"But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her period; and she shall continue in the blood of purification sixty-six days."
Author: Leviticus 12 Verses #: 5
In Leviticus 12:2 the bible states that when a woman bears a son she is unclean one week. In the above verse if she bears a female she is unclean two weeks and then she is declared unclean twice as long as if she had had a son. As modern man knows the length of time that a woman bleeds after having a baby has nothing to do with the sex of the child she delivered. The length of time a woman bleeds just depends on how quickly her body recovers from the delivery. Ancient biblical men saw women as less desirable and unclean. The bible strictly forbid women to be touched during their menstrual cycle or after childbirth and demanded that the woman present a lamb as an offering at the temple after her purification of 33 days for a boy child and 66 days if she had a female child. Women were isolated as untouchables after childbirth rather than embraced and helped and comforted. Only evil men would make such cruel rules for women to live under. Childbirth in the desert is hard enough, but when you are declared unclean and untouchable after delivery life was made very harsh for mother and child. Modern society sees a picture of the care of women and girls in the traditions of muslim societies today and the world is aghast. We forget that this same treatment of women was our heritage as well. It is only with centuries of struggle were christian women able to advance as well, and only after ancient and absurd and horrifying laws were discarded.
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