Core Text
Core Textתַּנְיָא, אַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר הָיוּ מִתְעַנִּין בְּכָל יוֹם; בַּחֲמִישִׁי הָיוּ מִתְעַנִּין עַל הַמְעֻבָּרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא תַּפֵּלְנָה וְעַל הַמֵּינִיקוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּתוּ בְּנֵיהֶן, [עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ] וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה.
English of Core Text: It was taught: The men of the watch would fast every day; on Thursday they would fast for pregnant women that they not miscarry and for nursing mothers that their children not die, [because of that which is said on it] “And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures.”