Niddah
Encyclopedia
Niddah is a Hebrew term describing a woman during menstruation
, or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirement of immersion in a mikveh (ritual bath).
The Torah
prohibits sexual intercourse with a niddah and adherence to this prohibition is considered by Orthodox Jewry
to be a benchmark of the Torah-observant Jew. The laws concerning niddah are also referred to as taharath hamishpacha (Hebrew for family purity).
Medieval Biblical commentator Abraham ibn Ezra
writes that the word niddah is related to the term menadechem (מנדיכם), meaning those that cast you out.
of the Hebrew Bible
. The majority of these uses refer to forms of uncleanliness in Leviticus. For example in Leviticus if a man take his brother's wife then that is "uncleanness", niddah. The 5 uses in Numbers all concern the red heifer
ceremony and use the phrase mei niddah, "waters of separation". 2 Chronicles 29:5 includes a sole exhortation of Hezekiah
to the Levites, to carry the niddah, possibly idols of his father Ahaz
, out of the temple in Jerusalem
. Usage in Ezekiel follows that of Leviticus. Finally the Book of Zechariah
concludes with an eschatological reference to washing Jerusalem:
specify that a menstruating woman must "separate" for seven days . Any object she sits on or lies upon during this period becomes a midras l'tumah
(carrier of tumah). One who comes into contact with her midras
, or her, during this period becomes tamei (ritually impure)
A man who has sexual relations with a niddah is rendered ritually impure for seven days, as opposed to one day of impurity for coming into contact with her, or her midras
further prohibits sexual intercourse with a woman who is in her niddah state.
The Torah concludes by imposing the punishment of kareth
on both individuals (man and woman) if the prohibition is violated This issur (prohibition) component of physical relations with the niddah is considered in full effect and mandatory for all children of Israel.
era differentiated between the tumah and taharah aspect of niddah and the issur (prohibition) aspect.
The tumah and taharah component of niddah, essentially the avoiding of contact with the midras of the niddah, was encouraged - but not made mandatory - by various Rabbinic authorities as a remembrance and retention for diasporic Jewry as to not forget the laws of tumah and taharah. The extent of Rabbinic encouragement was only for the seven day period of actual menstruation and not the five-day Rabbinic extension period.
Rabbi Menachem Schneerson in his Igrot Kodesh
discouraged abstaining from the midras of a niddah in modern times.
Although there are different Biblical regulations for normal menstruation - niddah, and abnormal menstruation - zavah
, these became conflated during the classical era, and the Talmud
relates that menstruating women always followed the requirements imposed by both; the reasons for this were the subject of debate between some medieval Jewish commentators.
As a result of the conflation, the practice was to wait seven days after menstruation ceases, and for the woman to then immerse herself in water. This also means that women were considered ritually impure as a result of any vaginal discharge.
has come from her womb, whether it is due to menstruation, childbirth
, sexually transmitted disease
, or other reasons. If menstruation began before she sees evidence thereof, the rabbinic regulations regard her as not being niddah until she notices. Until this point, the regulations do not come into force.
It is not necessary for the woman to witness the flow of blood itself; it is sufficient for her to notice a stain that has indications of having originated in her womb; bloodstains alone are inadequate without such evidence, for example, if she finds a stain just after cutting her finger, she does not become a niddah, as the blood is not obviously uterine. If she notices a bloodstain of uncertain origin, for example on her underclothing, there are a series of complicated criteria used by rabbinical law to determine whether she is niddah or not; the woman herself is not expected to know these criteria, and must seek the assistance of a rabbi
who is sufficiently learned therein.
and some Conservative
authorities
rule that these "seven clean days" must be observed.
Since according to the rules of zavah, the seven days must be counted from the point that menstruation ceases, it has historically been considered important in Judaism to determine when this occurs. Because the leaking of semen nullifies the counting of a "clean" day, the sages enacted that the counting of seven days not begin until a minimum of 72 hours since the beginning of menstruation has passed.
