1. [A woman in] the niddah¹As will be explained, the term niddah refers to a woman who suffers vaginal bleeding at the expected time of her monthly period. state is like all of the other arayot. A person who inserts his corona into her vaginal or anal orifice is liable for kerait. [This applies] even if she is a minor who is three years old, as applies with regard to other arayot.

For a woman can become impure as a niddah even on the day she is born.²Although a woman usually does not begin menstrual bleeding until around the age of twelve. If, however, she does have menstrual bleeding before then, she is bound by the halachic consequences. And a girl who is ten days becomes impure because of zivah.³For if a woman bleeds for three consecutive days after the seven days associated with her menstrual period, she is considered as a zavah. The first three days this is possible is the eighth, ninth, and tenth days of her life.

Altough she can become impure from the day of her birth onward, punishment is not allotted for relations with her until she becomes three. For only at that age are relations with her significant, as stated in Chapter 1, Halachah 13. This concept was communicated through the Oral Tradition. There is no difference between an adult and a minor with regard to the impurity associated with nidah and zivah.

2. [The prohibitions that apply] to one who has relations with a nidah apply throughout the seven days, even if blood was sighted only on the first day. [These same prohibitions] apply to one who has relations with a woman who gave birth to a male throughout the seven days [following birth], to one who has relations with a woman who gave birth to a female throughout the fourteen days [following birth], to one who has relations with a zavah through the time she bleeds and then counts [seven "clean" days].⁴See Chapter 6, Halachah 8. This applies also to a Canaanite maidservant and one who has been freed. All [of these relations] are punishable by kerait.

[The association is derived as follows:] With regard to a nidah, [Leviticus 15:19] states: "She will be in her niddah state for seven days." With regard to a zavah, [ibid.:25] states: "All the days of the flow of her impurity will be like the days of her niddah state."⁵Thus establishing an association between the two. With regard to a woman who gave birth to a male,⁶See Chapter 10. [ibid. 12:2] states: "She will become impure as in the days of her nidah affliction." ⁷See Chapter 6, Halachah 8. And with regard to a woman who gave birth to a female, [ibid. 12:5] states: "She will be impure as in her niddah state for two weeks."⁸See Chapter 6, Halachah 8.

3. When does the above - that the impurity is dependent on [the passage of] days - apply? When the woman immersed herself in the waters of a mikveh⁹A ritual bath that meets the qualifications for this purpose. If she immersed herself in an ordinary bath, by contrast, that is not acceptable as explained in Hilchot Mikveot. after these specifically mentioned days.¹⁰If a niddah immerses herself in the middle of these days, however, the immersion is of no consequence. If, however, a niddah, a zavah or a woman who gave birth did not immerse in a mikveh, a person is liable for kerait for having relations with one of them even several years afterwards. For the Torah made the matter dependent on [the passage of] days and immersion, as [Leviticus 15:18] states: "And they shall immerse themselves [in the water]...." This teaches a general principle with regard to any impure person: he is in a state of impurity until he [or she] immerses.

4. The prohibitions against relations with a niddah, a zavah, and a woman after childbirth do not apply with regard to relations with gentile women.¹¹Although relations with gentile women are forbidden, none of these particular transgressions apply according to Scriptural Law. For all the defined states of ritual purity and impurity apply only with regard to the Jewish people. The fact that a gentile woman experiences the same physical conditions is not of consequence. Our Sages decreed that all gentiles, male and female, would be considered like zavim at all times, whether or not they experienced such discharges,¹²I.e., this was a decree imposed to prevent intimate contact with them, regardless of their physical condition. See Hilchot Mitam'ei Mishkav UMoshav 2:10. with regard to matters of purity and impurity.

5. All blood manifest by a woman after childbirth during the 33 days associated with the birth of a male¹³As the Torah relates (Leviticus 12:2-4), after the birth of a male child a woman becomes impure for seven days. Afterwards, she immerses herself to regain ritual purity. For the next 33 days, even if she suffers uterine bleeding, her state does not change and she remains ritually pure. and the 66 days associated with the birth of a female¹⁴As ibid.:5 states, similar concepts apply after a woman gives birth to a female except that she originally becomes impure for 14 days. Afterwards, she remains pure for 66 days. is called blood of purity.¹⁵Niddah 36a relates that there is one source of bleeding - the womb - for all 40 (or 80) days. It is just that during the first 7 (14), the Torah rules that this blood is impure and during the final 33 (66), the Torah rules that the blood is pure. It does not prevent a woman from [relations with] her husband. Instead, she immerses herself after seven days [of impurity] for a male and fourteen for a female. She may then engage in relations with her husband¹⁶The Kessef Mishneh cites Chapter 7, Halachah 7, which states that the above applies only when a woman is not impure because of zavah bleeding before childbirth. If she is impure for such reasons, she must count seven "clean" days before she immerses herself and engages in relations with her husband.

