My Mother was probably much older than your Mother, born in 1921, her Mother born in the late 1800s. Yes the slap came and hard, out of the blue. I was expecting joyousness I was so excited, entering womanhood, as my older sister had 4 years before me. I started crying, and asked, "Why did you do that." Here is an answer you will appreciate I think: "When we were growing up my parents believed that the Devil lived in trees, and anything wood in your home... and if you said something nice about someone, and you were near anything wood, you had to "knock on wood" Why? The knocking knocked the Devil out! The Devil would want to harm anything that was good. And so the slap was given, because a young girl was vulnerable during her first menses, she was "open" as the blood was coming out. And the slap would banish him forever, and you would have good luck with your periods not being too painful, and your pregnancies and births easy with health babies. -- YES. This was the ancient reason. And my Grandmother was born in Israel, he father was a Rabbi. His father was a Rabbi. These are old sayings. Remember "Rashi's Daughters" The book is filled with amulets and superstitions too. Hope this helps.

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