Grappling with the Scapegoat in the Torah

Parshat Acharei Mot
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How Can I Explain the Torah’s Directive to Cast a Goat off a Cliff?

We have several vegan students at Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin. Before Purim my husband reported that one such student was quite disturbed that the megillah must be written on parchment made from animal skin. The following day, I was teaching about the parallels between Purim and Yom Kippur. Drawing a lot is significant to both holidays. The lot on Purim is well-known, but when I got up to explaining about the lot of Yom Kippur, I had to hesitate. How could I explain, to women who struggle with accepting the use of animals in Judaism, that a lot was made between two twin-goats to determine which one was to be sacrificed to Hashem and which one to be thrown off the cliff? I had to first explain the general Jewish outlook that Hashem has created the entire universe for us to serve Him. Rocks, crystals, soil, wood, roots, leaves, fruits, as well as work-animals, eggs, milk, meat, skin and horns are all created for us to use kindly and gently for the sake of performing Hashem’s mitzvot. Mind you, use but not abuse is the mitzvah, for the Torah prohibits causing unnecessary pain to animals. Therefore, the Torah commands that ritual slaughter must be with the sharpest knife – in the most humane way. Then how could the Torah command throwing an innocent goat off a cliff to meet a slow death? What’s more, I recall how the Mishna (Yoma 6:6) teaches that the he-goat was dashed to pieces before it made it halfway down the cliff, a matter that I certainly wasn’t going to share with my students. I remember looking straight at the kind eyes of the young woman who had difficulties with the animal-skin parchment and warning my students as follows, “I’m afraid that what I’m going to tell you now is not going to be easy for you to swallow, but this is what the Torah says. I know it’s hard to understand… so I’m going to say it quickly…the second ram ehh… was cast off the cliff… now I’ve said it! Let’s go on…”  While my students may have forgotten the issue, my own question was still lingering within me. How can the Torah command something so cruel for the poor innocent goat. Is it his fault that we have sinned?

Comparing the Pain with the Gain of the Scapegoat

Being aware of the Torah’s care for the pain of animals, the question of why on Yom Kippur we send the goat to Azazel off to such a horrific death, kept lingering in the back of my mind. Finally, after doing some research, I got a glimpse of understanding how the atonement which this goat brings for the accumulated sins of Israel during the entire year prevents boundless future pain in the entire universe.

ספר ויקרא פרק טז ָקַח אֶת שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִם וְהֶעֱמִיד אֹתָם לִפְנֵי הָשֵׁם פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד:

(ח) וְנָתַן אַהֲרֹן עַל שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִם גֹּרָלוֹת גּוֹרָל אֶחָד לַָשֵׁם וְגוֹרָל אֶחָד לַעֲזָאזֵל:

(ט) וְהִקְרִיב אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַשָּׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר עָלָה עָלָיו הַגּוֹרָל לַהָשֵׁם וְעָשָׂהוּ חַטָּאת:

(י) וְהַשָּׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר עָלָה עָלָיו הַגּוֹרָל לַעֲזָאזֵל יָעֳמַד חַי לִפְנֵי הָשֵׁם לְכַפֵּר עָלָיו לְשַׁלַּח אֹתוֹ לַעֲזָאזֵל הַמִּדְבָּרָה:

“Aharon shall take the two he-goats and place them before Hashem at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting; and Aharon shall place lots upon the two goats: ‘one lot for Hashem’ and the other lot ‘for Azazel.’ Then Aharon shall bring the he goat upon which the lot, ‘for Hashem,’ came up, and designate it as a sin offering. While the goat upon which the lot “for Azazel” came up, shall be placed while still alive, before Hashem, to [initiate] atonement upon it, and to send it away to Azazel, into the wilderness” (Vayikra 16:7-10).

On the holiest day of the year, Aharon takes the energy of all our sins and places them on the designated ram. In order to grant us atonement, this goat must carry all the pain that our collected wrongdoings have caused in the universe. Applying our natural Jewish compassion, for all created beings, to this poor scapegoat, is part of our teshuva process that enacts our expiation. Our desire to repent rises in proportion to how much we detest causing pain to an innocent animal. It makes us realize that it is not the Torah but our own sins that cause the pain in the world that this poor goat now must carry. Arousing our care and empathy for all beings in general and for this scapegoat in particular helps us to feel true pain and remorse in our heart for the enormity of our own transgressions – the root of all injustice and hurt on the planet. Without this goat, with the crimson string of sin on its neck – turning white and pure after being sent off the cliff, we may not have realized the immense negative impact of our sins. The communal repentance and rectification in the world engendered by the scapegoat thus prevent future worldwide agony and strife. Considering the universal rectification this goat enacts with its subsequent transformation of evil and hurt in the world elucidates how it greatly outweighs the immense pain it had to undergo.

