The Origins of Birth in The Bible

So the Torah doesn’t exactly have a “Birth” section. We can’t just flip open to the “what to expect spiritually when you’re expecting” part of the Bible. And it’s true, there are plenty of babies born in the Torah, but the truth is: there is law directly associated with Birth. And it’s not one we pay too much attention to nowadays. Why? Well, the law relates to tummah and tahara, purity and impurity. And yet, I think if you’re interested in getting in touch with some of the religious and spiritual ideals behind birth, this law is actually pretty relevant.

Rabbi Ami Silver explores this law in a video he created for parshat Tazria. But before you enjoy this exploration, here’s just a brief editor’s note: the following is presented purely through the lens of Tanach scholarship with humility and deference to those of you who actually experience birth. We hope you enjoy.