GoldaLeah on the Parsha:
1. Why have the instances of tameh remained for women and all but disappeared for men? (It hasn't disapeared for men: The types of toomah that devolve on men are either long-lasting and can only be removed with the ashes of a red cow, or disapear over night. Also, the types of toomah that devolve on men are random and don't follow a set schedule, like toomai nidah.)
2. Are the 40 and 80 days still practiced in the Orthodox world? Yes, but in practice it's not necessary because the post-natal bleeding usually lasts a long time. And though post-natal bleeding doesn't make you tomai according to Torah law, rabbinic law says it does. Additionally, a man gets an aliya 40 or 80 days after childbirth, or on the shabbos his wife returns to the synagouge after giving birth.)
3. Liberal women tend to think they need to run around liberating Orthodox women from their oppression -- and things like tameh and taharah mishpacha are often mentioned. I'd love some insight from Orthodox women (maybe someone can post some links to other blogs?) (Liberal women are cool, but here they are out of their element.)