The Meaning of עֲזָאזֵל/Azazel

It is interesting to note that the word ‘scapegoat’ may come from the Hebrew עֲזָאזֵל/Azazel (mentioned in Vayikra 16:8, 10 and 26). The word Azazel – rather than referring to a demon or fallen angel as in Christianity – derives from a compound of עֵז/ez – ‘goat’ and אָזַל/azal – ‘ran out.’ This goat represents the power of evil which is most prevalent in desolate places where humanity has never ventured. Thus, the place of Azazel was a mighty cliff, where no one had ever been able to go due to its steepness. Although, the Torah recognizes the power of evil, often called ‘the Other Side’ in the Kabbalah, it must not be confused with being considered as an independent force competing with Hashem. Rather, evil is a servant of G-d created as an obstacle for us. This obstacle and preventive force ultimately enables us to fulfill our full potential. In this way, the goat to Azazel symbolizes that evil indeed serves the greater good. The word עזאזל/Azazel is also an acronym for זֶה לְעֻמַּת זֶה עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים/ze le’umat ze asa Elokim. “…In the day of adversity consider: G-d has made the one as well as the other” (Kohelet 7:14).

The Twin-Goats Parallel Ya’acov and Esau

The Talmud teaches that the two goats must look identical – like twins (Yoma 62a). Lots were drawn to determine which of the two identical goats would be sacrificed in the Sanctuary and which would be for Azazel. These twin-goats, that parallel the twin brothers Ya’acov and Esau, illustrate that both righteousness and evil are from G-d. The antecedents of these twin-goats were the “two good goats” that Rivkah originally commanded Ya’acov to bring his father in order to receive his blessing (Bereishit 27:9). Both goats are called “good” because good needs evil in order to exist, if for no other reason than to have something to reject. It is the contrast with evil that allows good to shine. Thus, on the holiest day of the year, the scapegoat carrying all our evil sins, sent off to a desolate place where the power of evil reigns, transforms evil to the greater good. By Hashem commanding us to sacrifice this goat to the Other Side, so-to-speak, G-d’s ultimate power over everything, including evil, becomes revealed.

Poem for My Father

Pesach
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Poem for My Father, Shlomo ben Yisrael Leib z”l in Honor of the Inauguration of “Solomon’s Song Garden”

I know your spirit is with us today.

Dearest Far please don’t go away,

even if I’m not sure what to say,

for it’s not words I want to convey.

Just wish your presence to be near.

So, we can still be together here.

You know how much we hold you dear.

Please don’t let your spirit disappear.

We made this little garden space,

to be a patch of natural grace,

a spiritual connecting place,

where your light we can embrace.

You always loved the good life

Together with mother, your wife.

When discord between people was rife,

your loving care appeased their strife.

As a father you were good and strong.

You were strict when we were wrong.

On your lips was always a new song.

For your warm compassion we long.

Never afraid to take a firm stand,

you cherished all of Israel’s land,

the mountains, sun and sand,

every rock and every plant.

You came and left the world at spring,

a time when every bird flaps its wing,

when sprouting flowers pleasure bring,

and when all kinds of birds begin to sing.

Like spring, you were young at heart.

Although you were also very smart,

your youthfulness got a new start,

so, at spring you chose to depart.

May your spirit and soul abundantly enjoy,

the gathering of grandchildren – your convoy,

with the playfulness of many girls and boy.

So, please let no-one this garden destroy!

What Can we Learn from the Spiritual Disease Described in the Torah?

Parashat Metzora
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Spiritual Roots for Physical Ailments

I’m terrified of the awful illness that plagues so many people in our times. In Israel and in Torah observant circles we don’t even dare mention the proper name of this dreadful disease that has taken so many lives, as we don’t want, G-d forbid, to call it upon anyone. We simply call it הַמַּחֲלָה/hamachala – ‘the sickness.’ 