Orthodox Ashkenazi Jewish custom has lengthened this to effectively five days, which has been instituted in all cases regardless of whether the woman had engaged in sexual intercourse recently or not. Thus the niddah state lasts at least twelve days in the Ashkenazic tradition - the five days' minimum menstrual flow, plus the subsequent seven days. The count of days begins when the woman first sees her menstrual blood, and ends twelve days later, or seven days after the flow ceases, whichever is later.
Non-Ashkenazic Jews follow a variety of customs. Although the count could start in the middle of the day, it is always considered to end on the evening of the final day. Most Sephardic Jews use a slightly more lenient calculation resulting in a minimum of eleven days.
In the Orthodox Jewish community, women may test whether menstruation has ceased; this ritual is known as the hefsek taharah. The woman takes a bath or shower near sunset, wraps a special cloth around her finger, and swipes the vagina
l circumference. If the cloth shows only discharges that are white, yellow, or clear, then menstruation is considered to have ceased. If discharge is red or pink, it indicates that menstruation continues. If it is any other color, like brown, it is subject to further inquiry, often involving consultation with a rabbi. The ritual requires that the cloth used to perform this test is first checked carefully to ensure that it is clean of any marks, colored threads, or specks; the cloth itself can be any clean white cloth, although there are small cloths designed for this ritual, known as bedikah cloths (meaning checking).
In the Orthodox Jewish community, further rituals are practices toward assurance regarding the cessation of the menstrual flow. After the hefsek taharah, some women insert a cloth (or, in modern times, a tampon
), consequently known as a moch dachuk, for between 18 minutes and an hour, to ensure that there is absolutely no blood; this must be done carefully, as it could otherwise irritate the mucous membrane
, causing bleeding unrelated to menstruation. If there is any fear of irritation causing bleeding, a rabbi may waive this practice. The "bedikah" is repeated each morning and evening of the seven days subsequent to the end of menstruation. Another tradition is the wearing of white underwear and use of white bedding during this period; conversely, the rest of the time, when not counting the "seven clean days", some women who suffer from spotting
deliberately use coloured underwear and coloured toilet paper, since it is only when blood is seen on white material that it has any legal status in Jewish law. When not during their seven "clean" days, all women are advised to wear colored undergarments, for this reason. It is furthermore strongly recommended that women make an effort to refrain from looking at the toilet paper after wiping to avoid possible resultant questions.
In the case of husband and wife, however, the Sages added on extra restrictions, including touch that is not Derech Chiba v'Taavah, passing of objects even without touching, and sleeping in the same bed; these restrictions are to avoid the risk of leading to sexual contact. These laws are termed harkhakot, meaning spacers, and result in a need for relationships to be able to develop in non-physical ways, such as emotional and spiritual connections.
Some Conservative authorities
are considerably more lenient in reference to the harkhakot than Medieval or contemporary Orthodox authorities. In a responsum written in the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
of the Rabbinical Assembly
, Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz ruled that the "harkhakot are to be observed as much as possible, but left up to the discretion of each couple". In another responsum for the committee, Rabbi Susan Grossman ruled that touching that would be appropriate between siblings is permissible.
Gerrer Chassidim keep the harchokot of niddah even when the wife is not a niddah. They are concerned that not keeping the laws of niddah at all times will lead to ejaculation that cannot lead to conception.
The classical regulations also forbid sexual relations on the day that a woman expects to start menstruating; there are three days that fall under this regulation, known as the veset, namely the same day of the month as her previous menstruation began; the day exactly 30 days after the previous menstruation started; and the day that is the usual interval from the end of her previous menstruation. If the woman is not actually menstruating during a veset day, then there are certain circumstances wherein sexual activity is permitted according to most authorities, for example, if a woman's husband is about to travel, and will return only after menstruation has begun.
, and thus improves the chances of successful conception if sexual relations occur on that night. However, for certain women, this period extends far past the date of ovulation, and in combination with the ban on sexual relations during the niddah state, effectively results in the woman being unable to conceive. In the case of this effective infertility, rabbis will try on a case-by-case basis to find halakhic (legal) leniencies to remove this impediment. There have been some calls within Orthodox Judaism for the custom to be modified so that the gap between the end of menstruation and the end of niddah isn't as long for these women.
