Daily Mitzvot

Do not be sexually intimate with a Nida /woman ritually unclean from her menses.

 

 “Do not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is unclean from her menses “Vayikra 18:19

 

If a person transgresses by having sexual intimacy with a menstrual unclean woman, even after her menses have ended, as long as she has not undergone immersion is a mikva/ ritual bath containing 40 seahs /294 liters of water- both of them deserve spiritual severance.

A child born from this union is of defective status.

 

It is forbidden to be sexually intimate with his wife close to the time of her period.

What is the length of time “close to the start of her period ?

If she is accustomed to seeing a flow during the day, she is forbidden from the beginning of the day.

If she is accustomed to seeing a flow at night she is forbidden from the beginning of the night.

 

CHILD BIRTH

A woman who has given birth is unclean to her husband like a women unclean from her menses,

Even if she saw no blood during childbirth she is unclean, whether she gave birth to a viable child or one that did not survive.

 

In our countries after 7 days for a male child and 14 for a female. If she is clean and free of any blood flow she may inspect herself for the cessation of her period and begin to count 7 clean days.

 

She would then undergo the immersion in a mikva and afterwards she is permitted to her husband.

If she sees blood after immersion she is then a forbidden woman to her husband.

If one is sexually intimate with a woman who has given birth and not been to the Mikva is like being intimate with a Nida.

 

 DUTY OF MIKVA

Regarding the actual duty of ritual immersion in a mikva after her period there is no need to elaborate, for we all know the serious of her duty according to the Torah.

She is unclean from her menses as long as she has not immersed in a mikva.

 

Even if many years have passed since menopause. Nevertheless, she remains unclean by Torah law from the time she saw blood as she has still not become ritually purified.

 

The prohibition regarding a Nida / women unclean from her menses, is well known throughout Jewry,

Even the very youngest who has a little knowledge of the written Torah is aware of the verse –

“do not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is unclean from her menses “Vayikra 18:19 and the end of this chapter whoever shall do any of these abominations, the souls who do them shall be cut off amongst their people “Vayikra 18:29

 

This means the woman also suffers spiritual severance due to this.

Many times in this Torah portion the point is repeated that it is an abomination which defiles the land and defiles the soul, so that the soul is cut off completely from the land of the living.

If heathens compel him to do this, he should sooner give up his life than commit this sin, since it is equivalent to idol-worship.

 

In regard to the great extent that this is common knowledge amongst Jews it might seem a wonder and amazement that we set down before the reader the great seriousness of this prohibition- just as there is no need to warn everyone not to cut off his own head!

 

Yet due to our numerous sins mindless people and boors have begun to total disregard ritual immersion. Their wives do not undergo immersion at all after their period, thinking that this is a mere custom of Judaism. Therefore, it is necessary to elaborate on the seriousness of this transgression and warn people about this enormous frightful sin.

 

PENALTY FOR TRANSGRESSING THIS PROHIBITION

Firstly, a man must know that all punishments stated in the Torah and by the Sages regarding sexual intimacy with forbidden relations also applies to a Nida/ women unclean from her menses and both parties are accountable and punished with spiritual severance.

 

If someone transgressed this knowingly he is utterly wicked and disqualified from giving testimony or taking a vow.

 

On account of this he is called a deliberate Jewish sinner with his body and the following ruling applies to him- if someone has a majority of sins and this sin also applies to him he is sentenced to 12 months in Gehennim / purgatory after which the body is consumed and the soul is burned and the winds scatter them under the soles of the feet of the righteous. (Talmud Rosh Ha Shonah 17a)

 

Who can imagine the enormous afflictions and tribulations that both of them will suffer in Gehinnim even for one violation of this prohibition. How much more so if this severe sin has become indifferent in their eyes and they transgress many times.

 

In many instance this sin causes her to die at the time of childbirth as the Sages taught –

Over 3 t things women die during childbirth- because they are not careful with Nida, separating the dough for the Kohen (+ 57) and lighting Shabbat candles. (Talmud Shabbos 31b)

This sin also causes their children to die.  Even if one sees his children survive let him not think all will be well for him as he does not know what will happen at the end of his days.

Further the children born to him under these circumstances will be that they are completely wicked.

They are listed amongst the 9 types, with the child of a Nida being listed as one of the 9.

Regarding them it is written “I will purge out from amongst you the rebels of those who sin against Me” Yehezkel 20:38.

 

The Sages said how much will he suffer over this is the future- as if not enough that he has ruined himself all the days of his life but also brought wicked people into this world to rebel against God and His Torah all the days of their life.

Their evil activities will remain as a perpetual remembrance of sin for him.

The holy Zohar/Book of Jewish mysticism says the progeny he creates at that moment draw down upon them a spirit of uncleanliness and all their days will be in impurity. For here his edifice and foundation stay in a greater and stronger uncleanliness than all defilements in the world.

Therefore, let every Jewish person take pity on himself and all his future generations of descendants that will come after him that they should not be consumed through his sins.

Let him muster his strength against this impulse so not to transgress this severe prohibition and it will be good for him in this world and the next.

 

From this we see the great necessity to take care not to live with one’s wife in a town without a kosher mikva.

Even if his children are dependent on him and the only way, according to him, of earning a living is connected to this place, let him not exchange a world that endures forever with a world that fades away.

 

Certainly if he lives permanently with his wife in that place he will come to stumble over this prohibition punishable by spiritual severance.

He must place his trust in God that He will not be abandoned elsewhere either.