In biblical times it doesn’t seem like people suffered from cancers, aids and heart attack. The only illness mentioned by name in the Bible is tzara’at – a disease usually mistranslated as ‘leprosy,’ yet it is more accurately translated as ‘psoriasis.’ (Cheyne and Black, Encyclopedia Biblica, Shai A, Vardy D, Zvulunov A (2002). [Psoriasis, biblical afflictions and patients’ dignity] (in Hebrew). Harefuah 141 (5): 479–82, 496. PMID12073533). 

By mentioning the symptoms and the process of curing the disease of tzara’at in great details, the Torah offers a model for finding the cause and healing of any disease throughout the ages. I find it interesting that although permission was given for the doctor to heal (Shemot 21:19), the Torah chose specifically the Kohen to diagnose tzara’at and to oversee the healing procedure of this spiritual disease. By choosing the Kohen, in his capacity as spiritual healer, rather than a physician, to heal the only disease mentioned by name in Scripture, the Torah insinuates that the root of illness is spiritual rather than physical. Throughout the Talmud and Midrashim, Chazal view tzara’at as a consequence for various transgressions involving interpersonal misconduct, particularly lashon hara (slander/gossip). “Rabbi Yossi Ben Zimra said: Whoever speaks lashon hara - tzara’at comes upon him…” “Reish Lakish said: ‘This shall be the ritual for a metzora’ – this shall be the ritual for the motzi shem ra (the person guilty of defamation).” “Rav Shemuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: tzara’at comes on account of seven things: 1) lashon hara; 2) murder; 3) false oaths; 4) immorality; 5) arrogance; 6) theft; 7) stinginess” (Babylonian Talmud, Arachin 15b-16a). Also, today, most illnesses have spiritual causes. Therefore, addressing the spiritual root of illness helps to achieve its physical cure.

Various Types of Tzara’at Illustrate Different Aspects of Character Flaws

The different types of illness indicate the particular character-trait that the diseased person needs to work on and do teshuvah for (repent). For example, various kinds of tzara’at allude to different aspects of negative speech.

ספר ויקרא פרק יד פסוק נד

זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה לְכָל נֶגַע הַצָּרַעַת וְלַנָּתֶק: (נה) וּלְצָרַעַת הַבֶּגֶד וְלַבָּיִת: (נו) וְלַשְׂאֵת וְלַסַּפַּחַת וְלַבֶּהָרֶת:

“This is the law for every lesion of tzara’at, and for a netek, [the name of the lesion of tzara’at when it occurs on an area of hairy skin]. For tzara’at of garments and houses, for a se’et, for a sapachat and for a baheret” (Vayikra 14:54-56).

The Hebrew roots of the three kinds of tzara’at mentioned here can refer to three different motivations for engaging in evil speech. Each one having its own spiritual root and way of repentance:

1. שְׂאֵת /Se’et – ‘a rising’ – Alludes to a person speaking against others in order to raise his own stature.
2.  סַּפַּחַת/Sapachat – ‘a scab’ – Alludes to a person joining (sipuach) – a group of people who speak against others. In ordinary circumstances, he would not speak lashon hara, but to be sociable or to fit in, he would.

3. בֶּהָרֶת/Baheret – ‘a bright spot’ – Alludes to a person might have done something against someone else, and in an attempt to exonerate himself, he speaks against that person. He clarifies (bahir) or rationalizes his behavior (Based on the Chatam Sofer).

Teshuvah – The Optimal Cure

ספר ויקרא פרק יד פסוק ב זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע בְּיוֹם טָהֳרָתוֹ וְהוּבָא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן:

(ג) וְיָצָא הַכֹּהֵן אֶל מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה נִרְפָּא נֶגַע הַצָּרַעַת מִן הַצָּרוּעַ:

“This shall be the law of the person afflicted with tzara’at, on the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the kohen. The kohen shall go outside the camp, and the kohen shall look, and behold, the lesion of tzara’at has healed in the afflicted person” (Vayikra 14:2-3).