. The cloth is inserted into the vagina
, and if no blood is found, the woman may start counting the seven blood-free days. On each of these days, she performs this examination in the morning and in the later afternoon before sunset. If no blood is found, she may go to the mikveh on the eighth evening after nightfall, and then engage in relations with her husband.
This practice is also occasionally used by Jewish men to check if he has gotten blood on himself from his wife after relations to determine whether she menstruates during relations.
Such cloths are about two by four inches, and are available at local Judaica stores, the local mikveh, stores in Orthodox neighborhoods in Israel, or may be cut from clean all-white soft cotton or linen fabric.
Immersion in a mikveh is preceded by an ordinary bath or shower, involving the cleaning of every body cavity, including the ears, and of the nails, as well trimming all nails (toenails as well as fingernails), removal of food from between the teeth, and combing of the hair. There is usually a female attendant at mikvehs to help women to ensure that they are prepared for immersion.
A special type of bath, designed to be in direct contact with naturally gathered water, known as a mikveh, was created by the rabbis to simplify ritual washing, although certain forms of immersion in natural streams, lakes, and even the sea, if cleared by a rabbi, are still considered sufficient. (See Ritual washing in Judaism for additional details.) According to tradition, there must be nothing between the woman and the water at any point of her body, and therefore before bathing, the woman is traditionally required to remove all jewelry, make-up, and any other obstructions (including e.g. contact lenses); the rabbinical tradition requires full immersion, including the entire head of hair.
It is also customary for a specific Hebrew blessing to be recited during immersion: Baruch atah Ha-Shem, Elokeinu Melekh Ha'Olam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al ha-tevila Blessed are you, the Name
, our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments, and has commanded us regarding immersion.
(Hebrew for "modesty"), many Orthodox Jews follow a custom of keeping their times of niddah secret from the general public.
According to Professor David C. Kraemer
, its incorporation into Jewish law codes stems from the confusion of rabbis over the duration of menstrual cycles. He writes that contradictory statements in rabbinic literature led to a situation whereby the extra seven days became mandatory. However, this longer period is in contradiction to early Mishnaic and Talmudic statements. On a related point, on the origin of the custom to wait extra days, Kraemer opines that the stringency initiated in Talmudic times was thought out as a means of birth control
.
Laquer's paper, A Developmental Perspective on the Laws of Niddah, traces the history of Jewish law on this subject, showing how stringency increased over time.
authorities
teach that the laws of family purity are normative and still in force, including the requirement to refrain from sexual relations during niddah, yet there is a difference of opinions over how much other strictures need to be observed, such as whether there should be complete prohibition on any touching during niddah.
In December 2006, the Rabbinical Assembly's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
passed three responsa discussing the extent of Biblical requirements and continuing applicability rabbinic prohibitions concerning niddah for Conservative Jews. Each responsum advocating different standards of observance; two responsa were the majority opinions, one by Rabbi Susan Grossman and one by Rabbi Avram Reisner, the other responsum was the minority opinion, written by Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz
.
Despite the official stance, the practices related to family purity are often not widely followed by Conservative Jews.
A recent edition of the United Synagogue Review (Fall/Winter 2006) included a series of articles on mikvaot. Rabbi Myron S. Geller, a member of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, writes about a recent upswing in the observance of the laws of family purity within the Conservative Jewish community.
Some Conservative authorities have ruled that the "seven clean days" need not be observed today and that women may immerse and resume sexual relations after seven days from the beginning of menstruation, or after its cessation, if it lasts longer than seven days.
Some Conservative authorities rule that women may rely on their own discretion about when menstruation has ended, and need not engage in bedikah as described above.
, even apparently secular ones, are reputed to follow them strictly; on the other hand, the rules tend not to be followed by Conservative and Reform Ashkenazi women
.
Menstruation
Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining . It occurs on a regular basis in sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. This article focuses on human menstruation.-Overview:...
, or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirement of immersion in a mikveh (ritual bath).
The Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
prohibits sexual intercourse with a niddah and adherence to this prohibition is considered by Orthodox Jewry
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
to be a benchmark of the Torah-observant Jew. The laws concerning niddah are also referred to as taharath hamishpacha (Hebrew for family purity).
