A haredi woman gave birth while home alone on Shabbat morning as her husband prayed in a Jerusalem synagogue. But instead of going to a hospital she hid the baby under her dress, umbilical cord still intact, and hid the placenta in a bag placed next to her. She refused to speak or communicate – even to call an ambulance – because she had taken a vow to designate the day a ta’anit dibur, a “fast day” for speaking.

Ha’aretz reports that a haredi woman gave birth while home alone on Shabbat morning as her husband prayed in a Givat Shaul, Jerusalem synagogue. But instead of going to a hospital she hid the baby under her dress, umbilical cord still intact, and hid the placenta in a bag placed next to her. She refused to speak or communicate – even to call an ambulance – because she had taken a vow to designate the day a ta’anit dibur, a “fast day” for speaking.



The family’s rabbi realized the baby had been born when her husband returned to the synagogue later in the day. He called Hatzolah paramedics. But when they came, they found the home in a state of extreme neglect, and the woman refused to speak or communicate with them.



Hours were spent trying to convince the couple to allow the baby to be checked at a hospital.



At one point, three neighborhood rabbis were brought in to form a beit din, rabbinical court, in order to release the woman from her vow of silence. But even when that was done, she still would not speak or communicate. The baby was still under her dress, hidden from view.



Eventually, Hatzolah panicked and called police. When they came, they tried to communicate with the woman, and had female officers talk to her, all to no avail.



More time passed.



Finally police restrained the woman, Hatzolah cut the baby’s umbilical cord, and then rushed the mother and her baby to a hospital.



Ha’aretz reports that despite the ordeal, the baby is healthy.

There is no word, however, on the physical or mental health of the mother.