Many myriads are brought forth at every hour, but they are not called souls until they are settled in a body, and this is only after thirty-three days. SHE SHALL BE UNCLEAN SEVEN DAYS. Because for seven days spirits do not go in to abide with her; for seven days the spirit seeks for its place in the body, and only on the eighth day does it settle there
so that body and soul may appear before the Matrona and unite with Her. ‘AND SHE SHALL CONTINUE IN THE BLOOD OF HER PURIFYING THREE AND THIRTY DAYS. These are to allow the spirit to settle in the body. The three extra days are the first three after the circumcision, during which the child is in pain and the spirit cannot settle down in the body.
SHE SHALL TOUCH NO HALLOWED THING. Every day the Community of Israel takes from the household of the King food for the spirits of men and feeds them in holiness, save for these, the spirits of which have not yet settled in the bodies. But after thirty-three days She tends them like all other human beings, because their spirits are united with their bodies as in all other men.
וְכַמָּה אֶלֶף וְרִבְבָן נַפְקֵי בְּזִמְנָא חֲדָא לְעָלְמָא. וּמִן יוֹמָא דְּאַפְקַת לוֹן, לָא אִקְרוּן נַפְשָׁן, עַד דְּאִתְיַישְּׁבָן בְּגוּפָא. וְכַמָּה הוּא, ל"ג יָמִים. הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, וּשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וְגוֹ'. וְטָמְאָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, דְּהָא כָּל שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לָא עָאלִין רוּחִין לְגַבָּהּ, לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בָּהּ, וְכָל אִלֵּין שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, רוּחָא אָזְלָא בְּגוּפָא, לְאַשְׁכְּחָא אַתְרֵיהּ. וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב, (ויקרא כ״ב:כ״ז) וְהָיָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תַּחַת אִמּוֹ.
Many myriads are brought forth at every hour, but they are not called souls until they are settled in a body, and this is only after thirty-three days. SHE SHALL BE UNCLEAN SEVEN DAYS. Because for seven days spirits do not go in to abide with her; for seven days the spirit seeks for its place in the body, and only on the eighth day does it settle there
וּבְיוֹמָא תְּמִינָאָה, אִתְהֲדָרוּ רוּחָא וְגוּפָא לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קָמֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וּלְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בָּהּ, וּבִדְכוּרָא, בְּגוּפָא וּבְרוּחָא. וּשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּשֵׁב עַל דְּמֵי טָהֳרָה, לְאִתְיַישְּׁבָא רוּחָא בְּגוּפָא. וְג' יָמִים מַאי עֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ. אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים דְּמִילָה, דְּרַבְיָא כָּאִיב, וְרוּחָא לָא שַׁרְיָא מָדוֹרֵיהּ בְּגוּפָא כִּשְׁאָר יוֹמִין, וְעַל דָּא וּשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּשֵׁב בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה.
so that body and soul may appear before the Matrona and unite with Her. ‘AND SHE SHALL CONTINUE IN THE BLOOD OF HER PURIFYING THREE AND THIRTY DAYS. These are to allow the spirit to settle in the body. The three extra days are the first three after the circumcision, during which the child is in pain and the spirit cannot settle down in the body.
בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר יְמֵי טָהֳרָה. בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה, אִלֵּין, דְּמֵי מִילָה, דָּמָא בָּתַר דָּמָא דְּאָתֵי מֵרַבְיָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיר לְאִינּוּן דְּמֵי כָּל אִלֵּין יוֹמִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, תֵּשֵׁב בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה. טָהֳרָה סְתָם, וְלָא אַדְכִּיר הֵ"א בַּתְרָאָה, דְּלָא תֵּימָא טָהֳרָה דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, אֶלָּא טָהֳרָה סְתָם, דְּמֵי טָהֳרָה אִקְרוּן אִלֵּין דְּמֵי דַּכְיָא.
(ויקרא י״ב:ד׳) בְּכָל קֹדֶשׁ לֹא תִגָּע וְאֶל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְגוֹ'. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, נַטְלָא מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא מְזוֹנָא לְרוּחֵיהוֹן דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וְזָנַת לְהוּ בִּקְדוּשָּׁה. בַּר לְהָנֵי, עַד דְּאִתְיַישְּׁבָן בְּגוּפָא אִינּוּן רוּחִין, בָּתַר תְּלָתִין וּתְלַת יוֹמִין, אַשְׁגָחַת עָלַיְיהוּ כָּל יוֹמָא, דְּהָא רוּחִין מִתְקַשְּׁרָן בְּגוּפָא כִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, כְּמָה דְּהִיא לָא שַׁרְיָא אֶלָּא בַּאֲתַר שְׁלִים, כַּךְ כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ. בְּכָל קֹדֶשׁ לֹא תִגָע, לְאַשְׁגְּחָא עָלַיְיהוּ.
SHE SHALL TOUCH NO HALLOWED THING. Every day the Community of Israel takes from the household of the King food for the spirits of men and feeds them in holiness, save for these, the spirits of which have not yet settled in the bodies. But after thirty-three days She tends them like all other human beings, because their spirits are united with their bodies as in all other men.