Family

A Halachic Guide to Pregnancy Loss
A Halachic Guide to Pregnancy Loss

The following guide is based on questions that were submitted by women who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy. They relate to taharas hamishpachah, the laws of Shabbos, tumas meis, etc. The answers given by HaRav Kasimov are for general knowledge and should not take the place of asking a she’elah to a Rav, as even a slight detail may change the psak. While this is not a complete guide to the halachas pertaining to pregnancy loss, these are the most frequently asked questions.

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The Gift of Loss: Talking About My Miscarriage
The Gift of Loss: Talking About My Miscarriage

Even though statistics show that many women reading this right now have experienced the loss of a pregnancy, most of these women have not and likely never will publicly address or even mention in private the fact of their miscarriage. Being that this kind of death is a fact of many women's lives, and that silence and shame only exaggerate the pain, I am opening up about my own miscarriage, which occurred a little over two months ago.

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Ask A Child
Ask A Child

As I walk through the hallways of our preschool and peek into the classrooms I am always amazed by the sense of confidence that our children seem to have. 

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Shir Hamalos
Shir Hamalos

As expectant women approach their due dates a variety of emotions tend to surface. Some women are filled with excitement, anxiously anticipating the day that they will meet their baby face to face. 

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Who\'s The Boss?
Who's The Boss?

When my daughter doesn't get her way, she bothers me until she causes a scene. At home I just send her to her room. But when we're out shopping I usually give in to her, just to quiet her down. How can I get her to behave when we go out?

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Bris Milah - Circumcision
Bris Milah - Circumcision

A Jew is commanded to circumcise his son on the eighth day after his birth, when his faculty of reason is not yet developed. This aspect signifies that a Jew is bound and committed to G-d at the earliest opportunity, in an absolute and all comprehensive way that transcends his reason and perception.

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Hearing Emotions
Hearing Emotions

If I had to condense our overarching goal of preschool into a single sentence it would be to encourage our children to value their thoughts and feelings and to use them to make active choices that will allow them to lead a fulfilling life. 

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The Eternal Covenant
The Eternal Covenant

A Bris is a covenant and through the millennia, Jews have kept this mitzvah like no other and have thereby maintained their eternal covenant with G-d. There were times when giving one's son a bris was punishable by death. 

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From A Medical Perspective
From A Medical Perspective

It was November 2003 when Mara Barth's home pregnancy test revealed the happy news: She and her husband, Jeff, were going to have a baby. But just six weeks into her pregnancy, Mara, then 33, began having cramps followed by some light bleeding. 

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Morning Blessings
Morning Blessings

I've been noticing recently that my husband is taking a few more minutes to recite Birchas Hashachar (morning blessings). Of course, he has good reason for the extra concentration. 

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Special Child
Special Child

A meeting was held far from earth With the angels and G-d above. They said it is time again for another birth This child will need much love.

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The Spirits Journey to Motherhood
The Spirits Journey to Motherhood

At my baby shower, my friend Sveta pats my bulging belly: "Oh, let me touch the baby," she says wistfully, "and maybe I can catch this wonderful virus of pregnancy." After years of infertility and painful, expensive medical procedures, she is still not able to conceive. Diagnosis: unknown.

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Something Precious
Something Precious

Hashem has a plan for each of us. Often the goodness of that plan is hard to see and His kindness evades our simple view. One woman writes of her trust and faith in all that He does, even through her pain.

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The Marshmallow Mentsch
The Marshmallow Mentsch

Part of the make-up of the mentsch is the power of self-discipline. A characteristic of our ideal human being is the ability to make decisions based not only on expected short-term satisfaction but also with a view to the long-term. 

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Monster Dreams
Monster Dreams

"Mommy, Mommy!" Sobbing loudly, Naomi ran into my bedroom in the middle of the night, for the fourth time that week. A recurring nightmare kept waking her from her sleep.

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A Time to Be Silent
A Time to Be Silent

The most important gift we can give our children is self-esteem. Research has shown over and over again that children who have a positive self-image are able to go out and take on the world. 

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Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday!

We are a holy nation of holy people. With every breath we take and every action we do, we can express our spiritual greatness. Birth, especially, is a very elevating experience, and is, in many ways, a lot like Pesach (Passover).

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On the Eighth Day
On the Eighth Day

I rush to the hospital to see both mother and newborn baby. To be perfectly honest, I focus much attention on The Baby once I have checked that the new mother is doing well, feeling the way a brand new mother usually feels.

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Can A Soul Be Miscarried
Can A Soul Be Miscarried

I suffered a miscarriage recently. While I am thankful for the beautiful children I have, I still feel a sense of loss for the child that I will never know. Is there some kabbalistic explanation for why these things happen?

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