Halachah · Modern

A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part One; The Study Guide, Chapter 2; The Onset of the Niddah Status/מדריך להלכות טהרת המשפחה·חלק א·פרק ב

1Bleeding

בוְאִשָׁה כִּי תִהְיֶה זָבָה, דָּם יִהְיֶה זֹבָהּ בִּבְשָׂרָהּ, שִׁבְעֲת יָמִים תִּהְיֶה בְנִדָּתָהּ (ויקרא טו:יט) וְלָמְדוּ חֲכָמִים מִמִּדְרַשׁ הַפְּסוּקִים, שֶׁלֹּא בְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁתָּזוּב מִמֶּנָה דָם טְמֵאָה, אֶלָּא דַוְקָא דָם הַבָּא מִן הַמָּקוֹר. (טור; יורה דעה, קפג)

2“A woman who has a flow of blood in her body shall be a niddah for seven days” (Leviticus 15:19). The Sages derived through exegesis of this verse that she does not become impure from blood that flows from any part of her body, but specifically from blood that comes from the uterus (the makor, lit. “source”). (Tur, Yoreh Deah 183)

3Thus, bleeding not from a uterine source, such as from a vaginal laceration, does not make one a niddah. Similarly, any other bleeding in the genital/rectal area, such as from hemorrhoids, does not make a woman a niddah.

דוְלֹא כָל דָּם הַבָּא מִן הַמָּקוֹר טָמֵא אֶלָּא דָוְקָא חֲמִּשָּׁה מִינֵי דָמִים.... (טור; יורה דעה, קפג)

האֲבָל הָאִידָנָא שֶׁנִּתְמָעֵט הַבְּקִיאוּת חָזְרוּ לְטַמְּאוֹת כָּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ מַרְאֶה אָדוֹם בֵּין אִם הוּא כֵהֶה הַרְבֵּה אוֹ עָמוֹק, וְכֵן כָּל מַרְאֶה שָׁחוֹר; וְאֵין טָהוֹר אֶלָּא בִשְׁנֵי מַרְאוֹת שֶׁהֵן הַלָּבָן וְהַיָּרוֹק בֵּין יָרוֹק כְּכַרְתֵּי בֵין צָהוֹב כְּזָהָב, אֲפִילּוּ אִם יֵשׁ בּוֹ סְמִיכוּת דָּם וְהוּא עָב הַרְבֵּה. (טור; יורה דעה, קפח)

6As mentioned above, at the time of the giving of the Torah, only discharge of five specific shades of red and black rendered a woman niddah. By the Talmudic period, however, a number of authorities no longer felt that they could differentiate between similar shades of red.¹ 20b Over time, all reds became forbidden. Other colors of uterine discharge such as white (physiologic leukorrhea) and green are completely permissible. Light yellow does not render her a niddah, but deeper hues of yellow may be problematic. Oranges and browns need to be shown to an authority to determine if they are too close to red.² that makes many women very uncomfortable – see Frequently Asked Questions at the end of Part Two. All questionable colors should be shown to an authority and should not automatically be assumed to be prohibited or permitted.

זוְאַף בְּאֵלוּ אֵינָה טְמֵאָה עַד שֶׁתַּרְגִּישׁ בִּיְצִיאָתוֹ. (טור; יורה דעה, קפג)

8Even when there is red uterine bleeding, according to biblical law she is not a niddah until she “feels,” i.e., she has a bodily sensation (hargashah) that accompanies the blood’s exit.³ 57bאָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: בָּדְקָה קַרְקַע עוֹלָם וְיָשְבָה עָלֶיהָ, וּמָצְאָה דָם עָלֶיהָ – טְהוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בִּבְשָׂרָהּ" – עַד שֶׁתַּרְגִּישׁ בִּבְשָׂרָהּ.Shmuel states that even if she previously checked the ground on which she sat and found no stain, and upon rising found blood, in the absence of sensation, she would not be niddah. The Talmud does not spell out what exactly this sensation is; apparently it can be rather strong, since the Talmud speaks of it awakening her at night.⁴ 3aיְשֵׁנָה נַמִי, אַגַּב צַעֲרָהּ מִיתְּעֲרָא.If she was asleep, the pain would have awakened her. Later sources describe three forms of sensation:

91. Her whole body shakes.⁵ 5:17וַאֲפִילוּ הִרְגִישׁ גוּפָהּ וְנִזְדַּעַזְעָה.

102. She feels her uterus open.⁶ 183:1 lists all three sensations:וְדַע דִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִינֵי הַרְגָּשׁוֹת יֵשׁ לְעִנְיַן שֶׁתְּהֵא טְמֵאָה מִדְאוֹרָיְיתָאא' שֶׁנִּזְדַעְזַע גּוּפָהּב' שֶׁנִּפְתַח מְקוֹרָהּג' שֶׁדָּבָר לַח זָב מִמֶּנָהּ בִּפְנִים.

