tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post6008469289065953396..comments2024-03-02T03:29:09.759-05:00Comments on SerandEz and Friends: Parsha Points to Ponder #3 - Pekudei: Do the numbers add up?Ezziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-52635137475997521782008-03-06T12:40:00.000-05:002008-03-06T12:40:00.000-05:00Granted. I think they're MUCH lower. Easier for th...Granted. I think they're MUCH lower. Easier for the Shifra/Puah types to help them deliver without the Egyptians catching on, because less noticeable pregnancies. Also lower infant mortality because women will be older, stronger.Ezziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-61801331555467577192008-03-06T12:35:00.000-05:002008-03-06T12:35:00.000-05:00but what about the mortality rates that would affe...but what about the mortality rates that would affect non-firstborn males?Eliezer StrongBadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15585492410479955440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-10310202935168601202008-03-06T12:15:00.001-05:002008-03-06T12:15:00.001-05:00correction - (1/10 males)correction - (1/10 males)Ezziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-44544422885191694112008-03-06T12:15:00.000-05:002008-03-06T12:15:00.000-05:00FFD, myself, and StrongBad were discussing this la...FFD, myself, and StrongBad were discussing this last night, and FFD and I came to the conclusion that with many males being killed at birth, it wasn't such an outrageous rate after all.<BR/><BR/>If we'll assume that 14k of the first borns are between 20 and 60, that means 2.3%, or about 1/43 males are first borns.<BR/><BR/>If every woman averaged 10 children, not outrageous considering the lack of contraceptives, then 1/20 children were first born males (or 1/10 children).<BR/><BR/>We posited that first-born males were the easiest for the Egyptians to kill, as a first-time mother is more easily noticed as being pregnant; moreover, the infant mortality rate was probably extremely high, particularly for first-borns being born to presumably very young slave women. To assume that at least 3 of 4 first-borns were killed, stillborn, or died within the first month is not much of a stretch at all.Ezziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-54084958077259347882008-03-06T11:58:00.000-05:002008-03-06T11:58:00.000-05:00Not that this answers you basic question but...It ...Not that this answers you basic question but...<BR/><BR/>It would be intersting to look into the possibility of the odds of a first born son decreasing through some sort of natural selection. <BR/>Meaning, if every male would be killed is it possible that some sort of Darwinistic "shift" took place whereby baby boys were less prevelant?<BR/><BR/>I don't know, completely baseless thought...Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08512231582715592098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-75422934734458924662008-03-06T07:41:00.000-05:002008-03-06T07:41:00.000-05:00erg...so how many fingers is that?erg...so how many fingers is that?fudgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00553943685896002634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-35220982206533904962008-03-05T20:59:00.000-05:002008-03-05T20:59:00.000-05:00See, Shidduch crisis is nothing newSee, Shidduch crisis is nothing newAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-68293527106173422302008-03-05T20:38:00.000-05:002008-03-05T20:38:00.000-05:00So no Math, no English...what was your strength?So no Math, no English...what <I>was</I> your strength?Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08512231582715592098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-74005463200898403122008-03-05T17:09:00.000-05:002008-03-05T17:09:00.000-05:00It's posts like these that make me wish I did good...It's posts like these that make me wish I did good in mathHoly Hyraxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17704030181702087485noreply@blogger.com