Baraita

In 1890, using a manuscript he had found in Italy, Chaim Horowitz, a prolific student and editor of rabbinic sources, published in Frankfurt a booklet he entitled Baraita de-Niddah.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

While contemplating the possibility that the Baraita is a Karaite forgery intended to attack rabbinic Judaism, Horowitz finally opted for a rabbinic origin, and concluded that it was composed around the fourth century, in Palestine.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

It is also possible that the Baraita had some influence on the reduction in the frequency of the birkat kohanim (priestly blessing) in synagogues, spreading the notion that if a female member of a priestly family were menstruating, the blessing might be counterproductive.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

Horowitz hesitated about the authenticity of the Baraita, as well as its origins.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

Other quotations of texts which seem to be from the Baraita de-Niddah exist in various manuscripts.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

It is hard to know whether the Baraita contributed to the practice of keeping fourteen days of abstinence after the arrival of the period.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

He was probably aware of the words of Maimonides (Guide of the Perplexed, 3: 47), who declared practices very similar to those found in the Baraita as non-Jewish.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

It is possible though to suggest that one comment regarding the Baraita, included in the book Or Zarua (I, 360), did influence later authors to take a severe approach in anything related to niddah, even if they had never seen the text itself:

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

Although these two short articles may be lacking in some aspects, they do provide some useful basic information on the Baraita de-Niddah.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009

On a more direct level, the Baraita played a significant part in the attempts of pious women, to this day, to avoid seeing “impure” animals immediately after immersion, claiming such exposure might have a negative influence on their future fetus.

Baraita de-Niddah. 2009