יא

113. She feels liquid flowing.⁷ YD 55נִרְאֶה לְעַנִיּוֹת דַּעְתִּי דְאַף הַרְגָּשַׁת זִיבַת דָּבָר לַח חֲשִׁיב הַרְגָּשָׁה, וְלֹא בָעִינַן הַרְגָּשַׁת פְּתִיחַת הַמָקוֹר.The Aruch Hashulchan Yore Deah 183 describes it as a small pain.

יב

12About this last sensation, there is disagreement between the authorities as to a) whether it is a halachically relevant sensation at all⁸ (above) and the Chavot Daat (YD 190:1) consider this a relevant sensation. The Chatam Sofer [YD 145, 153, 167, 171] does not. General practice follows the first opinion but it is important to inquire which sensation a woman experienced, as in some cases this can be relevant. and b) if so, where in the reproductive system she needs to feel flow in order for it to have halachic implications.⁹ and Chavot Daat disagree as to whether it is only flow from the uterus to the vaginal canal, or also flow within the vaginal canal itself. Some modern authorities contend that, as most women cannot make such fine differentiations, when a women feels only an external flow (i.e., from the vagina to the outside), we must suspect that perhaps she actually felt an internal flow (Igrot Moshe YD 4:17[7]). A feeling of external dampness, however, is NOT a hargashah, and neither are sensations such as backache, abdominal cramps, or bloating. The latter will be discussed under Veset Haguf (p. 70).

יג

13Blood found in or exiting from the vaginal canal in the absence of these sensations does not render a woman a niddah by biblical law. However, since there may have indeed been a sensation of which she did not take note, she is a niddah according to rabbinic law.

יד

14There are also circumstances, all involving the genital area, in which we are particularly concerned that she may have experienced a sensation but overlooked it or attributed it to something else:

טו

151. Urination

טז

162. Sexual intercourse

יז

173. Internal examination (bedikah).

יח

18Therefore, if a woman sees blood immediately¹⁰ 12a) as tiny, that “immediately after the penis exits, the bedikah cloth enters.” The Shulchan Aruch 187:1 describes a somewhat longer period, the time it would take her to put her hand under her pillow, take a cloth from there and wipe herself. This is also a very short time. For practical purposes, estimates are 10–15 seconds. after urination or intercourse, or finds blood on the cloth she used for an internal examination, the laws are stringent because she may have had a sensation (making her niddah by biblical law) of which she was not aware.¹¹ YD 4:17 [16].

יט

19If a woman definitely did have a sensation – a relatively rare occurrence for most women – she should do an internal examination (how to do this will be discussed on pp. 40–41). If she finds a forbidden color, she becomes a niddah. If she finds only a discharge of a permissible color, however, she can attribute the sensation to that discharge and is still permitted to her husband. If she does not find anything she should consult a rabbi, as there are situations that would make her niddah, and others that would leave her permitted.¹², 5 YD 15.

20Stains

כאדְּבַר תּוֹרָה אֵין הָאִשָּׁה מִטַּמְּאָה וְלֹא אֲסוּרָה לְבַעֲלָהּ עַד שֶׁתַּרְגִּישׁ שֶׁיָּצָא דָם מִבְּשָׂרָהּ, וְחֲכָמִים גָּזְרוּ עַל כָּל כֶּתֶם שֶׁנִּמְצָא בְגוּפָהּ אוֹ בִּבְגָדֶיהָ שֶׁהִיא טְמֵאָה וְאֲסוּרָה לְבַעֲלָהּ אֲפִילּוּ שֶׁלֹּא הִרְגִּישָׁה וְאֲפִילּוּ בָדְקָה עַצְמָהּ וּמָצְאָה טְהוֹרָה. (טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

