Parshat Tazria begins with the obligation of a woman who gives birth (yoledet) to offer two sacrifices – a burnt offering (korban olah) and a sin offering (korban chatat). In practice, the husband is the one to go to the Temple with the offerings. (Today, due to our sins there is no Holy Temple and we cannot offer sacrifices. Instead, the husband is called up to the Torah and given an aliyah.) Various explanations have been given for why these offerings are necessary. However, the explanations largely ignore the korban todah (thanksgiving offering), which the yoledet must bring as well. This is because a yoledet is deemed to be sick, as we know from the laws of Shabbat. Someone who is sick and then recovers is obligated to bring a korban todah.
Today, instead of the korban todah, we substitute prayers of thanksgiving On Yom HaAtzma’ut (Israeli Independence Day) we recite Hallel, while a private individual who experienced something miraculous recites the blessing of Ha-gomel: “Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Who bestows good upon the guilty, Who has bestowed every good upon me (shegemalani kol tov).” When does a yoledet today recite Ha-gomel?
There are various opinions:
1. The yoledet herself recites the blessing a week after the birth.
2. The husband recites the blessing for her in her presence. He adjusts the language accordingly (“shegemalech kol tov” – Who bestowed every good upon you), and his wife responds Amen.
3. The husband recites the blessing when his wife is not present, adjusting the language accordingly (“shegamal le-ishti kol tov” – Who bestowed every good upon my wife).
4. The wife fulfills her obligation by listening when her husband gets an aliyah and recites the blessing of “Barchu et Hashem Ha-mevorach.”
Another opinion completely exempts a yoledet from Ha-gomel. This is either because childbirth is such an everyday miracle that it seems natural, or because the blessing is designed to be said by someone who needed a miracle on account of his sins. Hence the blessing includes the expression “Ha-gomel le-chayavim tovot” (“Who bestows good upon the guilty”). A yoledet is not guilty of anything. She did not irresponsibly place herself in danger. On the contrary, she performed the mitzva of Pru Urvu.
All this relates to an individual who gives birth. Only a number of decades ago, an entire nation was (re)born. This certainly requires us to praise and thank G-d for all that He has done for us.
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