After the circumcision of the boy, the mother underwent a second period of purification. During this time, she was no longer ceremonially unclean, but she was not ceremonially clean either. These thirty-three days served as an interval between ceremonial uncleanness and ceremonial cleanness. The Israelite woman was not allowed in the sanctuary.
4 Elle restera encore trente-trois jours à se purifier de son sang; elle ne touchera aucune chose sainte, et elle n'ira point au sanctuaire, jusqu'à ce que les jours de sa purification soient accomplis.