כב

22As mentioned above, according to biblical law a woman does not become a niddah unless she experienced a sensation (hargashah). If she merely found a bloodstain on her clothing she would not be a niddah as regards marital relations. On the other hand, the clothing itself would be ritually impure as regards contact with sanctified objects, because the bloodstain might have come from a niddah. As this situation was rather anomalous, the rabbis decreed that if she found a bloodstain on her clothes or body she would have the status of niddah, and observe all its laws, even if she did not experience a sensation.¹³ YD:150מִשׁוּם דְּתְחִלַּת גְּזֵירַת כֶּתֶם הָיָה מִשׁוּם חוּמְרָא דְטָהֳרוֹת,... וְלָא פְלוּג רַבָּנַן וְטִמְּאוּ אוֹתָהּ גַּם לְבַעֲלָהּ שֶׁלֹּא תִהְיֶה חוּכָא: הָאִשָּׁה טְמֵאָה נִדָּה לְטָהֳרוֹת וּטְהוֹרָה לְבַעֲלָהּ וְכֵיָון שֶׁנֶאֱסַר בְּמִנְיָן, אִם כֵּן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבָּטֵל טַעַם טָהֳרוֹת, מִכָּל מָקוֹם גְּזֵרָה לֹא בָטְלָה וְעֲדַיִין אֲסוּרָה לְבַעֲלָהּ.

כגלֹא גָזְרוּ עַל הַכֶּתֶם אֶּלָּא אִם כֵּן יְהֵא בוֹ 'כִּגְרִיס וְעוֹד' וּגְרִיס הוּא תֵּשַׁע עֲדָשׁוֹת, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כָּזֶה הַשִּׁיעוּר אָנוּ תוֹלִין לוֹמַר דַּם כִּינָה הוּא. (טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

כד

24When the rabbis decreed that bloodstains (ketamim) make a woman niddah even without hargashah, they included a number of conditions so that couples would not be constantly prohibited from having sexual relations:

כה

251. Size: If the stain (ketem) is less than the size of a gris¹⁴, Second Edition (Jerusalem: Ariel Institute, 1994). [see Figure on next page], it does not count. From a halachic standpoint, this blood can be attributed to a louse, even though body lice that contain so much blood are not common today.¹⁵ YD 2:150 explains that even though today it is unlikely that a louse would cause that size bloodstain, it is still the size that applies currently. His reasoning is that originally the decree of stains was related to issues of ritual impurity which are currently not in force. Even though we still need to observe the rabbinic decree, we only need do so in its minimal original form.וְכֵיוָן שֶׁכָּל עַצְמָה לֹא נֶאֶסְרָה לְבַעֲלָהּ אֶלָּא מִתַּקָּנַת חֲכָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, אִם כֵּן אֵין לָנוּ לְטַמְּאוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא בְשִׁיעוּר כֶּתֶם שֶׁבִּזְמַנֵּיהֶם שֶׁהָיָה מַאֲכוֹלֶת גְּדוֹלוֹת מְצוּיוֹת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבִּזְמַנֵּינוּ אֵין נִמְצָא כְזֹאת.

כו

כזאִם אֵין בְּכֶּתֶם בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד כִּגְרִיס אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵשׁ טִיפִּין הַרְבֵּה סְמוּכִין זֶה לָזֶה עַד שֶׁאִם נְצָרְפֵם יֵשׁ בָּהֶן יוֹתֵר מִכִּגְרִיס – טְהוֹרָה, שֶׁאָנוּ תוֹלִין כָּל טִיפָּה וְטִיפָּה בְכִינָה עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא בוֹ כִגְרִיס וְעוֹד בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד. בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? כְּשֶׁהַטִּיפִּין עַל חֲלוּקָהּ – אֲבָל אִם הֵם עַל בְּשָׂרָהּ, מִצְטָרְפִין לְכִגְרִיס. (טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

כח

28If she has a number of small stains, if they are on clothing, then each one is judged separately. If they are on her body, then one adds the total surface area of the stains; if together they comprise more than a gris,¹⁵). See: Rav Yekutiel Farkas. Taharah Kehalacha [heb]. Torat Chaim 5758 p. 19. in the absence of other mitigating factors, she is a niddah.

