A Pregnancy Outside the Uterus

We saw last time that if a child was born through cesarean delivery there is no obligation to perform a pidyon haben. Additionally, if the next child is born in a regular delivery, there is still no obligation to do a pidyon haben. The reason is that the first child, delivered through a cesarean section, did not "open the womb", and the second child, even though delivered through a regular delivery, was not the first-born.

Therefore, we can see that in order to require a pidyon haben the child must be the first-born child and be delivered in a regular fashion, so as to "open the womb".

How does this impact the case of a woman with two separate uteruses, who becomes pregnant in both of them with male fetuses. Assuming that both boys are delivered in a regular way, and not through cesarean section, are both of them liable to pidyon haben?

Rabbi Wosner (Responsa Shevet Halevi, Vol. 8, 239) discusses the case of a woman who had an ectopic pregnancy, in which the fetus develops outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. Such a pregnancy cannot develop, is potentially dangerous, and must be terminated. The women subsequently became pregnant and delivered a healthy baby boy in a regular delivery. Rabbi Wosner was asked as to whether the child born would need to undergo a pidyon haben.

He writes that since the first pregnancy did not develop inside the uterus it is not considered a pregnancy in halachic terms in relation to pidyon haben. The first child born after the ectopic pregnancy, if delivered in a regular manner, would be considered "opening the womb" and would be obligated in a pidyon haben.

Rabbi Wosner adds another requirement; the pregnancy must develop inside the uterus, otherwise the child would not have to undergo pidyon haben. If so, in the case of a woman born with two separate uteruses, how do we relate to the "other uterus"? If a pregnancy develops in the lefthand uterus and another in the right-hand uterus, do we view these as two separate entities? As such, can we consider a pregnancy in the left-hand uterus as though it was "outside the uterus" in relation to the right-hand uterus?

What is the law in the case of a woman

Mazal Tov to the Luber family

on the birth of a great granddaughter a raging battle with Amalek below. Ahron and Chur stood on either side of Moshe Rabbeinu holding his hands aloft (Shemot 17;10). Rashi teaches that Chur was the son of Moshe’s sister, Miriam. What more do we know about Chur? What is the symbolism of his joining with Ahron to support the hands of Moshe Rabbeinu? and culturally, without prejudice. who became pregnant in the left-hand uterus, and delivered the baby and redeemed the child. She then becomes pregnant in the right-hand uterus. If, in relation to the right-hand uterus, the left-hand uterus is considered "outside the uterus", would the second child also require a pidyon haben? More on this next time.

Secondly, as we saw in Parshat Va’era, each of our Forefathers was able to tolerate great frustration without losing their faith in the Almighty.

Thirdly, again in Parshat Va’era, each of them was grateful to the Almighty for the everyday blessings that most of us take for granted.

Rabbi Roberts in Through the Prism of Torah explains that Ahron and Chur personified contrasting character traits. Ahron was a peacemaker, he constantly looked for ways to create harmony among his people. Indeed, he was ready to compromise his own values to achieve this goal, as we see in the story of the sin of the golden calf. Chur,

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Fourthly, this time in last week’s Parshat Bo, they each demonstrated Kreaturgefühl, a deep awareness of having been created by the Almighty.

In this week’s Torah portion, two early twentieth century spiritual guides brought two additional characteristics of the “redeemed” individual to our attention.