Etymology and usage
Literally the feminine noun niddah means moved (i.e. separated), and generally refers to separation due to ritual impurity.Medieval Biblical commentator Abraham ibn Ezra
Abraham ibn Ezra
Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra was born at Tudela, Navarre in 1089, and died c. 1167, apparently in Calahorra....
writes that the word niddah is related to the term menadechem (מנדיכם), meaning those that cast you out.
Hebrew Bible
The noun niddah occurs 25 times in the Masoretic TextMasoretic Text
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
of the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
. The majority of these uses refer to forms of uncleanliness in Leviticus. For example in Leviticus if a man take his brother's wife then that is "uncleanness", niddah. The 5 uses in Numbers all concern the red heifer
Red heifer
The red heifer or red cow was a sacrifice in the Hebrew Bible the ashes of which are used for the ritual purification of an ancient Israelite who had come into contact with a corpse.- Hebrew Bible :...
ceremony and use the phrase mei niddah, "waters of separation". 2 Chronicles 29:5 includes a sole exhortation of Hezekiah
Hezekiah
Hezekiah was the son of Ahaz and the 14th king of Judah. Edwin Thiele has concluded that his reign was between c. 715 and 686 BC. He is also one of the most prominent kings of Judah mentioned in the Hebrew Bible....
to the Levites, to carry the niddah, possibly idols of his father Ahaz
Ahaz
Ahaz was king of Judah, and the son and successor of Jotham. He is one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew....
, out of the temple in Jerusalem
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
. Usage in Ezekiel follows that of Leviticus. Finally the Book of Zechariah
Book of Zechariah
The Book of Zechariah is the penultimate book of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew and Christian Bible, attributed to the prophet Zechariah.-Historical context:...
concludes with an eschatological reference to washing Jerusalem:
- Zechariah 13:1 "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness (niddah). (KJV)
Application of the Torah
The Leviticus description of niddah is essentially composed of two parts: the ritual purity (tumah and taharah) aspect and the prohibition of sexual intercourse aspect.Ritual purity aspect
The Biblical regulations of LeviticusLeviticus
The Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah ....
specify that a menstruating woman must "separate" for seven days . Any object she sits on or lies upon during this period becomes a midras l'tumah
Midras
The term midras uncleanness or pressure uncleanness is used for uncleanness transmitted by either an object or person in Judaism....
(carrier of tumah). One who comes into contact with her midras
Midras
The term midras uncleanness or pressure uncleanness is used for uncleanness transmitted by either an object or person in Judaism....
, or her, during this period becomes tamei (ritually impure)
A man who has sexual relations with a niddah is rendered ritually impure for seven days, as opposed to one day of impurity for coming into contact with her, or her midras
Sexual relations
LeviticusLeviticus
The Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah ....
further prohibits sexual intercourse with a woman who is in her niddah state.
The Torah concludes by imposing the punishment of kareth
Kareth
In Judaism, Kareth is a divine punishment for transgressing Jewish law.It is the punishment for serious crimes that were not brought to justice by a human court...
on both individuals (man and woman) if the prohibition is violated This issur (prohibition) component of physical relations with the niddah is considered in full effect and mandatory for all children of Israel.
Rabbinic differentiation
Rabbinic authorities of the rishonimRishonim
"Rishon" redirects here. For the preon model in particle physics, see Harari Rishon Model. For the Israeli town, see Rishon LeZion.Rishonim were the leading Rabbis and Poskim who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the Shulkhan Arukh and...
era differentiated between the tumah and taharah aspect of niddah and the issur (prohibition) aspect.
The tumah and taharah component of niddah, essentially the avoiding of contact with the midras of the niddah, was encouraged - but not made mandatory - by various Rabbinic authorities as a remembrance and retention for diasporic Jewry as to not forget the laws of tumah and taharah. The extent of Rabbinic encouragement was only for the seven day period of actual menstruation and not the five-day Rabbinic extension period.
Rabbi Menachem Schneerson in his Igrot Kodesh
Igrot Kodesh
Igrot Kodesh is a collection of correspondence and responses of the seventh Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, Menachem Mendel Schneerson....
discouraged abstaining from the midras of a niddah in modern times.
