Tazria 5784 - Apr 12

1864 was the year that Arizona mandated an abortion ban that was reinstated this week by Arizona’s highest court.  With one exception, the rule is mostly in agreement with Jewish law. When a woman’s life is endangered, then the law permits an abortion.

Our Torah reading for this Shabbat begins with the dictates of law that seem somewhat unfair and unrealistic following the beauty of the birth of a child.  The biblical code deals with the impurity of a woman following giving birth to a child. In this instance, the blood of birth becomes the impurity that ritually defiles a woman.

We would like to think the opposite – the beauty of a woman participating in God’s creative nature and fulfilling the first biblical commandment “Be fruitful and multiply” would make this miracle of child birth one of the highest spiritual realities. Yet, the Torah states that a woman becomes impure through the blood of childbirth. She remains impure for thirty-three days for a male and sixty-six days for a female. She is also required to bring a sin offering at the end of this time.

What seems to the modern thinking person as something beautiful has become somewhat of a different matter to the biblical author. Or was it? Might the biblical author have intended a different thought? Might it have been the moment when a woman came to a psychological joy and loss both at the same time? The joy of childbirth, the loss of the child within that she protected and nurtured during her pregnancy. And now she is faced with the divine task of protecting and nurturing the child in a world where others may not. Perhaps, the Torah was protecting the mother from having to deal with the outside world as she adjusted to the new reality of motherhood.  Perhaps, the Torah was providing the mother with the time not only to bond with her newborn, but also to provide her time to deal with both physical and emotional postpartum realities.  By creating this space, the Torah was really looking out for the best interest of the mother. And perhaps, only by creating this concept of impurity at birth, would her husband and others give her the time and space that she needed.

At times, we need to understand both the physical and emotional needs of others. When others seem to be at a moment of need, it is beautiful how we as a community reach out to help them. At the same time, the Torah teaches us that we need at times to provide those who think they need us, the space for emotional and or physical healing. For example, the rabbis remind us that one should not visit the sick first thing in the morning, when the caregivers are working with them, and when they are still feeling the realities of the night; or in the evening, when they are settling down.

While at the beginning of my remarks, I shared with you that Judaism has its specific halacha related to abortion, we see that our Torah reading, first and foremost is concerned with the well-being of the mother, both emotionally and physically. And in that regard the Arizona ruling by its Supreme Court, is not consistent with Jewish Law. We need to respect women, for the emotional needs of a woman must be in our minds, and we must always protect them in that regard.

Finally, please note that during the next few weeks I will be providing you with reading supplements for your Passover Seders, which can be found through a link to our congregation’s website Passover section. It will include readings and prayers for October 7^th. We will also provide you with the Haggadah that we will be using this year at our congregational seder. While we will not use it in its entirety, it will provide you with readings and suggestions.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi K