These two texts raise questions as to the purpose of the ritual—was it an atone-
ment for sin at the time of birth? This would explain why a woman whose child
died must undergo the ritual nonetheless. The festive elements of the ritual,
however, are not related to the need for atonement. Thus, we must ask, why
were they observed in cases in which the baby died at birth? Hamburger sug-
gested that perhaps they were an expression of thanks for the mother’s survival
of childbirth.^51 This accords with what Glückel of Hamel wrote about going to
the synagogue on the fifth week after birth. She comments that after she went
to the synagogue and expressed her thanks to God for having survived child-
birth, she dismissed her hired help and resumed her household chores.^52 Soreh
bas Toyvim, in her tekhine(prayer) for women going to synagogue after birth,
says that the purpose of this activity is both atonement and thanksgiving.^53
If we accept that going to the synagogue on the Sabbath four to five weeks post-
partum is an expression of the need for atonement after birth, then the
synagogue ritual was an atonement for the vow the woman made during labor,
when she vowed that her husband would never approach her again.^54 In the
104 CHAPTER THREE
Figure 7. “Ceremonien in Kinds-Nöthen und Kindbett.” Paul Christian Kirchner, Jüdis-
ches Ceremoniel oder dererjenigen Gebräuche, den dieser neuen Auflage mit accuraten
Kupfern von Sebastian Jacob Jungendres (Nürnberg, 1724), 149. Photo courtesy of He-
brew National and University Library, Jerusalem.