Culture Post #6 - Birth

[Nicolas Dacey]

In Jewish law, although the human soul exists before birth, human life begins at birth, that is, at the time when the child is more than halfway emerged from the mother's body. Judaism completely rejects the notion of original sin. According to Judaism, a child is born pure, completely free from sin. They pray daily "Oh God, the soul which you gave me is pure. You created it, you fashioned it, you breathed it into me." Birth by Caesarean section is permitted in Jewish law, as would be just about any procedure necessary to preserve the life of the mother or the child. Immediately after birth, a woman is considered niddah and must remain sexually separated from her husband for a period of seven days after the birth of a male child and 14 days after the birth of a female child. After a child is born, the father is given the honor of an aliyah (an opportunity to bless the reading of the Torah) in synagogue at the next opportunity. At that time, a blessing is recited for the health of the mother and the child. If the child is a girl, she is named at that time.