After a woman gives birth, there is a time of ritual uncleanness for her to wait through, as well as a period of blood purification following that. When she gives birth to a male child, she is unclean for a week, followed by 33 days of purification, for a total of 40 days. These amounts are doubled when she gives birth to a daughter; she is unclean for 2 weeks, followed by 66 days of purification, for a total of 80 days.
Why the extra time when a baby girl is born? Scholars offer various opinions, but most seem to reflect that a baby boy is made "clean" through his circumcision, while a baby girl will one day, like her mother, experience uncleanness every month due to menstruation. The longer time for purification when a girl is born should not be seen as a slight or a insult against females. In fact, the extra time away from duties and responsibilities when a woman bears a girl could be construed as conferring higher value on having daughters!
In addition to the rule about "time off," there are other events happening. A son is to be circumcised on the 8th day of his life. Whenever the time of her purification is over, depending on whether she gave birth to a boy or girl, the mother is to bring two sacrifices to be offered - a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering. If she cannot afford a lamb (as seems to be the case with Mary, the mother of Jesus - see Luke 2:22-24), she may bring two birds for the sacrifices.
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