Also, as will be explained (see Chapter 11, Halachot 5-6), at present the custom is not to observe the concept of blood of purity at all. Even if a woman gives birth, she must wait "seven clean days" after seeing any uterine bleeding. even though her blood flows.¹⁷I.e., she suffers uterine bleeding which would otherwise render her ritually impure.

6. All of those who must immerse themselves are required to immerse themselves during the day with the exception of a niddah and a woman after childbirth.¹⁸At present when we do not make any distinctions between niddah and zivah, all women immerse themselves at night. For with regard to a niddah, [Leviticus 15:19] states: "She will be in her niddah state for seven days." Her niddah state prevails for all of the seven days.¹⁹She cannot terminate the last day earlier by immersing herself in the daytime. She immerses on the evening of the eighth day. Similarly, a woman who gives birth to a male child immerses on the evening of the eighth day, and one who gives birth to a female immerses on the evening of the fifteenth day, for a woman who gives birth is comparable to one in the niddah state, as we explained.²⁰In Halachah 2.

7. If she²¹A niddah or a woman after childbirth. delayed the matter for many days and did not immerse herself, when she immerses herself, she should immerse only at night. For if she immerses during the day, an error [may be] made and another niddah may come and immerse herself on the seventh day.

8. If a woman was sick or the place for immersion was far away and women could not reach there and return at night because of thieves,²²Although such problems are uncommon today, there are several examples - e.g., woman living in new settlements in Israel's West Bank - where these principles are relevant. because of cold, or because they close the gates of the city at night, she may immerse during the day on the eighth - or subsequent - days.²³She should not, however, immerse herself on the seventh day even if she refrains from engaging in relations until nightfall [Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 197:4)].

9. Whenever a woman has a veset,²⁴A fixed time when the onset of menstruation can be expected to begin, as will be explained. Since she has a fixed time when menstruation is expected, at other times, we assume that she remains ritually pure. If she does not have a fixed time when menstruation can be expected to begin, her husband must ask her concerning her state. He cannot make any assumptions (Maggid Mishneh, Kessef Mishneh). her husband can assume that she is [ritually pure and] permitted until she tells him "I am impure" or she is established as a niddah in her neighborhood.²⁵By wearing clothes designated to be worn at this time.

If a woman's husband went overseas and left her ritually pure, when he comes he does not have to ask her [concerning her state]. Even if he finds her asleep, he may enter into relations with her²⁶Without inquiring about her ritual state. as long as it is not the time when she is expected to menstruate.²⁷Even if there was ample time for her to have become impure due to menstruation, to wait the appointed time, and then to immerse herself, he may assume that she did that. Since she was pure when he left her, we may assume that all of the above transpired [Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 184:11)]. He need not suspect that perhaps she is a niddah. If he left her a niddah, she is forbidden to him until she tells him: "I am ritually pure."²⁸Since he knows that she was ritually impure, he cannot assume that she changed her status. Instead, she must explicitly inform him of that change [Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 185:1)].

10. When a woman tells her husband: "I am ritually impure," and afterwards she tells him: "I am ritually pure. Before I was just speaking facetiously with you," her word is not accepted.²⁹And he must consider her as if she is actually ritually impure.

The Rama (Yoreh De'ah 185:3) states that if she corrects her statements immediately, her word is accepted. If she provides a rationale for her original statements, her word is accepted. ³⁰The Maggid Mishneh and the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 185:4) state that if she performed an act that indicated that she was impure, e.g., she wore the clothes that she wears in the niddah state, providing a valid explanation is not sufficient to clear the suspicions and she is considered impure.

What is implied? Her husband asked her to engage in relations and his sister or his mother was together with her in the courtyard. She originally said she was impure. Afterwards, she said: "I am pure. I told you that I am impure only because of your sister or your mother; lest they see us." [In this instance,] her statement is accepted. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.³¹E.g., "I originally made a mistake. I thought I was impure according to law and discovered that in fact I was pure," "I did not have strength to engage in relations and avoided them by giving this excuse" (Hagahot Maimoniot).