One of the tasks of the Kohanim was to determine if a sign on a person, garment, or house was in fact tzara’at. Rebbe Michel Z’lotchover explains that the Kohanim represent the tzaddikim (perfectly righteous) in each generation. Their purpose is to direct us toward teshuvah and good deeds. In order to engender teshuvah, the person afflicted with tzara’at was commanded by the Torah to go unshaven, wear torn clothes, and proclaim in the streets that he was impure. These are all actions that disgrace a person and makes him aware that he must repent. The process of purifying tzara’at – a physical ailment with a spiritual root identified by the kohen – can be experienced figuratively today through spiritual healing where we ask Hashem to help us ‘see’ the underlying roots of our ailment and guide us to fix them through, emunah (faith), forgiveness and changing direction. For example, I recently experienced awful, burning hives on my face that made me look terrible. When I did spiritual healing on myself the word ‘anger’ came up. This was surprising for me since I never usually get angry. That is, I never yell at people. Yet, spiritual healing brought my inward unexpressed anger into my awareness. That same week, I had experienced four different very challenging incidents with various people. The frustration I felt expressed itself in angry, burning lesions on my face. So, in my spiritual self-healing, I worked on accepting the difficult situations exchanging my anger with emunah that everything would resolve itself and so it eventually did. This inner self-healing is a way of integrating regretting our negative actions and emotions and transform them into closeness with Hashem. Thus, spiritual healing engenders teshuvah in a real and practical way.

From Physical to Spiritual Healing in the Era of Redemption

In the Torah and Talmud relying on physicians and medicine was questionable. According to Rav Acha of the Talmud, a person, who is wholly faithful and cleaving to Hashem, does not need to rely on manmade cures. Rather, he should search within his heart to find what spiritual failing may have caused him to become susceptible to illness and repent. Yet, the ordinary person, whose faith is weak and feels himself too far from Hashem to rely on ‘miracles,’ has no choice but to avail himself of the current therapeutic options. Therefore, according to Rav Acha, when seeking cures from physicians, as is the way of the world, we must apologize to Hashem for our lack of emunah in G-d (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 60a). There is no need to apologize for practicing or receiving spiritual healing, as spiritual healing both emanates from and strengthens our emunah in Hashem.  The increasing popularity of spiritual healing in our time reflects our yearning for geulah (redemption) when we and our health once again will be completely in Hashem’s hand. As the Ramban explains:

“When Israel is perfect and numerous then they will not be ruled by nature at all… For Hashem will remove all sicknesses from among them, to the extent that they will neither need a doctor, nor to guard themselves in the ways of medicine at all as it states, “I am G-d your Healer” (Shemot 15:26). In this manner, the Tzaddikim would act during the time of prophecy. Even if a sin would befall them and they would become ill, they would not go to the doctors, but only to the prophets…” (Ramban, Vayikra 26:1). M1ay our prayers and spiritual healing lead us to greater closeness with the Almighty! May we learn to open the channels that eventually will lead us to prophecy and complete repentance! May Hashem heal all the sick and remove illness from all of us forever!

Why the Difference in the Laws of Ritual Purity between the Birth of Males and Females?

Parashat Tazaria

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Dealing with the Torah Differentiation between Male and Female

My students always question me, whenever I teach a Torah concept that is unequal for men and women. “Why did the Torah permit a man to marry more than one wife, while a woman was never permitted more than one husband?” “Why is only a man authorized to grant his wife a divorce?” “Why does only a woman require yibum (levirate marriage) but not the man?” “Why are only men required to learn Torah for its own sake...” I don’t mind that the list goes on and on ad infinitum, as my own first questioning of Judaism was, “Why does the man thank Hashem for not creating him a woman?” While, there are many answers to all these questions, over my almost 40 years of living a Torah observant life, I have learned to not be bothered by such questions. Since, I am very confident in my Jewish femininity and strongly aware of how the Torah values women, it is easy for me to accept that men and women are different and therefore, different laws apply to them respectably. This concept is best exemplified by the fact that none of my students ever asked, why only the boys get circumcised but not the girls! Similarly, I’m not really bothered by the fact that the ritual impurity caused by the birth of a girl lasts two weeks, whereas for the birth of a boy its only one week. Today, this difference has no practical implication as, “We don’t differentiate between blood and blood” (Talmud). Today, any blood that emerges from the womb is considered impure, whether due to menstruation, sexual disease or childbirth. Thus, a woman after birth, whether she gave birth to a boy or a girl must wait until she stops bleeding completely (usually around six weeks), count “seven clean days” and only then immerse in a mikvah in order to return to marital intimacy. Nevertheless, we need to explain the Torah difference between the impurity period for the birth of a son versus that of a daughter. I’m pleased that most of the classical medieval commentaries address this issue. Yet, in order to shed light on this question, we need to address the concept of why childbirth causes impurity in the first place. 

Why Does Childbirth Cause Impurity?