כט

292. Type of surface: A stain that is found on something not halachically susceptible to ritual impurity does not make a woman niddah, as stated below:

לכֶּתֶם שֶׁנִּמְצָא עַל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל טוּמְאָה לֹא גָזְרוּ עָלָיו. כֵּיצַד? בָּדְקָה קַרְקַע עוֹלָם... אוֹ כָל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל טוּמְאָה וְיָשְׁבָה עָלָיו וּמָצְאָה בוֹ כֶתֶם – טְהוֹרָה.
(טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

לא

31Stains on this type of surface were excluded from the rabbinic decree of ketamim as the original reason for the decree related to the ritual impurity of sanctified objects, as explained above. Common examples are a plastic toilet seat, the ground and, according to many opinions, toilet paper.¹⁶ Blood found on stool is also permissible for this reason.¹⁷

לב

323. Color of the garment:

לגוְכֶתֶם הַנִּמְצָא עַל בֶּגֶד צָבוּעַ – פְּלִיגִי בַהּ: תַּנָּא קַמָּא מְטַמֵּא וְרַבִּי יוֹנָתָן מְטַהֵר. וּפָסַק הָרַמְבַּ"ן כְּתַנָּא קַמָּא, וְהָרַמְבַּ"ם כְּרַבִּי יוֹנָתָן. וְכָתַב אֲדוֹנִי אָבִי הָרא"שׁ ז"ל: וּבִכְתָמִים שׁוֹמְעִין לְהָקֵל. (טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

לד

34If a stain is found on a colored surface,¹⁸ it does not count. There is a difference of opinion on this; however, since stains are only a rabbinical decree, we follow the more lenient opinion.

לה

354. Location:

לולֹא בְכָל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁיִּמָּצֵא שָׁם כֶּתֶם טָמֵא, אֶלָּא דַוְקָא בְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁבָּא שָׁם מִן הַמָקוֹר. (טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

לז

37Only stains found in places where they could conceivably have come from the uterus render her a niddah. Thus stains on her legs are problematic, but those on her upper arms are not, unless she had done handstands or other acrobatics.

לח

385. Other logical explanation. For example:

לט

39a. If she has a wound in her body from where the blood could have come, she can ascribe the stain to that wound, and she is not a niddah.

מאִם יֵשׁ בָּהּ מַכָּה בְגוּפָהּ, שֶׁיְּכוֹלָה לִתְלוֹת בָּהּ שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיָּבֹא הַדָּם מִמֶּנָהּ, תּוֹלָה בָהּ וּטְהוֹרָה. (טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

מא

41b. If she was working with blood, such as drawing blood in a laboratory, suturing a wound, or cleaning chickens, she can ascribe the stain to her work, and she is not a niddah.

מבכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ן שֶׁתּוֹלָה בְכָל מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִתְלוֹת, כְּגוֹן שׁנִּתְעַסְּקָה בִכְתָמִים אוֹ עָבְרָה בְשׁוּק שֶׁל טַבָּחִים – תּוֹלִין וּטְהוֹרָה. (טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

מג

43c. If she can attribute the blood she found to someone else, such as if she had lifted a child with a nosebleed, she can ascribe the stain to that person, and she is not a niddah.

מדוּכְשֵׁם שֶׁתּוֹלָה בָהּ, כָּך תּוֹלָה בְבַעֲלָהּ וּבִבְנָהּ אִם נִתְעַסְּקּו בִכְתָמִים אוֹ אִם יֵשׁ בָּהֶם מַכָּה, לְפִי שֶׁדַּרְכָּן לִיגַע בָּהּ. (טור; יורה דעה, קצ)

מה

45The rules for assuming that the stain is due to external causes are somewhat more stringent during the first three days of the seven blood free days. Thus, if she is not absolutely sure that the stains found during those days are from an external source, she should consult a rabbi.

מו

46When she experiences a sensation

מז

47When she did experience a halachically relevant sensation, (as described above) the principles concerning stains found subsequently are more stringent:

מח

481. There is no minimum size¹⁹ – even a pinprick of blood makes her a niddah.

מט

492. The stain cannot be attributed to other causes.

נוּמִיהוּ מִשֶּׁתַּרְגִּישׁ בּוֹ שֶׁנֶּעֶקֲר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְיָצָא לְבֵית הַחִיצוֹן – טְמֵאָה וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא יָצָא לַחוּץ. (טור; יורה דעה, קפג)

נא

51If she did have a halachically relevant sensation, she becomes a niddah from the point in time that blood reaches the vagina, even if it has not yet exited her body. Due to this, it is very important that she check herself internally on certain occasions²⁰ 2:1 mention thatהיד המרבה לבדוק בנשים משובחתthis applies to the time when people ate food in a status of taharah. When women do excessive internal exams, especially at times in their cycle when they have less natural lubrication, they are liable to abrade the vaginal lining and cause unnecessary problems. as will be discussed below.

