The Twin Who Put Out His Hand and the Laws of Purity

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 145:12

(Genesis 38:27-28) "And it came to pass when she was in labor, that one put out a hand." Rav Huna said: The fetus put out its hand and drew it back; its mother becomes impure with the impurity of childbirth, as it is said, "And it came to pass when she was in labor, that one put out a hand." But did we not learn [in a Mishnah]: If a fetus put out its hand, its mother need not be concerned regarding anything [she does not yet incur the laws of birth]? As for incurring concern, she does incur concern; the days of [her ritual] purity we do not grant her until the greater part of [the child] has emerged. And she is not concerned by Torah law, but by rabbinic law she is concerned and the verse is a mere supporting allusion [asmakhta].

Themes