Our Gemara discusses the case of a woman whose husband died childless, and her mother-in-law is overseas. Should she have to be concerned that her mother-in-law gave birth to a son, locking her into an obligation to do yibum or chalitzah to some unknown progeny? Rabbi Yehoshua rules: even if the mother-in-law left overseas pregnant, there is no concern. The majority of pregnant women give birth to a child, and a minority miscarry. And of all those who give birth, half bear males and half bear females. Combine the minority of those who miscarry with the half that give birth to females, and conclude that the males are in fact a minority, and we are not concerned for a statistical minority.

When Rachel was giving birth to Binyamin, her labor pains were excessive, and as she is dying in the throes of labor, the midwife comforts her: “Fear not, for this child also is a son” (Bereishis 35:17). The commentaries wonder what the significance is of the verse emphasizing that she was comforted in the throes of labor. (See the verses ibid. that are redundant in their indication that she had a difficult labor.) Ohr HaChaim (ibid.) states: we see from the Gemara (Niddah 31a) that the labor pains of a male do not endanger the mother, and the pains of a female child are more severe and endanger the mother. Rachel was worried that the excessive pain was due to the child being female, and then she would only have managed to give birth to one of the twelve tribes instead of two. Therefore, the midwife comforted her by telling her that, despite the pain, it is a male child.

Tosafos (Kesuvos 83b, s.v. Missah) asserts that death via childbirth is common, which has halachic implications in terms of certain ambiguous statements dependent on whether the husband foresees it as likely that he will inherit his wife, as opposed to the opposite. However, if according to our Gemara 50 percent of all conceptions are male, and male conceptions do not cause excessive and dangerous labor pains, how can Tosafos assert that the majority of births lead to danger to the mother’s life? (This question is cited in Sefer Daf al Daf.)

The actual Gemara in Niddah that the Ohr HaChaim quotes is not as absolute as he makes it sound. The Gemara states: “The labor pains experienced by a woman who gives birth to a female are greater than those experienced by a woman who gives birth to a male.” This is different from Ohr HaChaim, who states: “The labor pains of a male do not endanger the mother and the pains of a female child are more severe and endanger the mother.” While this remains a question on Ohr HaChaim’s choice of language, the teachings themselves do not contradict Tosafos. Since males also induce labor pain, just not as severe, there may not be enough statistical evidence to indicate that the deaths are more likely for a female child than a male child. Even if greater pain is more likely with a female child according to Talmudic medicine, that does not tell you that death is more likely, especially if both entail a certain degree of labor pain, even though one tends to be greater than the other.

Indeed, the other commentaries also note the redundancy in the scripture, juxtaposing the midwife’s assurance that the child is a male with Rachel’s painful labor. However, their emphasis is different. For example, Rav Chaim Vital (Sha’ar HaPesukim, Parashas Vayishlach) has a mystical explanation. Rachel only had enough life force to sustain one child. The second child, Binyamin, according to our tradition was miraculously supplanted into Rachel’s body after Leah prayed on her behalf (see Berachos 60a — the first surrogate mother in history, and this Midrash may lend itself to halachic implications for the lineage of a surrogate child). Since Rachel did not have sufficient life force within her to hold a second child, this second child was sustained from her own life force. With the birth of the child and the separation of her soul and the child’s soul, it was inevitable that she would die in order to allow her life force to be transferred into her child, because she did not have enough for both of them. Fascinating.

And the Malbim (ibid.) offers an equally viable and simple explanation. Since the labor pains were so excessive, Rachel was worried about the viability of the child, regardless of whether it was male or female. She was worried that the child was not going to survive at all. The midwife comforted her by saying: do not worry, not only is this a viable child, but it is a son for you as well.

Ohr HaChaim’s choice of words, especially because they do not correspond with the Gemara that he quotes, remains a difficulty to understand.