Why ...

[Scott Husted]

Why would you think there would be a discrepancy (laid out in weeks and days) between how long a woman is unclean when she bares (conceives seed) a manchild as opposed to how long she is unclean when she bares a maid?

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Well without actually seeing the difference or remembering it, I would in say that it is likely to be purely typological aka symbolic.

edit/ add

According to Leviticus 12, a woman who gives birth to a son remains impure for a week, and afterwards immerses in a body of water to purify herself. In rabbinical interpretation of Leviticus 12 any subsequent blood she sees over the next 33 days would be considered dam tohar (דַּם טׂוהַר – ritually clean blood), and that blood does not prohibit her from sexual relations with her husband. The law for a woman who gives birth to a daughter is the same, however, the durations are doubled. The mother becomes impure for 2 weeks, and after immersion, any blood she sees over the next 66 days is dam tohar.

Impurity after childbirth - Wikipedia

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Some guesses

1) I has something to do with the Fall. Like Eve being deceived, and Adam not, and Eve persuading Adam to Sin.


2) It might have to do something with the Old Testament, "priesthood of the believer", where everyman was suppose to be the spiritual leader of his family. We also get into differences in Creation of the 1st Woman and the 1st Man in Genesis (the act of Creation hinting at a difference in nature), the Genesis account suggest that woman were created to be dependent on man being derived from Adam ribs rather than dirt. So that may have something to it....


Or perhaps all of the above.


I look for commentary on it, but it is one of those nebulous things that seems to puzzle scholars.

 

[Scott Husted]

According to Leviticus 12, a woman who gives birth to a son remains impure for a week, and afterwards immerses in a body of water to purify herself. In rabbinical interpretation of Leviticus 12 any subsequent blood she sees over the next 33 days would be considered dam tohar (דַּם טׂוהַר – ritually clean blood), and that blood does not prohibit her from sexual relations with her husband. The law for a woman who gives birth to a daughter is the same, however, the durations are doubled. The mother becomes impure for 2 weeks, and after immersion, any blood she sees over the next 66 days is dam tohar.

Impurity after childbirth - Wikipedia

That is the text where the question is taken from, but why is really the question. Why the discrepancy in weeks and days between a male and a female child?

 

[Pavel Mosko]

That is the text where the question is taken from, but why is really the question. Why the discrepancy in weeks and days between a male and a female child?

There are two basic reasons for these strange things in the Bible

1) Are Theological Symbols etc.

2) Strange Ancient Near Eastern Customs and Cultural symbols. Which is the angle I haven't thought of and that might be a better angle. I'll have to check my favorite Biblical scholar on that he is good at talking about the weird stuff in Genesis and the rest of the Bible.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I just started listening to this. Maybe you might want to join me...

 

[Scott Husted]

There are two basic reasons for these strange things in the Bible

1) Are Theological Symbols etc.

2) Strange Ancient Near Eastern Customs and Cultural symbols. Which is the angle I haven't thought of and that might be a better angle. I'll have to check my favorite Biblical scholar on that he is good at talking about the weird stuff in Genesis and the rest of the Bible.

For me the better angle is always something that points to why God calls us from the womb to begin with ...

 

[Scott Husted]

I just started listening to this. Maybe you might want to join me...

I'll take a look see ...

 

[dqhall]

Why would you think there would be a discrepancy (laid out in weeks and days) between how long a woman is unclean when she bares (conceives seed) a manchild as opposed to how long she is unclean when she bares a maid?

Some Old Testament rules have no basis in fact. Rules of what is clean and unclean are not 100% correct. The first century Jews built small cleansing pools in an effort to rid themselves of ritual uncleaness such as from a woman having her period or a man accidentally touching a dead unclean animal (lizard or rodent). These pools were called mikvehs as described in the Talmudic tractate Mikvaot. Archaeologists found many first centipury mikvehs. Since they did not have chlorine to disinfect the pools, diseases like cholera and polio may have spread there. Paul let Gentiles opt out of such regulations in Acts 15.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

The recording got damaged mid way but there is enough in it to give a good idea of some of the symbolism. What was said concerning how vulnerable women were in child birth in the ancient world and the fear of demonic attack is especially noteworthy. Personally I believe there is some kind of symbolism going on between that, and the spiritual headship of the male being a shadow/ typology eventually for Christ as Messiah. e.g. - There is less time for ceremonial uncleanness for male children for instance, but circumcision was an act of consecration to the priesthood in a lot of the Near East practiced it, Egyptians did it for instance and did so before the Israelites, but only for their priests.. while all male Israelites were commanded by God to have this done to them (God wanted a nation of priests etc.)

 

[a-lily-of-peace]

The first thing that comes to mind for me is the fact that all of a woman’s eggs are formed in her when she’s a fetus in the womb, so she’s giving birth to both the child and the egg of the grandchild at the same time.

