Parashat Tazria

Niddah Rest for New Mothers

12 Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying: ² “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael, instructing: If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she will be unclean for seven days, as in the days of her niddah she will be unclean. ³ In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin is to be circumcised. ^{[a] 4} She must wait during the blood of purification for 33 days.^[b] She is not to touch any holy thing, nor come into the Sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. ⁵ But if she bears a female child, then she will be unclean for two weeks, as in her niddah, and she is to wait in the blood of purification for 66 days.

⁶ “When the days of her purification are completed for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the kohen, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, a year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove, for a sin offering. ⁷ He is to present it before Adonai and make atonement for her. Then she will be cleansed from the discharge of her blood. This is the Torah for her who gives birth, whether to a male or a female child. ⁸ If she cannot afford a lamb, then she is to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons,^[c] one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the kohen will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.”