Related terms and definitions
- Vestos, days during which the woman is likely to see her menstrual flow
- Onah Benonit, the 30th day after the beginning of previous menstruation
- Veset HaChodesh, the same day of the Jewish month on which began the previous menstruation
- Veset HaFlagah, the days (or half-days, per Chabad minhag) between menstruation
- Bedikah, cloth with which to check whether menstrual blood has finished
- Ben niddah (male) or bat niddah (female), a person conceived when their mother was niddah
Although there are different Biblical regulations for normal menstruation - niddah, and abnormal menstruation - zavah
Zav/Zavah
In Torah terminology, the Hebrew word zav is a state of ritual impurity arising from abnormal seminal discharge from the male sexual organ...
, these became conflated during the classical era, and the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
relates that menstruating women always followed the requirements imposed by both; the reasons for this were the subject of debate between some medieval Jewish commentators.
As a result of the conflation, the practice was to wait seven days after menstruation ceases, and for the woman to then immerse herself in water. This also means that women were considered ritually impure as a result of any vaginal discharge.
Start of menstruation
According to rabbinical law, a woman becomes a niddah when she is aware that bloodBlood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
has come from her womb, whether it is due to menstruation, childbirth
Childbirth
Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
, sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
, or other reasons. If menstruation began before she sees evidence thereof, the rabbinic regulations regard her as not being niddah until she notices. Until this point, the regulations do not come into force.
It is not necessary for the woman to witness the flow of blood itself; it is sufficient for her to notice a stain that has indications of having originated in her womb; bloodstains alone are inadequate without such evidence, for example, if she finds a stain just after cutting her finger, she does not become a niddah, as the blood is not obviously uterine. If she notices a bloodstain of uncertain origin, for example on her underclothing, there are a series of complicated criteria used by rabbinical law to determine whether she is niddah or not; the woman herself is not expected to know these criteria, and must seek the assistance of a rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
who is sufficiently learned therein.
Duration of menstruation and niddah status
The Biblical definition of niddah is any blood emission occurring within seven days from the beginning of the menstrual period. After this seven day period, the woman may immerse in the mikveh immediately after she stops menstruating. Any blood found after these seven days is considered abnormal (zavah) blood and is subject to more stringent requirements, depending on the duration of said abnormal blood flow. In the days of the Amoraim, because of possible confusion in determining when menstruation began and ended and hence whether blood was normal menstrual (niddah) or abnormal (zavah) blood, it became the accepted practice and practical halacha, that all women treat any emission as a continued abnormal flow (zavah gedolah -- זבה גדולה) which requires counting seven abnormal-discharge-free days from the end of menstruation. All OrthodoxOrthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
and some Conservative
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
authorities
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
rule that these "seven clean days" must be observed.
Since according to the rules of zavah, the seven days must be counted from the point that menstruation ceases, it has historically been considered important in Judaism to determine when this occurs. Because the leaking of semen nullifies the counting of a "clean" day, the sages enacted that the counting of seven days not begin until a minimum of 72 hours since the beginning of menstruation has passed.
Orthodox Ashkenazi Jewish custom has lengthened this to effectively five days, which has been instituted in all cases regardless of whether the woman had engaged in sexual intercourse recently or not. Thus the niddah state lasts at least twelve days in the Ashkenazic tradition - the five days' minimum menstrual flow, plus the subsequent seven days. The count of days begins when the woman first sees her menstrual blood, and ends twelve days later, or seven days after the flow ceases, whichever is later.
Non-Ashkenazic Jews follow a variety of customs. Although the count could start in the middle of the day, it is always considered to end on the evening of the final day. Most Sephardic Jews use a slightly more lenient calculation resulting in a minimum of eleven days.
In the Orthodox Jewish community, women may test whether menstruation has ceased; this ritual is known as the hefsek taharah. The woman takes a bath or shower near sunset, wraps a special cloth around her finger, and swipes the vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
l circumference. If the cloth shows only discharges that are white, yellow, or clear, then menstruation is considered to have ceased. If discharge is red or pink, it indicates that menstruation continues. If it is any other color, like brown, it is subject to further inquiry, often involving consultation with a rabbi. The ritual requires that the cloth used to perform this test is first checked carefully to ensure that it is clean of any marks, colored threads, or specks; the cloth itself can be any clean white cloth, although there are small cloths designed for this ritual, known as bedikah cloths (meaning checking).
