Listening to a talk this morning it occurred to me that with the house full and Mary obviously in labour in a culture where birth was women’s business, someone (the wife/mother of the family?) made a decision that the best place available for Mary to labour overnight was with the animals. Any noise she made would be taken by those in the house overhead, to be coming from the animals. She would have privacy, they would have relative quiet. To me, this speaks of intentional preparation to consider the needs of the one, Mary, and the many, others staying in the home.
Looking in the Torah, it was not usual for a birth to get any more description than [she] ‘became pregnant and gave birth’. It is therefore significant that we get these details. The only other instances I could find perusing Genesis to 1 Samual were the birth of Jacob and Esau (notable because of the prophecy about the men they would become) and the labour of the Priest Eli’s daughter-in-law on hearing that her father-in-law, brother-in-law and husband had been killed on the same day. Even Moses doesn’t get detail of his birth, but only the time afterwards. So ponder why Luke has included these details.
Final comment is that although the Israelites numbered in the 100s of thousands by the time they left Egypt. Yet when the Hebrew midwives were commanded to kill the Hebrew male babies, the two of them (only 2) were quick to reply that because the Hebrew women were so vigorous, they seldom arrived before the baby had been born. Had it changed much by the time of Jesus’ birth?
So looking forward to reading this article! Thanks for your efforts Kika.
Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to you all.
Susan
________________________________
1. traditions at the time of the birth of Jesus
I have not vetted any of this information, but I read it this week. These folks conjecture that the “manger” was likely carved out of stone as wood was scarce. I agree with other commenters that the manger was likely large enough to accommodate both mother and child. Interesting to think about nonetheless.
https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=1cba1782c951dfeb5bed7062c&id=65b8a8abff
-Laura Wasielewski MS, CCC-SLP, IBCLC
Los Angeles, CA
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2018 18:41:04 +0100
From: Carmela Baeza <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: birth of baby Jesus - thank you all!
Hi everyone,
Thank you everyone for your input. In a couple of days researching I did
not find anything that you all did not mention... the New Testament gives
just a few words of information (Joseph and Mary travelling to Bethlehem
because of a census (only Luke says this, not Matthew), Mary´s time for
birth arriving, no room at the inn, she gives birth, wraps the baby and
puts him a manger. That´s about it... Then there is the visit from the Magi
(told by Matthew), and the visit of the shepherds (told by Luke).
Historicaly, there would probably have been a midwife with the young
mother, there were logically many women experienced in this art and they
helped other women as well as having another job of their own. The houses
at that time and place probably would have been small, with a dark first
floor where the animals (probably goats or sheep) were kept, and a second
story for the sleeping quarters. Cooking was probably done outdoors in a
patio-like space.
Birth was considered to start when the woman felt the need to start walking
around to alleviate contractions. The father (and perhaps other men) would
have been nearby but outside, reciting certain psalms. After the birth, the
newborn would be sprinkled with fine salt and washed, and then swaddled.
Nowhere have I found references to initial breastfeeding, but I want to
assume it naturaly happened early... before the salt and washing and
swaddling... but I don´t know.
Anyway, I wrote the small essay, if it gets published I will send you the
link and the translation, if it doesn´t get published I will send you the
translation :)
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, and warm hugs to everyone.
Kika
--
Dra. Carmela Baeza
Médico de Familia, IBCLC
www.centroraices.com
http://www.facebook.com/Consulta.Lactancia.Raices
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Centro-de-Atenci%C3%B3n-a-la-Familia-Ra%C3%ADces/274415189309122>
Autora de "Amar con los Brazos Abiertos"
http://www.ediciones-encuentro.es/libro/amar-con-los-brazos-abiertos.html
***********************************************
Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome
|
