Chapter Twelve

The law of purification of a woman after childbirth

Leviticus 12:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying The law of purification of the woman who has given birth is given through Moses alone (and not together with Aaron, as are other laws of ritual purity) – because of its more particular character. Purification ordinances for the postpartum period of a woman existed among other ancient peoples, but among Israel these laws have a purely religious character, reflecting the fundamental Old Testament concepts: sin and holiness

Leviticus 12:2. Say to the sons of Israel: If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be unclean for seven days; as in the days of her menstrual impurity she shall be unclean The first 7 days after the birth of a boy, 14 after the birth of a girl, the uncleanness of the woman in childbirth was considered equal to the uncleanness of menstrual purification (Lev 15:19). The uncleanness of the woman in childbirth during this period was transmitted to all those who touched her (according to the rabbis, a distinction was made between uncleanness of the first degree, or father of uncleanness, and uncleanness of subsequent degrees)

Leviticus 12:3. on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised Briefly but categorically, the law of circumcision is repeated, established in the patriarchal period (Gen 17; see John 7:22), but adopted into the Sinai legislation

Leviticus 12:4. and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are complete Leviticus 12:5. But if she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days After the first period of purification (7 or 14 days), a second period of less stringent uncleanness followed, consisting only of temporary exclusion from the sanctuary and all that is sacred: 33 days for a male child, 66 for a female child. The increase in the duration of purification for a female child is explained by the view of the ancients that “greater labor is undertaken by women who bear female children” (the blessed Theodoret, question 14 on Leviticus), and therefore the body of the mother in childbirth recovers more slowly than after giving birth to a boy (this observation, perhaps correct in eastern and hot countries, is not confirmed in Europe); in part, the indicated difference could have reflected the influence of the biblical view of woman as the source of sin in the world (Gen 3)

Leviticus 12:6. And when the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting, to the priest, a lamb a year old as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering Leviticus 12:7. He shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement on her behalf; then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a male or a female child Leviticus 12:8. And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf, and she shall be clean The lawful purification consists: 1) in a sin offering, for both the rich and the poor consisting of a bird – a young pigeon or a turtledove: by this equality, the equal responsibility or obligation of all was shown for original sin, and by the appointment of a most inexpensive offering it was indicated the absence of an active or conscious element in the sin being purified; 2) in a burnt offering, which, being a solemn offering, consisted of a lamb, replaced for the poor by a second pigeon (the Holy Virgin brought to the temple precisely two pigeons, Luke 2:22-24), and probably 3) in a peace offering