11. When a man was in the midst of relations with a woman who had been ritually pure and she said: "I became impure," he should not separate himself immediately while he is erect. For withdrawing is as pleasurable for him as entry. If he withdraws while he is still erect, he is liable for kerait,³²The Ramah (Yoreh De'ah 185:5) states that if a person withdraws while erect because he is unfamiliar with the transgression involved, he should fast for 40 days to seek atonement. These fasts need not be consecutive. He should also give generously to charity. like one who enters into relations with a niddah. This law also applies with regard to other arayot.³³I.e., if a person realized his transgression while involved in relations with other arayot, he should not withdraw while erect.

What should he do? Implant his toenails in the ground and wait without moving until he loses his erection.³⁴The Rama (loc. cit.) adds that he should be overcome with awe concerning the transgression which he faces. Afterwards, he should withdraw.

12. It is forbidden for a person to engage in relations³⁵The Maggid Mishneh and the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 184:2) state that it is only necessary to refrain from relations, other expressions of closeness are permitted. Even hugging and kissing are permitted (Siftei Cohen 184:6). This, however, represents the mere letter of the law. There are many authorities who are more stringent and forbid these expressions of closeness (ibid., Turei Zahav 184:3). In some communities, the custom is to observe all stringencies as if the woman was actually a niddah. with his wife near the time she can expect menstruation to begin,³⁶See ch. 8, which elaborates on this subject, speaking about situation when women have a fixed veset or a veset that has not been firmly established. lest she menstruate in the midst of relations. [This is alluded to by Leviticus 15:31]: "And you shall warn the children of Israel concerning their impurity."³⁷The entire concept of vesetot, calculating the expected time when a woman will begin menstruating is a Rabbinic injunction. Hence the citation of a Scriptural verse is merely an asmachta, a support, and not a direct Scriptural command (Maggid Mishneh).

For how long [is it necessary to refrain from relations]? If [the woman] would ordinarily begin menstruating during the day, she is forbidden to enter into relations from the beginning of the day. If she would ordinarily begin menstruating during the night, she is forbidden to enter into relations from the beginning of the night.³⁸The Siftei Cohen 184:7 states that this applies only when a woman is accustomed to begin menstruating at a given time during the day or night. If, however, she does not have a fixed time when she begins menstruating, relations are also forbidden during the preceding day or night. This stringency is not, however, accepted by all authorities.

13. If the time when menstruation could be expected to come passes and she did not begin menstruating, she is permitted to engage in relations after the time when menstruation was expected to begin passes.

What is implied? If she was accustomed to begin menstruating after six hours of the day passed. She is forbidden to engage in relations from the beginning of the day. If six hours pass without her beginning to menstruate, she is forbidden to engage in relations until the evening. ³⁹During the evening, however, she is permitted. Before entering into relations, the woman should carry out an internal examination to verify that she in fact did not begin menstruation [Tur, Rama (Yoreh De'ah 184:9)]. Similarly, if she was accustomed to begin menstruating after six hours of the night and that time passed without her beginning to menstruate, she is forbidden to engage in relations until sunrise.

14. It is the habit of Jewish men and women to carry out a personal inspection after relations.⁴⁰This ruling is mentioned by the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 186:1) as a minority perspective. The prevailing view is that when a woman possesses a fixed veset, she and her husband need not carry out such inspections at all. If she does not possess a fixed veset, she and her husband should carry out these inspections before and after the first three times they engage in relations. If no blood is discovered, it is established that sexual relations does not cause the woman to menstruate. Hence, in the future, the couple can engage in relations without making these inspections. What is implied? The man should clean himself with a cloth prepared for [this purpose] and the woman should clean herself with a cloth prepared for [this purpose]. [The purpose of these inspections is] to see whether the woman menstruated in the midst of relations. The man may allow the woman to check with his cloth. Since her word is accepted with regard to her [cloth], it is also accepted with regard to his.

15. The cloths used to clean oneself must be from worn-out,⁴¹Since they are worn-out, they are soft and pliable. It is possible for the woman to insert them into all the corners of the vagina. white⁴²In this way, any speck of blood will be noticeable. Needless to say, they must also be clean. Today, in many Jewish communities, special clothes are prepared for this purpose - and other inspections which a woman must undergo - and are available from the local mikveh and at times, even in pharmacies. linen.⁴³Cotton may also be used [Kessef Mishneh; Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 196:6)]. They are called eidim, "witnesses," in this context. The cloth with which the man cleans himself is called his ed and the cloth with which the woman cleans himself is called her ed.

