Gemara:

Sanhedrin 

Midrash:

Sifra 

Parsha:

Tazria 

Description

The opening passage in פרשת תזריע, the rule of the יולדת, includes an awkward word when detailing the duration of her impurity when giving birth to a girl: וטמאה שבעים כנדתה. The key word שבעים, is vocalized "Shevu'ayim" (i.e. "a pair of weeks") and that is, indeed, the Halakhah. A curious passage in the Sifra seems to include a proposal that the word be read "Shiv'im" - (70) which would extend her period of impurity by 8 weeks. The defense is first presented as a structural consideration - and then is anchored in the phrase "יש אם למקרא" - which seems to mean "we interpret the word exclusively as it is vocalized" - yet a careful look at the text of the Midrash Halakhah proves to be puzzling. In this shiur, we try to unravel the puzzle.