Jewish Purification offering

[Savagedds]

Hi All

Does anyone know if modern Jewish women still have to do anything 40 days after giving birth to undergo purification as Mary did? Not to offer two doves or pigeons I understand, but any kind of purification ritual?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Kaninchen]

Hi All

Does anyone know if modern Jewish women still have to do anything 40 days after giving birth to undergo purification as Mary did? Not to offer two doves or pigeons I understand, but any kind of purification ritual?

Thanks,

Jim

I have very little idea about what is supposed to have happened to Mary (I did read the New Testament once but it was some time ago) but I’d suggest that for ritual purity issues you just google the words: ‘yoledet’, ‘niddah’ and ‘mikveh’.

 

[Valke2]

After giving birth, a woman is considered niddah. This means no sex with her husband for 7 days if she gave birth to a boy or 14 days if she gave birth to a girl (as if a woman would want to sleep with her husband two weeks after birth!) This is found in Leviticus. I don’t think there is any cermony involving purfication for the woman since the destruction of the Temple.

 

[paidion]

Hi All

Does anyone know if modern Jewish women still have to do anything 40 days after giving birth to undergo purification as Mary did? Not to offer two doves or pigeons I understand, but any kind of purification ritual?

Thanks,

Jim

In his book, “To Be a Jew: A Guide to Jewish Observance in Contemporary Life”, Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin writes that a woman is in a state of (ritual) impurity (aka “tumah”) for seven days after giving birth to a son (fourteen days after a girl). After the days are completed, the woman is to complete an immersion (“mikvah”). Rabbi Donin also notes that it became a common practice for a woman to wait for 40 days (after having a son), and 80 days (after a daughter. (But this later version is not necessarily a mandatory custom.)

As to whether or not modern Jewish women still follow this practice, I would suppose depends in part upon whether or not they’re orthodox, reform, conservative, etc.

Hope this helps…

shalom

 

[Reuben_J]

After giving birth, a woman is considered niddah. This means no sex with her husband for 7 days if she gave birth to a boy or 14 days if she gave birth to a girl (as if a woman would want to sleep with her husband two weeks after birth!) This is found in Leviticus. I don’t think there is any cermony involving purfication for the woman since the destruction of the Temple.

Goodness. And what is the obstetric and gynaecological significance and purpose of that, may I ask the professor?

 

[Valke2]

Goodness. And what is the obstetric and gynaecological significance and purpose of that, may I ask the professor?

Same rules apply for when a woman has her period. Blood is associated with life and belonging to God. As for the difference in waiting periods based on whether the baby is a boy or girl, we don’t really have an explanation for that one.

 

[Reuben_J]

Same rules apply for when a woman has her period. Blood is associated with life and belonging to God. As for the difference in waiting periods based on whether the baby is a boy or girl, we don’t really have an explanation for that one.

Question not answered. Maybe here’s an easier one - what’s the seriouness of the sin if this rule is not complied with?

 

[Valke2]

Question not answered. Maybe here’s an easier one - what’s the seriouness of the sin if this rule is not complied with?

I believe the person bears the sin, meaning it is up to them to make good. Are you asking what is the seriousness of the sin if the rule is not complied with today? It’s a sin. I don’t know if I can vouchsafe for the degree of severity. It’s a ritual, as opposed to ethical sin.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Maybe here’s an easier one - what’s the seriouness of the sin if this rule is not complied with?

Well, some of the more observant and extreme would consider all children born to women who do not follow these practices to be “momzerim”–bastards.

 

[Valke2]

Maybe here’s an easier one - what’s the seriouness of the sin if this rule is not complied with?

Well, some of the more observant and extreme would consider all children born to women who do not follow these practices to be “momzerim”–bastards.

ummm… no. I don’t see how any interpetation of Jewish law could arrive at that conclusion. Where did you come up with that?

 

[Reuben_J]

I believe the person bears the sin, meaning it is up to them to make good. Are you asking what is the seriousness of the sin if the rule is not complied with today? It’s a sin. I don’t know if I can vouchsafe for the degree of severity. It’s a ritual, as opposed to ethical sin.

Thanks for the clarification. There’s nothing new in there that I haven’t thought of.

I suppose you know my stand on laws and rituals; I have no flattering words to say about them so it’s best to zip my mouth, lest I may aggravate your kinsmen. BTW, you have now added ethical sin. You have widened the scope … .

 

[Valke2]

Thanks for the clarification. There’s nothing new in there that I haven’t thought of.

I suppose you know my stand on laws and rituals; I have no flattering words to say about them so it’s best to zip my mouth, lest I may aggravate your kinsmen. BTW, you have now added ethical sin. You have widened the scope … .

I didn’t know your stand on law and ritual. If you have an issue with ritual law and penalties, take it up with Hashm and about half the Torah.

 

[Reuben_J]

I didn’t know your stand on law and ritual. If you have an issue with ritual law and penalties, take it up with Hashm and about half the Torah.

Hmm …