16. Modest women do not engage in relations until they carry out an inspection beforehand.⁴⁴As the Rambam continues to explain, this applies even if she has a fixed veset. A woman who does not have a [fixed] veset is forbidden to engage in relations until she carries out an inspection.⁴⁵The Ra'avad and Rav Moshe Cohen object to the Rambam's ruling, explaining that the Rambam's source, Niddah 11b, applies only with regard to the laws of ritual purity and not with regard to relations with one's husband. Indeed, the Rambam himself appears to have equivocated back and forth concerning the issue. In the first draft (which is the standard printed text) of his Commentary to the Mishnah (Niddah 1:7), he follows the position advanced by the Ra'avad. It is only in the Mishneh Torah and the final text of the Commentary to the Mishneh (see Rav Kappach's translation) that he changes his mind.

Although the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 186:2) quotes the Rambam's ruling here as a minority view, the prevailing opinion is that such an inspection is unnecessary. Moreover, a woman should not carry out such an inspection in the presence of her husband, lest he think that she became impure. Therefore, she engages in relation with two edim, one for before relations and one for afterwards. When, however, a woman has a [fixed] veset, she need not use an ed before relations except as a measure of modesty.

After relations, however, everyone needs two witnesses: one for him and one for her, even a pregnant woman, one who is nursing, an elderly woman, or a minor⁴⁶All these four types of women are unlikely to menstruate. Nevertheless, they must take the precaution suggested by the Rambam. A virgin⁴⁷Who will suffer hymeneal bleeding after the first (or more) occasions of intercourse. See Chapter 5, Halachah 19. or a woman whose blood is pure⁴⁸I.e., a woman after childbirth, as described in Halachah 5. does not require edim, because blood is flowing from her.⁴⁹Thus checking to see whether or not she is bleeding will serve no purpose. This bleeding does not, however, render her ritually impure or forbidden to her husband according to Scriptural Law.

17. When a man engages in intercourse several times [in one night], [he and his wife] do not have to check their two edim after each time they engage in intercourse. Instead, he should clean himself with his ed, she should clean herself with her ed after each time they have relations that entire night. In the morning, they should check the edim. If blood is discovered on her ed or on his ed, she is impure.

If a women engaged in relations, cleaned herself, and then the ed was lost, she should not engage in relations again until she makes an internal inspection with another ed first. [We fear that] perhaps there was blood on the ed that was lost.⁵⁰If, however, the ed is clean, we assume that the ed she used at night had also been clean.

18. [The following rules apply if] she placed the ed⁵¹This is speaking about an ed that was known to be clean beforehand (Maggid Mishneh). under a pillow or a bolster and blood was discovered upon it. If [the stain] is extended, she is impure. For we can assume that [the stain] came from the cleaning.⁵²Since the stain is extended, we assume that the woman had touched a source of bleeding. As she moved the ed, the stain became extended. If it is rounded,⁵³The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 190:34) states that this applies only when the stain is smaller than a gris (see Chapter 9, Halachah 6). If it is larger than that measure, we do not assume that it comes from a louse, because it is unlikely that a louse will produce that much blood. she is pure. [We assume that the stain] came only from the blood of a louse which was killed under the pillow.⁵⁴This applies even if there is no trace of the body of the louse. We assume that when she put the ed under the pillow, she killed the louse and that produced a rounded stain. If she placed the ed in a box or in any place where a louse is unlikely to be found, she is considered as impure even if the stain is round (Maggid Mishneh).

19. [When a woman] cleaned herself with an ed that has been checked, then touched it to her thigh,⁵⁵And afterwards, placed it in a safe place. and on the next day discovered blood upon it, she is impure. We do not say: Maybe a louse was killed when she touched it to her thigh.⁵⁶For the likelihood of her suffering vaginal bleeding is greater than that of her killing a louse when touching the eid to her thigh. The Maggid Mishneh interprets the Rambam's ruling as applying even if the stain is round. He notes that other authorities differ and apply the principles stated in the previous law. The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 190:35) quotes both opinions without stating which to follow.

[The following rules apply if] she cleaned herself with an ed that was not checked⁵⁷This refers to an ed which we do not know whether it was dirty or not. If, however, we know that the ed was dirty, she is not considered impure even if a large stain is found [Rama (Yoreh De'ah 190:36)]. and she did not know whether it had blood on it before she cleaned herself with it or not. If there was more than a gris of blood [on it], she is [considered] a niddah.⁵⁸When a stain is larger than a gris, we assume that it will not have come from a louse. If the stain was less than that, she is pure. [We assume that the stain] came from a louse.

