חַיָּה

חַיָּהII f. (חָיָה) 1) (recovering, lying-in woman, woman in confinement. Yoma VIII, 1 הח׳ תנעולוכ׳ a woman after confinement may wear shoes (on the Day of Atonement). Ber.54b חולה ח׳וכ׳ a sick person, a lying-in ; a. fr.Pl. חַיּוֹת Y.Kil.IX, 32b bot.; Gen. R. s. 96, end אי לכם ח׳וכ׳ woe to you, lying-in women in Palestine; a. fr. 2) (physician, midwife. Tosef.B. Bath.VII, 2 נאמנת ח׳וכ׳ the midwife is an admissible witness as to which (of twins) was the first-born; Y.Kidd.IV, 69d bot.; Y.B. Bath.III, beg.13d הח׳ בשעהוכ׳ the midwife (is an admissible witness) only as long as she is seated by the obstetric chair (not after she left the mother). Y.Yeb.XVI, end, 16a עשו אותו כח׳וכ׳ they place him in the same category as a midwife whose testimony is valid on the spot; a. e.Pl. as ab. Cant. R. to IV, 5 מרים … חַיּוֹתֵיהֶןוכ׳ Miriam … were the midwives of Israel; a. fr.