ספר ויקרא פרק יב  (ב) אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר וְטָמְאָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים כִּימֵי נִדַּת דְּוֹתָהּ תִּטְמָא:

(ג) וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ: (ד) וּשְׁלשִׁים יוֹם וּשְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּשֵׁב בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה בְּכָל קֹדֶשׁ לֹא תִגָּע וְאֶל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא תָבֹא עַד מְלֹאת יְמֵי טָהֳרָהּ: (ה) וְאִם נְקֵבָה תֵלֵד וְטָמְאָה שְׁבֻעַיִם כְּנִדָּתָהּ וְשִׁשִּׁים יוֹם וְשֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּשֵׁב עַל דְּמֵי טָהֳרָה:

“When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male, she shall be impure for seven days; she shall be impure just as at the time of separation when she menstruates. On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. For thirty-three days, she shall remain in a state of blood of purity; she shall not touch anything holy, nor enter the Sanctuary until the period of her purification is completed. If she gives birth to a female, she shall be impure for two weeks, as during her menstruation. For sixty-six days, she shall remain in a state of blood of purity” (Vayikra 12:2-5).

How can childbirth – the epitome of purity – causeטֻמְאָה /tumah – ‘impurity?’  Since birth brings new life into the world, whereas tumah relates to death or to loss of potential life, why does birth cause tumah?

תלמוד בבלי מסכת תענית דף ב/א אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן שְׁלָשָׁה מְפַתְּחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹּא נִמְסְרוּ בְּיָד שָׁלִיחַ וְאֵלוֹ הֵן מַפְתֵּחַ שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים מַפְתֵּחַ שֶׁל חַיָּה וּמַפְתֵּחַ שֶׁל תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים:

Rabbi Yochanan said, three keys are in the hands of the Holy One and are not handed over to an emissary. These are the key to rain, the key to childbirth, and the key to the revival of the dead (Babylonian Talmud, Ta’anit 2a).

Since nothing impure emerges from on High, how can impurity arise from childbirth, when it is one of the three keys that are only in Hashem’s hands? The answer is that impurity enters only after pregnancy ends. The Kotzker Rebbe explains that in every important event, when holiness is strengthened, impure energies are also aroused. Because of the power of pregnancy and birth, to which G-d controls the key, impurities are kept out until the baby is born. Yet, when the holiness leaves, impure energies gain entry. This is like the impurity that overtakes the body once the soul leaves. Similarly, when we excel in some area, especially in something Jewish, there is a danger of being unconsciously overwhelmed by negative energies and subsequently backsliding.

Since the female child inherently carries a higher degree of holiness, due to her own biological, life creating capability, a greater void, or tumah, remains after her birth. Thus, the greater

tumah after a baby girl’s birth reflects her greater capacity for holiness (due to her creative powers) and necessitates the longer wait to remove this ritual impurity Chana Weisberg.

The Pain and Suffering of the Cycles of Nature

תלמוד בבלי מסכת נדה דף ל/ב דָּרַשׁ רַבֵּי שֶׁמְּלַאי לַמָּה הַוָּלָד דּוֹמֶה בִּמְעֵי אִמּוֹ לְפִנְקָס שֶׁמְּקֻפָּל וּמֻנָּח יָדָיו עַל שְׁתֵּי צְדָעָיו …וְנֵר דָּלוּק לוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וְצוֹפֶה וּמַבִּיט מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ… וְאֵין לָךְ יָמִים שֶׁאָדָם שָׁרוּי בַּטּוֹבָה יוֹתֵר מֵאוֹתָן הַיָּמִים… וּמְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ… וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּא לַאֲוִיר הָעוֹלָם בָּא מַלְאָךְ וְסָטְרוּ עַל פִּיו וּמֻשְׁכָּחוֹ כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ...

Rabbi Simlai questioned, what does the fetus in the mother’s womb resemble? A folded notebook with his hands placed on his two sides… and a candle lights for him upon his head and he looks and sees from one end of the world to the other… There are no days that a person dwells in such goodness more than these days… and they teach him the entire Torah…When he comes to the air of this world, the angel comes and slaps him on the mouth and makes him forget his entire Torah… (Babylonian Talmud, Niddah 30b).

