Natalie Faye

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Jewish Lifecycle

Natalie Turner
The Jewish Life Cycle
Birth
1. What is the typical religious Jewish attitude toward birth control?
According to Michael Asheri regarding birth control, contraception’s should only be used if the woman’s life is in danger if she were to conceive. If however the woman’s life might be endangered were she to conceive, she has every right for sterilization. A man on the other hand is forbidden to be castrated or sterilized. The majority Orthodox view allows for planned pregnancies (p.67).
2. What is the typical religious Jewish attitude toward abortion?
The Jewish view of abortion varies, but most would agree that “the soul of the human being enters the body at the moment of birth, not at conception. This doesn’t mean that abortion is practiced for convenience. If the mother’s life is in danger, every right is given to her, in order to spare her life. There are several other reasons for a legitimate abortion, but the Torah doesn’t cover rules and regulations regarding abortion (Asheri 68).
3. Name two things that happen to a Jewish boy on the 8th day after he is born. Where is one of these found in the Bible?
Eight days after a male child is born, he must be circumcised as is says in Genesis 17:10. “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.” Circumcision is a physical reminder of the covenant between God and His people. It is also customary during this time to give the child a name. Luke 1: 57-66 says, “…on the eight day they came to do the child’s b’rit-milah and they were about to name him Z’kharyah, after his father…” (Kasdan 17).
4. What is pidyon habe? Where is it found in the Bible?
Pidyon Ha’Ben means the redemption of the firstborn son. It is found in the Bible in Exodus 13:13 which says, “Whosoever opens the womb among the children of Israel…it is Mine.” (Asheri, 39) Because God had spared the firstborn sons of the Israelite nation, all the firstborn sons were to serve before God in the Tabernacle. After coming up out of Egypt, the firstborn sons were to “serve as the priesthood for the Jewish nation” (Kasdan 29). Later we know that God designated the tribe of Levi to serve before him. When a male child was born, he would go to the Tabernacle or Temple and the priest would ask the father whether he would have his son serve in the temple or be redeemed for five shekels of silver.
5. Name three Biblical and traditional Jewish birth practices found in Luke 2: 21-24.
On the eight day after the birth of Yeshua, they went up to the temple to circumcise the child and he was given the name Yeshua. Still today, every male child is circumcised on the eight day and this is when they name the child.
“After the time of purification had been completed,” Joseph and Mary came to the temple for two purposes. The first was to ritually cleanse Mary and the second was to redeem the firstborn (pidyon habe). Today a father will still take his son to the synagogue and give five silver shekels as a symbol of pidyon ha’ben, the redemption of the firstborn (Kasdan).