Derasha 7 on Vayikra 12:2

TT #7 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 1 · Passuk 2

The Complete Passuk

דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אִשָּׁה֙ כִּ֣י תַזְרִ֔יעַ וְיָלְדָ֖ה זָכָ֑ר וְטָֽמְאָה֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים כִּימֵ֛י נִדַּ֥ת דְּוֺתָ֖הּ תִּטְמָֽא׃

English: Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman at childbirth bears a male, she shall be impure seven days; she shall be impure as at the time of her condition of menstrual separation.

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 12:2

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Niddah 24b.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Niddah 24b
תְּנָא תָּנָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב: הַמַּפֶּלֶת בְּרִיַּת גּוּף שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָתוּךְ וּבְרִיַּת רֹאשׁ שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָתוּךְ, יָכוֹל תְּהֵא אִמּוֹ טְמֵאָה לֵידָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר... וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל — מִי שֶׁרָאוּי לִבְרִית שְׁמוֹנָה, יָצְאוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁאֵינָם רְאוּיִין לִבְרִית שְׁמוֹנָה.

English: A woman who gives birth to a body whose form is not articulated, or a head whose form is not articulated, might have been thought to acquire childbirth impurity. Scripture teaches: “If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male … and on the eighth day he shall be circumcised” — one fit for the covenant of eight days is included; these are excluded because they are not fit for that covenant.

Type of Learning

Exclusion by analogy

What Is Learned

The juxtaposition of childbirth impurity and circumcision limits the rule to a birth whose product is fit for the covenant of the eighth day.