Questions From Readers

● Why was it that, under the Mosaic law, such normal functions as menstruation, sexual intercourse between husband and wife, and childbirth were viewed as making one “unclean”?—L. A., Spain.

The regulations in the Mosaic law concerning uncleanness related to menstruation, seminal emissions and childbirth are found in Leviticus chapters 12 and 15. Before considering what those regulations were and possible reasons for them, let it be noted that we are not here discussing the laws about diseased running discharges from the genital organs.—Lev. 15:1-15, 25-30.

Under the Law, if a man had an involuntary emission of semen, he was to bathe and be “unclean” until evening. When, during intercourse, a man had a seminal emission, both he and his wife would be “unclean” from it until the evening. A woman having her regular menstruation was to count seven days as a period of menstrual impurity. In a case where a wife’s menses began during intercourse, then her husband was “unclean” seven days also. If one touched a menstruating woman’s garments, bed or articles upon which she sat, he would become “unclean” until evening.—Lev. 15:16-24.

Giving birth also meant “uncleanness” for the mother. If she gave birth to a boy, she was “unclean” for seven days. After that she remained thirty-three days in the privacy of her home, not permitted to touch anything holy or to go into the sanctuary. When the baby was a girl, the mother was “unclean” for fourteen days and her period of semi-retirement was sixty-six days. At the end of either period of purification she was to present a burnt offering and a sin offering as cleansing sacrifices.—Lev. 12:1-8; Luke 2:22-24.

These regulations undoubtedly had a good effect in a number of ways. While an occasional nocturnal emission by an unmarried man might be a normal function of the mature male body, the inconvenience of being “unclean” for a day would have discouraged an Israelite from seeking pleasure from such an emission; it would have urged him to avoid thinking on sensual matters. Also, medical studies partially credit the low incidence of uterine cancer among Jewish women to their abstaining from intercourse during menstruation; so there were hygienic benefits. This same regulation would remind the Israelite husband to take into consideration his wife’s biological cycles and limitations, both physical and emotional. (Lev. 18:19; 1 Pet. 3:7) Also, these laws would have taught men and women self-discipline, reasonable restraint of their passions and respect for the sexual organs.

In regard to menstruation, respect for blood as something sacred to God seems also to have been involved. If a husband and wife willfully had relations while she was menstruating, the man would have “exposed her source,” and the woman would have “laid bare the source of her blood.” (Lev. 20:18; 17:11) Since an Israelite husband was not to have relations with his wife at such a time, as was discussed above, those who deliberately showed contempt for God’s law on this matter were to be cut off.—Num. 15:30, 31.

But there appears to have been another matter underlying all of these particular regulations involving uncleanness. God created the sex impulse and procreative powers in Adam and Eve and told them to produce offspring. (Gen. 1:28) But when they sinned in regard to eating from the restricted tree, things changed; they became imperfect, sinners. Their guilty, sin-stricken consciences made them aware that they were naked. They were no longer pure and sinless before God, and apparently their thoughts on viewing each other were no longer pure and innocent. They quickly covered their genital organs.—Gen. 3:7, 10, 11.

Whether they immediately realized it or not, because they had sinned, Adam and Eve could not bring forth perfect children as God had purposed. Now procreation through intercourse would only be possible because of God’s undeserved kindness in letting them live. They would pass on to their children the hereditary blemishes of sin, imperfection and eventual death.—Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12.

The Law’s regulations about menstruation, seminal emissions and childbirth would forcefully remind the Israelites of their sinful state. The sexual organs were made for a proper and upright purpose, to pass on perfect life. For an Israelite man, passing on life involved his emission of semen. With his wife, it involved her menstruation, for this was part of a cycle by which she was able to conceive. Childbirth was often the final result of their marital relations. But because they were imperfect humans, these normal functions passed on imperfect and sinful life. The periods of temporary “uncleanness” associated with these things would have constantly called that hereditary sinfulness to their attention. And that was especially true with childbirth, for a sin offering was required.—Lev. 12:8.

The Israelites would have thus been helped to appreciate the need of a ransom sacrifice to cover their sins and restore human perfection. The animal sacrifices they offered did not accomplish that. (Heb. 10:3, 4) The Law, then, was to lead them to Christ and to help them appreciate that by means of his human sacrifice true forgiveness was possible, paving the way for restoration to human perfection.—Gal. 3:24; Heb. 9:13, 14.