Today’s shiur is dedicated by Mona and David Schwartz and family in memory of Mary Horowitz, Miriam Etel bat Aharon Halevi z”l, on her 26th yahrzeit.
The mishna cites are three reasons why women die in childbirth – for not being careful about nidda, challa and lighting Shabbat candles. Why specifically these three? How can one relate to this troubling source? The gemara focuses on the vulnerability of women at the time of childbirth and stresses that when people are vulnerable that is when they are most likely to be punished. Adages are brought to prove that. When is the parallel time for men – when are they most vulnerable? The rabbis also offer opinions about what sins cause one’s children to die young. Is it vows, not learning Torah, mezuza, tzitzit? The rabbis used these difficult, unfortunately common, phenomenon (women dying in cihldbirth and children dying young) as an oppportunity to encourage people to be careful about keeping mitzvot.