In the Orthodox Jewish community, further rituals are practices toward assurance regarding the cessation of the menstrual flow. After the hefsek taharah, some women insert a cloth (or, in modern times, a tampon
Tampon
A tampon is a mass of cotton or rayon or a mixture of the two inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb bodilyfluid. The most common type in daily use is designed to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation to absorb the flow of menstrual fluid...
), consequently known as a moch dachuk, for between 18 minutes and an hour, to ensure that there is absolutely no blood; this must be done carefully, as it could otherwise irritate the mucous membrane
Mucous membrane
The mucous membranes are linings of mostly endodermal origin, covered in epithelium, which are involved in absorption and secretion. They line cavities that are exposed to the external environment and internal organs...
, causing bleeding unrelated to menstruation. If there is any fear of irritation causing bleeding, a rabbi may waive this practice. The "bedikah" is repeated each morning and evening of the seven days subsequent to the end of menstruation. Another tradition is the wearing of white underwear and use of white bedding during this period; conversely, the rest of the time, when not counting the "seven clean days", some women who suffer from spotting
Metrorrhagia
Metrorrhagia, also known as breakthrough bleeding or spotting, is uterine bleeding at irregular intervals, particularly between the expected menstrual periods.In some women, menstrual spotting between periods occurs as a normal and harmless part of ovulation...
deliberately use coloured underwear and coloured toilet paper, since it is only when blood is seen on white material that it has any legal status in Jewish law. When not during their seven "clean" days, all women are advised to wear colored undergarments, for this reason. It is furthermore strongly recommended that women make an effort to refrain from looking at the toilet paper after wiping to avoid possible resultant questions.
Physical contact during niddah status
As with most of the arayot (Biblically forbidden sexual relationships), all physical contact "Derech Chiba v'Taavah" (in an affectionate or lustful manner) is forbidden when a woman is in her niddah status. Such contact is forbidden whether or not the man and woman are husband and wife.In the case of husband and wife, however, the Sages added on extra restrictions, including touch that is not Derech Chiba v'Taavah, passing of objects even without touching, and sleeping in the same bed; these restrictions are to avoid the risk of leading to sexual contact. These laws are termed harkhakot, meaning spacers, and result in a need for relationships to be able to develop in non-physical ways, such as emotional and spiritual connections.
Some Conservative authorities
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
are considerably more lenient in reference to the harkhakot than Medieval or contemporary Orthodox authorities. In a responsum written in the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards is the central authority on halakha within Conservative Judaism; it is one of the most active and widely known committees on the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly. Within the movement it is known as the CJLS...
of the Rabbinical Assembly
Rabbinical Assembly
The Rabbinical Assembly is the international association of Conservative rabbis. The RA was founded in 1901 to shape the ideology, programs, and practices of the Conservative movement. It publishes prayerbooks and books of Jewish interest, and oversees the work of the Committee on Jewish Law and...
, Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz ruled that the "harkhakot are to be observed as much as possible, but left up to the discretion of each couple". In another responsum for the committee, Rabbi Susan Grossman ruled that touching that would be appropriate between siblings is permissible.
Gerrer Chassidim keep the harchokot of niddah even when the wife is not a niddah. They are concerned that not keeping the laws of niddah at all times will lead to ejaculation that cannot lead to conception.
The classical regulations also forbid sexual relations on the day that a woman expects to start menstruating; there are three days that fall under this regulation, known as the veset, namely the same day of the month as her previous menstruation began; the day exactly 30 days after the previous menstruation started; and the day that is the usual interval from the end of her previous menstruation. If the woman is not actually menstruating during a veset day, then there are certain circumstances wherein sexual activity is permitted according to most authorities, for example, if a woman's husband is about to travel, and will return only after menstruation has begun.