Life on earth is specifically created by nullifying the heavenly bliss of life inside of the womb. This nullification is revealed through the suffering, the contractions of birth, the cry of the newborn and the blood of birth. Without being slapped in the face to make the baby forget his Torah, he would be unable to fulfill his mission in this world, which is to exert his free will through reconnecting with Torah. The tumah of childbirth expresses the lack and sorrow which comes from forgetting the Torah of the womb. Since the expulsion from the Garden, pain and impurity mars the joy of birth and the natural cycle of life. Childbirth expresses this duality of nature. Birth brings new life to the world, but the act is accompanied by blood and great pain. Sometimes it is life-threatening. Physicality is responsible for our impulses, our vulnerability to the forces of nature, to illness, the deterioration of our bodies and our ultimate death. With every birth, we come face to face with the sin of Adam and Chava that caused the debasement of nature, leaving us with the current world where all are subject to the cycle of life. We are all born, and we all die.

Why is the Impurity Caused by the Birth of a Girl Twice as Long as When a Boy is Born?

To shed light on this question we need to go back to the consequence of Adam’s and Chava’s sin.

ספר בראשית פרק ג (טז) אֶל הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ בְּעֶצֶב תֵּלְדִי בָנִים וְאֶל אִישֵׁךְ תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ וְהוּא יִמְשָׁל בָּךְ: (יז) וּלְאָדָם אָמַר כִּי שָׁמַעְתָּ לְקוֹל אִשְׁתֶּךָ וַתֹּאכַל מִן הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִיךָ לֵאמֹר לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכֲלֶנָּה כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ:

“To the woman He said, ‘I shall surely increase your pain and your pregnancy; in pain you shall bear children…’ 17 And to man He said, ‘Because you listened to your wife, and you ate from the tree from which I commanded you saying, You shall not eat of it, cursed be the ground for your sake; with pain shall you eat of it all the days of your life” (Bereishit 3:16-17).

Chava received a double portion of עֶצֶב/etzev – ‘pain.’ This is the reason why the impurity and pain from the birth of a female is twice as long as from the birth of a male. Another reason is that the nature of the female is cold and moist whereas the male is hot and dry. Therefore, giving birth to a girl causes more blood and consequently, the process of purification is longer (Tzror Hamor, Vayikra 12:2). Kli Yakar explains that since it was a woman who began the process of bringing impurity into the world, by eating from the forbidden fruit, all women need extra purification. The first woman, Chava was the original cause of the impurity of the blood of niddah, therefore, when a woman gives birth to a girl, she needs a twofold seven-day purification process: one seven-day purification period for herself and one for her daughter (Kli Yakar, Vayikra 12:2).

Rectifying the Breach of Nature

Returning to our original passage from this week’s parasha, it is interesting to note that after the birth of a boy the Torah mentions his (brit milah) circumcision on the eighth day (verse 3). This seems superfluous since the Torah already commanded circumcision in great detail in Parashat Lech Lecha. Furthermore, the period of impurity after the birth of a daughter is not written as 14 days but rather described with the unusual word, שְׁבֻעַיִם/shevuayim – ‘two weeks,’ which is related to שֶׁבַע/sheva – ‘seven.’  The time of the mother’s impurity is thus contrasted with circumcision on the eighth day. Maharal explains that the number seven – connected to Shabbat – expresses holiness within nature, whereas the number eight – connected to circumcision – expresses the extra holiness that we can achieve beyond nature. Through circumcision on the eighth day man enters a covenant with G-d and rises above nature with all its pitfalls. Since the level of holiness it achieves is higher than that inherent in nature, circumcision on the eighth day overrides Shabbat. This also explains why the time period of impurity is shorter following the birth of a boy. The covenant of circumcision shortens its duration because it is a corrective to the physical nature with its inherent pain and deterioration. The corrective for daughters takes place at the covenant of marriage. Since the timing of this covenant is much later it doesn’t shorten the duration of impurity after the birth of a girl. The ability of the Jewish people to bring holiness beyond nature to the world will b”H lead to our victory over death and impurity by serving as a corrective for the sin of Adam and Chava. This is reflected in the bracha (blessing) at the covenant of circumcision: “Rescue our beloved from destruction, for the sake of His covenant that He has placed in our flesh;” as well as in the blessing we recite at the covenant of marriage: “Gladden these beloved companions as You gladdened Your creation in the Garden of Eden of old” (Rabbi Dror Brama). 

May we merit to celebrate both covenants and thus overcome the impurity of birth, of exile and of death. May we merit to be part of the renewed nation through the revival of the dead and the national rebirth!