20. When a woman suffers vaginal bleeding in the midst of relations,⁵⁹The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 187:1) emphasizes that these laws apply only when the bleeding is noticed directly after intercourse. If there is an interval before she discovers the bleeding, these laws do not apply. she is permitted to engage in relations again a second time once she becomes pure.⁶⁰For an occurrence that takes place once or twice is not usually considered to establish a recurrent pattern. If she suffers vaginal bleeding [in the midst of relations] a second time, she is permitted to engage in relations a third time. If she suffers vaginal bleeding [in the midst of relations] a third time,⁶¹I.e., on three consecutive occasions without there being an occasion where relations did not lead to vaginal bleeding in the interim (Siftei Cohen 187:3). she is forbidden to ever enter into relations again with this husband.⁶²Instead, she must be divorced. She may, however, remarry as stated in the following halachah.

The reason she is required to divorce is that the recurrence of a factor three times establishes a chazzakah, a presumption that this factor will continue to recur in the future. Thus if she began bleeding on three successive occasions in the midst of relations with her husband, we assume that she will continue to do so in the future. Since she suffered vaginal bleeding in the midst of intercourse, those relations are considered as involving a severe transgression. On the first three occasions, she and her husband are not held responsible for this is obviously a deviation from the norm. If, however, a pattern is established, this is considered the norm and if she would bleed in the midst of relations in the future, the transgression would be considered as willful. To prevent that from happening, we require divorce.

It must be emphasized that all this applies after the woman has ceased hymeneal bleeding. It is, however, possible for her to engage in relations several times at the beginning of her marriage and continue hymeneal bleeding. See the conclusion of Chapter 5.

When does the above apply? When there was no other factor that [the bleeding] could be attributed to.⁶³And thus, it is assumed that the relations are the cause of the vaginal bleeding. If, however, they entered into relations close to the time when she was expected to menstruate,⁶⁴Note the Siftei Cohen 187:16 who offers several resolutions how this is possible despite the prohibition mentioned in Halachah 12. we attribute [the bleeding] to her ordinary pattern. If she had a wound [in her vaginal area], we attribute [the bleeding] to the wound. If, however, the blood that comes from the wound is a different shade than the blood which she sees in the midst of relations, she may not attribute [the bleeding] to the wound.⁶⁵Unless we know that the shades of blood are different, we assume that they are the same and attribute the bleeding to the wound (Maggid Mishneh; Siftei Cohen 187:19).

We accept the word of a woman when she says: "I have a wound in the uterus which bleeds."⁶⁶Note the Rama (Yoreh De'ah 187:5) who emphasizes the importance of adding the words "which bleeds." On this basis, she is permitted to her husband even though the uterus bleeds in the midst of relations.

21. When a woman bled in the midst of relations on three [successive] occasions and there was no outside factor to which to attribute [the bleeding], she is required to divorce. She may, however, marry a second husband.⁶⁷For we accept the possibility that the difficulty was particular to her first husband and would not affect her relations with other men. If she married a second time and bled in the midst of relations on three [successive] occasions, she is required to divorce, but she may marry a third man. If, however, she married a third time and bled in the midst of relations on three [successive] occasions, she is required to divorce and she may not marry again⁶⁸Since the same condition recurred with three different men, a chazzakah is established and we assume that it will recur with all men. until she is healed from this sickness.

22. How does a woman check herself to see whether she has been healed from this sickness?⁶⁹She may check herself in this manner at any time in the process, even before being divorced by her first husband [Maggid Mishneh; see Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 187:3)]. She brings a lead tube with its edge doubled over inside of it.⁷⁰So that it will be smooth and will not scratch her. She inserts the tube into her vagina until the place it can reach. She then places a shaft within the tube with a cotton swab placed at its top. She pushes [the shaft] until the swab reaches the opening of the uterus and then takes out the swab. If blood is found on the top of swab, it can be assumed that the blood discovered in the midst of relations comes from the uterus.⁷¹For the swab was touched to the uterus without contact with any other part of the body. If there was no blood on the swab, it can be assumed that the blood discovered [in the midst of relations] comes from pressure on the sides of the vaginal channel.⁷²And such bleeding does not render her impure.

Without minimizing the effectiveness of this method of checking devised by the Rabbis of the Talmud, today there are more effective medical tools available and it is possible to ascertain the source of a woman's bleeding in that manner. A careful inspection by a doctor or nurse under the guidance of a Rav may - and should - be employed as soon as such problems occur. She is pure and may marry another man, as stated in Hilchot Ishut.⁷³Hilchot Ishut 25:8. The Rambam is implying that she cannot remarry her third husband. In Hilchot Ishut, he explains that when a man divorces a woman for this reason, the husband must know he may never remarry her, for otherwise it would be as if he gave the divorce conditionally. If she becomes healed, it would not be effective.