(Lev. 15:25:) AND WHEN A WOMAN HAS HAD A DISCHARGE OF BLOOD…. Thus have our masters taught (in Shab. 2:6): WOMEN DIE AT THE TIME OF THEIR CHILDBIRTH FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS:⁵⁵. (Buber), Gen. 2:1; Tanh., Gen. 2:1; Lev. 5:9. BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CAREFUL IN REGARD TO MENSTRUATION, IN REGARD TO THE HALLAH,⁵⁶ AND IN REGARD TO THE LIGHTING OF THE LAMP. ⁵⁷ Why? Because the Adversary (Satan) only makes accusations⁵⁸ in time of danger. Now the three of them are from the Torah. Where is it shown about menstruation? (Lev. 15:25:) AND WHEN A WOMAN HAS HAD A DISCHARGE OF BLOOD. Where is it shown about the hallah? (Numb. 15:20:) YOU SHALL SET ASIDE THE FIRST OF YOUR DOUGH AS A HALLAH OFFERING…. [Where is it shown] in regard to the lighting of the Sabbath lamp? Thus have our masters taught: Where is it shown that a person is to be zealous and diligent in the lighting of the Sabbath lamp? Where it is stated (in Is. 58:13): AND YOU CALL THE SABBATH A DELIGHT. This refers to the lighting of the lamp. And why were these commandments transmitted to the woman?⁵⁹. 2:4 (5b). The Holy One said: She cut off the lamp of the world, since it is written (in Prov. 20:27): THE LAMP OF GOD IS THE BREATH OF ADAM. Therefore, she shall observe the commandments of the lamp. [In regard to Hallah,] the Holy One said: She defiled the hallah of the world. This was the first Adam, who was the hallah of the world; for R. Jose ben Qetsartah has said: Just as the woman moistens her dough with water and after that takes out hallah, so it was with the first Adam (in Gen. 2:6): AND A MIST ('D) WENT UP FROM THE EARTH, and after that (in vs. 7): [THE LORD GOD] FORMED THE HUMAN ('DM) OUT OF DUST FROM THE GROUND [….] In regard to menstruation, the Holy One said: She shed the blood of the first Adam, and she was sentenced to have her own blood shed, since it is stated (in Gen. 9:6): WHOEVER SHEDS HUMAN BLOOD, BY A HUMAN WILL HIS BLOOD BE SHED . She shall observe her menstrual period to atone for the blood that she shed. Ergo (in Lev. 15:25): AND WHEN A WOMAN HAS HAD A DISCHARGE OF BLOOD…. Therefore, the Holy One compares the uncleanness of Israel to the uncleanness of the menstrual period, when a woman is unclean and then purified. So the Holy One is going to purify Israel, as stated (in Ezek. 36:25): I WILL SPRINKLE PURE WATER UPON YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE PURE….

footnotes: ⁵⁵ Above, Tanh ⁵⁶ I.e., the priest’s share of the dough. ⁵⁷ I.e., the Sabbath lamp. ⁵⁸ Gk.: kategorein. ⁵⁹ Gen. R. 17:8; yShab