But really I don’t know and it is a mystery.

 

[ZNP]

Why would you think there would be a discrepancy (laid out in weeks and days) between how long a woman is unclean when she bares (conceives seed) a manchild as opposed to how long she is unclean when she bares a maid?

Postpartum depression is linked to having boys. In the OT there is a bigger celebration to having a boy than a girl, that may in some ways help the mother. Also, being unclean for less time may also help her.

 

[Scott Husted]

There is a lot a physical or earthly knowledge, like something cast down to the earth (not saying that's a bad thing) but half of something is not a whole), but is that all there is concering the purpose God purposed in himself, and in turn in us? Does this somehow relate to this process of time that each individual is involved in concerning the blade the ear the full ear?

 

[Scott Husted]

The recording got damaged mid way but there is enough in it to give a good idea of some of the symbolism. What was said concerning how vulnerable women were in child birth in the ancient world and the fear of demonic attack is especially noteworthy. Personally I believe there is some kind of symbolism going on between that, and the spiritual headship of the male being a shadow/ typology eventually for Christ as Messiah. e.g. - There is less time for ceremonial uncleanness for male children for instance, but circumcision was an act of consecration to the priesthood in a lot of the Near East practiced it, Egyptians did it for instance and did so before the Israelites, but only for their priests.. while all male Israelites were commanded by God to have this done to them (God wanted a nation of priests etc.)

The sign of the covenant is certainly part of it but I'm looking at the weeks and days specifically ...

 

[Pavel Mosko]

The sign of the covenant is certainly part of it but I'm looking at the weeks and days specifically ...

Well I'm actually looking at some Jewish and Messianic articles for insight. I've seen a few minor points mentioned concerning health, but nothing great. I actually may ask a question on Jewish Stack Exchange because I have gotten a few good answers there on some technical type questions.



I actually did post a question on this on Jewish Stack Exchange

Symbolism of Childbirth impurity differences male and female children in Leviticus 12?

 

[Scott Husted]

Well I'm actually looking at some Jewish and Messianic articles for insight. I've seen a few minor points mentioned concerning health, but nothing great. I actually may ask a question on Jewish Stack Exchange because I have gotten a few good answers there on some technical type questions.



I actually did post a question on this on Jewish Stack Exchange

Symbolism of Childbirth impurity differences male and female children in Leviticus 12?

You have certainly hunted around for it!

 

[Paul4JC]

The recording got damaged mid way

Original podcast full....

Naked Bible 75: Leviticus 12-15

 

[Scott Husted]

Some guesses

1) I has something to do with the Fall. Like Eve being deceived, and Adam not, and Eve persuading Adam to Sin.


2) It might have to do something with the Old Testament, "priesthood of the believer", where everyman was suppose to be the spiritual leader of his family. We also get into differences in Creation of the 1st Woman and the 1st Man in Genesis (the act of Creation hinting at a difference in nature), the Genesis account suggest that woman were created to be dependent on man being derived from Adam ribs rather than dirt. So that may have something to it....


Or perhaps all of the above.


I look for commentary on it, but it is one of those nebulous things that seems to puzzle scholars.

If it is a pattern relative to the Purpose ... then it can not be the only picture of it.

 

[honey badger]

Why would you think there would be a discrepancy (laid out in weeks and days) between how long a woman is unclean when she bares (conceives seed) a manchild as opposed to how long she is unclean when she bares a maid?

there is no discrepancy .... the second forty is the revealing of our nakedness concerning the law ...

 

[icxn]

Tropologically, the woman in this instance is the soul that receives various teachings (seeds) and gives birth to the wheat of good thoughts, words and actions and the grain* of virtue, if Christ is the sower (or father in this instance), or to the tare of evil thoughts, words and actions and their corresponding vices (grain), if the Devil is the father. Since this chapter speaks of childbearing that makes the soul unclean, it is referring to the latter kind of seed that produces sin (Matthew 15:18-20).

Evil thoughts, words and actions are the male child and they require a forty day purification, i.e. repentance, which is commenced by applying the opposing teaching of the Lord as a remedy and likened to a seven day or seven-fold purification (Psalms 12:6).

When an evil seed grows deep roots in our heart (the womb) and we become addicted to it, then we conceive and give birth to a female child, that is the corresponding vice, which, like a female child has the potential of giving birth to a multitude of sins (grandchildren - @a-lily-in-the-valley 's observation was spot on) and is much harder to correct and repent of, hence the difference in days of purification.

As a side note, in Greek, all the virtues and all the vices, as well as the word for soul are - not accidentally - of female gender.

_______
* Virtues are the product/fruit of good thoughts/words/actions and they also produce them, just like the grain, the product of wheat is also the seed.