Niddah and fertility
As the night that the woman ritually traditionally immerses is about 12 days after menstruation began, it often coincides with a woman's ovulationOvulation
Ovulation is the process in a female's menstrual cycle by which a mature ovarian follicle ruptures and discharges an ovum . Ovulation also occurs in the estrous cycle of other female mammals, which differs in many fundamental ways from the menstrual cycle...
, and thus improves the chances of successful conception if sexual relations occur on that night. However, for certain women, this period extends far past the date of ovulation, and in combination with the ban on sexual relations during the niddah state, effectively results in the woman being unable to conceive. In the case of this effective infertility, rabbis will try on a case-by-case basis to find halakhic (legal) leniencies to remove this impediment. There have been some calls within Orthodox Judaism for the custom to be modified so that the gap between the end of menstruation and the end of niddah isn't as long for these women.
Checking by bedikah
The bedikah cloth or "checking cloth", called an eid ["witness"] in Hebrew, is a clean piece of white cloth used in the process of purifying a niddah. It is used by observant Jewish women to determine whether they have finished menstruationMenstruation
Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining . It occurs on a regular basis in sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. This article focuses on human menstruation.-Overview:...
. The cloth is inserted into the vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
, and if no blood is found, the woman may start counting the seven blood-free days. On each of these days, she performs this examination in the morning and in the later afternoon before sunset. If no blood is found, she may go to the mikveh on the eighth evening after nightfall, and then engage in relations with her husband.
This practice is also occasionally used by Jewish men to check if he has gotten blood on himself from his wife after relations to determine whether she menstruates during relations.
Such cloths are about two by four inches, and are available at local Judaica stores, the local mikveh, stores in Orthodox neighborhoods in Israel, or may be cut from clean all-white soft cotton or linen fabric.
Immersion in water
There are differing customs about how many immersions are performed at each visit to a mikveh. It is the custom of many in the Orthodox community to immerse at least twice. Accordingly, they would immerse, recite the blessing, then immerse again. The other opinion states that like other commandments, here too the blessing should be recited before performing the commandment.Immersion in a mikveh is preceded by an ordinary bath or shower, involving the cleaning of every body cavity, including the ears, and of the nails, as well trimming all nails (toenails as well as fingernails), removal of food from between the teeth, and combing of the hair. There is usually a female attendant at mikvehs to help women to ensure that they are prepared for immersion.
A special type of bath, designed to be in direct contact with naturally gathered water, known as a mikveh, was created by the rabbis to simplify ritual washing, although certain forms of immersion in natural streams, lakes, and even the sea, if cleared by a rabbi, are still considered sufficient. (See Ritual washing in Judaism for additional details.) According to tradition, there must be nothing between the woman and the water at any point of her body, and therefore before bathing, the woman is traditionally required to remove all jewelry, make-up, and any other obstructions (including e.g. contact lenses); the rabbinical tradition requires full immersion, including the entire head of hair.
It is also customary for a specific Hebrew blessing to be recited during immersion: Baruch atah Ha-Shem, Elokeinu Melekh Ha'Olam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al ha-tevila Blessed are you, the Name
Tetragrammaton
The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...
, our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments, and has commanded us regarding immersion.
Newlyweds
According to all Orthodox authorities, the first time a virgin has sexual relations, she also becomes niddah as a result of her hymenal blood flow (dam besulim דם בתולים). This is observed even if in fact there was no blood present. However, a bride counts only four days before performing a hefsek taharah, instead of the usual five. Some Conservative authorities rule that a woman is not a niddah in such a case unless uterine bleeding is observed.Privacy of the niddah process
Out of tzniutTzniut
Tzniut is a term used within Judaism and has its greatest influence as a concept within Orthodox Judaism...
(Hebrew for "modesty"), many Orthodox Jews follow a custom of keeping their times of niddah secret from the general public.
Academic studies of the extra days
Jewish historians of the subject have tried to trace how the time for separation between men and women increased over time. For many, waiting seven clean days is controversial.According to Professor David C. Kraemer
David C. Kraemer
David Charles Kraemer is a Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics and the Joseph J. and Dora Abbell Librarian at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America...
