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TORAH
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Chapter 12

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:

va-y'-da-BAYR a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH lay-MOR

אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

2Speak to B'nei Yisrael thus: When a woman at childbirth bears a male, she shall be unclean seven days; she shall be unclean as at the time of her menstrual infirmity.

da-BER el b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL lay-MOR: i-SHA ki taz-REE-a v'-ya-l'-DA za-KHAR v'-ta-M'-a shi-VA-at ya-MEEM ki-MAY ni-DAT d'-vo-TAH tit-MA

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

3On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

u-va-YOM ha-sh'-mee-NEE yi-MOL b'-SAR or-la-TO

גוּבַיּ֖וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֑י יִמּ֖וֹל בְּשַׂ֥ר עׇרְלָתֽוֹ׃

 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised

President Ezer Weizman (L) at a Brit Milah ceremony

This chapter deals with the laws of purity applying to a woman after childbirth. In this context, the Bible also mentions the law of circumcision, the removal of the baby boy’s foreskin on the eighth day of his life. Circumcision was the first commandment given to Avraham, as detailed in Sefer Bereishit chapter 17. That chapter begins with the covenant Hashem makes with Avraham, promising that He will be an everlasting God to Avraham and his descendants, that Avraham will merit numerous offspring, and that Hashem will give them the Land of Israel as an eternal inheritance. To this very day, the circumcision of a male descendant of Avraham draws the new child into the covenant with Hashem, and serves as a constant reminder of God’s promise to remain with His people and give them Eretz Yisrael.

4She shall remain in a state of blood purification for thirty-three days: she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until her period of purification is completed.

u-sh'-LO-shim YOM u-sh'-LO-shet ya-MEEM tay-SHEV bi-d'-MEI to-ha-RAH b'-KOL ko-DAYSH lo ti-GA v'-el ha-mik-DASH lo ta-VO ad m'-LOT y'-MEI to-ha-RAH

דוּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב בִּדְמֵ֣י טׇהֳרָ֑הֿ בְּכׇל־קֹ֣דֶשׁ לֹֽא־תִגָּ֗ע וְאֶל־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔א עַד־מְלֹ֖את יְמֵ֥י טׇהֳרָֽהּ׃

5If she bears a female, she shall be unclean two weeks as during her menstruation, and she shall remain in a state of blood purification for sixty-six days.

v'-im n'-KE-va te-LED v'-ta-m'-AH sh'-u-a-YIM k'-ni-da-TAH v'-shi-shim YOM v'-she-SHET ya-MEEM te-SHEV al d'-MEI to-ho-RAH

הוְאִם־נְקֵבָ֣ה תֵלֵ֔ד וְטָמְאָ֥ה שְׁבֻעַ֖יִם כְּנִדָּתָ֑הּ וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְשֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב עַל־דְּמֵ֥י טׇהֳרָֽהֿ׃

6On the completion of her period of purification, for either son or daughter, she shall bring to the Kohen, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.

u-vi-m'-LOT y'-MAY to-ho-RAH l'-VEN o l'-VAT, ta-VEE KE-vesh ben-sh'-NA-to l'-o-LAH, u-ven-yo-NA o-tor l'-kha-ta-AT, el p'-TAKH o-hel-mo-ED el ha-ko-HAYN.

ווּבִמְלֹ֣את ׀ יְמֵ֣י טׇהֳרָ֗הּ לְבֵן֮ א֣וֹ לְבַת֒ תָּבִ֞יא כֶּ֤בֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָתוֹ֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה וּבֶן־יוֹנָ֥ה אוֹ־תֹ֖ר לְחַטָּ֑את אֶל־פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

7He shall offer it before Hashem and make expiation on her behalf; she shall then be clean from her flow of blood. Such are the rituals concerning her who bears a child, male or female.

v'-hi-k'-REE-vo li-f'-NAY a-do-NAI v'-ki-PER a-LE-ha v'-ta-ha-RAH mi-m'-KOR da-MAY-ha, zo-TOT to-RAHT ha-yo-LE-det la-za-KHAR o la-ne-ke-VAH

זוְהִקְרִיב֞וֹ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ וְכִפֶּ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ וְטָהֲרָ֖הֿ מִמְּקֹ֣ר דָּמֶ֑יהָ זֹ֤את תּוֹרַת֙ הַיֹּלֶ֔דֶת לַזָּכָ֖ר א֥וֹ לַנְּקֵבָֽה׃

8If, however, her means do not suffice for a sheep, she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. The Kohen shall make expiation on her behalf, and she shall be clean.

v'-im-lo tim-TZA ya-DAH day SEH, v'-la-ko-KHA sh'-tay-to-REEM o sh'-NAY b'-NAY yo-NAH, e-KHAD l'-o-LAH v'-e-KHAD l'-kha-TA-at, v'-ki-PER a-LE-ha ha-ko-HAYN v'-ta-HE-ra.

חוְאִם־לֹ֨א תִמְצָ֣א יָדָהּ֮ דֵּ֣י שֶׂה֒ וְלָקְחָ֣ה שְׁתֵּֽי־תֹרִ֗ים א֤וֹ שְׁנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יוֹנָ֔ה אֶחָ֥ד לְעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶחָ֣ד לְחַטָּ֑את וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלֶ֛יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטָהֵֽרָה׃