion ceremonies offered by Mayyim Hayyim Mikveh in Newton, MA.
How does the language and actions of these immersion ceremonies connect to the ancient Temple traditions from Leviticus?How do these mikveh ceremonies intersect with your ideas of tamei and tahor?