, its incorporation into Jewish law codes stems from the confusion of rabbis over the duration of menstrual cycles. He writes that contradictory statements in rabbinic literature led to a situation whereby the extra seven days became mandatory. However, this longer period is in contradiction to early Mishnaic and Talmudic statements. On a related point, on the origin of the custom to wait extra days, Kraemer opines that the stringency initiated in Talmudic times was thought out as a means of birth control
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
.
Laquer's paper, A Developmental Perspective on the Laws of Niddah, traces the history of Jewish law on this subject, showing how stringency increased over time.
Niddah in the Conservative movement
ConservativeConservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
authorities
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
teach that the laws of family purity are normative and still in force, including the requirement to refrain from sexual relations during niddah, yet there is a difference of opinions over how much other strictures need to be observed, such as whether there should be complete prohibition on any touching during niddah.
In December 2006, the Rabbinical Assembly's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards
The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards is the central authority on halakha within Conservative Judaism; it is one of the most active and widely known committees on the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly. Within the movement it is known as the CJLS...
passed three responsa discussing the extent of Biblical requirements and continuing applicability rabbinic prohibitions concerning niddah for Conservative Jews. Each responsum advocating different standards of observance; two responsa were the majority opinions, one by Rabbi Susan Grossman and one by Rabbi Avram Reisner, the other responsum was the minority opinion, written by Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz
Miriam Berkowitz
Miriam C. Berkowitz is a Conservative rabbi, educator and writer.Born in Montreal, she received ordination from the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem....
.
Despite the official stance, the practices related to family purity are often not widely followed by Conservative Jews.
A recent edition of the United Synagogue Review (Fall/Winter 2006) included a series of articles on mikvaot. Rabbi Myron S. Geller, a member of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, writes about a recent upswing in the observance of the laws of family purity within the Conservative Jewish community.
- Conservative Judaism has largely ignored this practice in the past, but recently has begun to reevaluate its silence in this area and to consider the spiritual implications of mikvah immersion for human sexuality and for women. Jews-by-choice tend to recall the mikvah ceremony as an experience of heightened spirituality, leaving a permanent mark on their religious awareness. Some comments I have received about the mikvah include: "It made me feel closer to God"; "An emotional highlight of my life"; "When I came up from the waters all was quiet, my eyes wanted to cry. My soul was still...I am still in a state of peacefulness and love fills me"...These observations, written by converts to Judaism several weeks after the event, reflect the powerful impact of the mikvah ritual on Jews-by-choice and the profound importance they attach to its spiritual significance.
- At a time when New Age enthusiasm is persuading numbers of people, disenchanted with traditional religious expression, to seek fresh ways of discovering spiritual meaning in their lives, Conservative Judaism has found in an age-old practice a metaphor for rebirth and renewal that retains its power to uplift, cleanse, and inspire.
Some Conservative authorities have ruled that the "seven clean days" need not be observed today and that women may immerse and resume sexual relations after seven days from the beginning of menstruation, or after its cessation, if it lasts longer than seven days.
Some Conservative authorities rule that women may rely on their own discretion about when menstruation has ended, and need not engage in bedikah as described above.
Extent of adherence to these laws
The extent to which the rabbinical and Biblical laws of niddah are followed differ. Sephardic womenSephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
, even apparently secular ones, are reputed to follow them strictly; on the other hand, the rules tend not to be followed by Conservative and Reform Ashkenazi women
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
.
See also
- Jewish views on marriage
- Mikveh CalendarMikveh CalendarThe Laws of Family Purity are quite complex. One of the components of these laws is to anticipate the upcoming period and intimately separate at that time...
- NegiahNegiahNegiah , literally "touch," is the concept in Halakha that forbids or restricts physical contact with a member of the opposite sex...
(guidelines for physical contact) - Role of women in JudaismRole of women in JudaismThe role of women in Judaism is determined by the Hebrew Bible, the Oral Law , by custom, and by non-religious cultural factors...
External links
- Medieval Responsa Literature on Niddah: Perspectives of Notions of Tumah by Haviva Ner-DavidHaviva Ner-DavidHaviva Ner-David received her PhD from Bar Ilan University and wrote her thesis concerning the nature of the relationship between Tumah and Niddah . In 1993 she applied to Yeshiva University’s rabbinical program, RIETS and never received an official response...
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