נב

52When she states she is a niddah

נג

53The woman is the one who informs her husband of her status. Therefore, her words are important and bear halachic standing.

נדהָאִשָּׁה שֶׁהִיא בְחֶזְקַת טְמֵאָה, אָסוּר לוֹ לָבֹא עָלֶיהָ עַד שֶׁתֹּאמַר לוֹ: טָבַלְתִּי. (שולחן ערוך; יורה דעה, קפה:א)

נהאָמְרָה לְבַעְלָהּ: טְמֵאָה אֲנִי, וְאַחַר כָּך אָמְרָה: טְהוֹרָה אֲנִי, אֵינָה נֶאֱמֶנֶת. (שם; סעיף ג)

נו

56Her words have so much halachic import, that if she states she is a niddah she is considered as one. Furthermore, even if she first states she is a niddah and then states that she is not, she is still considered a niddah and has to count the requisite days and immerse in the mikveh even though she may have had no bleeding at all. The only exception to this last situation is if she has a good explanation for why she misspoke. Some examples of acceptable excuses are:

נז

571. She was embarrassed by her husband’s attentions in the presence of other people.

נח

582. She wished to deter her husband’s advances, as she did not feel well.

נט

593. She thought she was in fact niddah, but on consultation with a rabbi found out that she was not.²¹ she should tell her husband that she is not sure. While the couple needs to keep the laws of the niddah status during the time of uncertainty, this maintains the element of doubt.

60Childbirth (see also separate chapter in Part Three, pp.127–132)

סאיוֹלֶדֶת, אֲפִילּוּ לֹא רָאֲתָה דָם, טְמֵאָה כְנִדָּה – בֵּין יָלְדָה חַי, בֵּין יָלְדָה מֵת וְאֲפִילּוּ נֵפֶל. וְכַמָּה הֵם יְמֵי טוּמְאָתָהּ? עַכְשָיו בַּזְמַן הַזֶּה כָל הַיּוֹלְדוֹת חֲשׁוּבוֹת יוֹלְדוֹת בְּזוֹב וּצְרִיכוֹת לִסְפּוֹר שִׁבְעָה נְקִיּים. (שלחן ערוך; יורה דעה, קצד:א)

סב

62By biblical law, a woman had the status of yoledet, whose laws are analogous to those of niddah, for one week after the birth of a son and two weeks after the birth of a daughter. This was true whether she experienced bleeding or not because it is halachically assumed that with any opening of the uterus some blood has exited, as will be discussed in a later chapter (pp.127–128). According to biblical law, starting with day eight for a boy or day fifteen for a girl, uterine bleeding assumed a different status – that of dam tohar. This status lasted for 33 days for a boy and 66 days for a girl. While experiencing dam tohar, the woman was permitted to have marital relations with her husband, but was not yet sufficiently tehorah (ritually pure) to bring sacrifices to the Temple.

סג

63Today, however, according to rabbinic law, we consider all women who give birth, or have a miscarriage more than 40 days after conception, as if they had given birth while in the status of zavah. Thus the woman has the status both of zavah and yoledet, and needs to count seven blood-free days (shiva neki’im) before she can immerse in the mikveh. This need for the shiva neki’im applies both to the bleeding that accompanies childbirth and to any further bleeding thereafter, even within the 33/66 day time period.

סד

64Bride (see also separate chapter in Part Three, pp. 123–124)

סההַכּוֹנֵס אֶת הַבְּתוּלָה, בּוֹעֵל בְּעִילַת מִצְוָה וְגוֹמֵר בִּיאָתוֹ וּפוֹרֵשׁ מִיָּד... וּצְרִיכָה שֶׁתִּפְסוֹק בְּטָהֳרָה וְתִבְדּוֹק כָּל שִׁבְעָה, וְלֹא תַתְחִיל לִמְנוֹת עַד יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי לְשִׁימּוּשָׁהּ. וְנוֹהֵג עִמָּהּ כְּכָל דִּינֵי נִדָּה לְעִנְיֲן הַרְחָקָה. (שולחן ערוך; יורה דעה, קצג:א)