Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day

The bleeding of niddah, the bleeding of zivah, the bleeding before childbirth,1 the pure blood that follows childbirth,2 are all one type of bleeding. They [all] come from the uterus, from the same source. The laws applying [to this bleeding], however, change according to the time [and circumstance],3 causing the woman who discovers the bleeding to be considered as pure, a niddah, or a zavah.

What is implied? When a woman menstruates for the first time or when she menstruates at the fixed time at which it has been established that she will menstruate,4 she is a niddah for seven full days. [This applies] whether she continues to bleed throughout the seven days or she only discovered one drop of blood. If she discovers blood on the eighth day, this is the blood of zivah, because it comes "outside the time for niddah" [Leviticus 15:25].5

Any blood that is discovered between one fixed time that a woman can be expected to menstruate and the next fixed time that she can be expected to menstruate is the blood of zivah. It is a halachah transmitted to Moses on Sinai that there are no more than eleven days between one menstrual bleeding and an another.

All of the seven days beginning with the day on which a fixed time that a woman can be expected to menstruate was established are called "the days of niddah." [This applies] whether the woman menstruates or not.6 Why are they called "the days of niddah"? Because they are fit [for a woman to be considered] a niddah? Any blood discovered during these days is considered as the blood of niddah.

The eleven days that follow these seven are called "the days of zivah." [This applies] whether the woman discovers bleeding or not. Why are they called "the days of zivah"? Because they are fit [for a woman to be considered] a zivah? Any blood discovered during these days is considered as the blood of zivah. Take care with regard to these names: "the days of niddah" and "the days of zivah."

Throughout her entire life, from the time she establishes a time when she can be expected to menstruate until she dies or until she transfers the time she can be expected to menstruate to another date,7 she should count seven days from the beginning of the day when she could be expected to menstruate and eleven days after them. Afterwards, [she counts] another seven days and another eleven days.8

Take care of this reckoning so that you will know [a woman's status] if she discovers blood. Was it in the days of niddah or the days of zivah? For throughout a woman's entire life, she [follows the same pattern]: seven days of niddah and eleven days of zivah unless the pattern was interrupted by a birth, as will be explained.9

When a woman discovers uterine bleeding during the days of zivah for only one day or for two consecutive days, she is called a minor zavah,10 and she is called one who watches a day for a day.11 If she discovered [uterine bleeding] for three consecutive days, she is a zavah in the complete sense of the term. She is called a major zavah or merely referred to as a zavah without any further description. [This is derived from Leviticus 15:25]: "When a woman will have a flow of blood for many days...." The minimum implied by the plural form, "days," is two. "Many" indicates [at least] three.

There is no difference between a major zavah and a minor zavah except the counting of seven ["spotless" days] and the necessity to bring a sacrifice. For a major zavah must count seven "spotless" days [before immersing to regain ritual purity] and a minor zavah need only count one day. And a major zavah must bring a sacrifice when she purifies herself12 and a minor zavah need not. They are both impure and the prohibition against relations applies to both of them equally.

What is implied? If she discovered blood in the days of zivah - whether she discovered it in the beginning of the night or she discovered it at the end of the day - that entire day, she is impure. It is as if the bleeding did not cease from the time she discovered it until the sun sets. She should watch herself throughout the night.13 If there are no signs of bleeding at night, she should arise in the morning and immerse herself after sunrise.14 She should watch herself for the entire day. If there are no signs of bleeding,15 there is then a pure day to compensate for the impure day and she is permitted to her husband at night.

If she discovered [uterine] bleeding also on the second day, whether at night or whether during the day, after she immersed herself, that second day is also impure and she must watch herself for the entire third night. If there are no signs of bleeding at night, she should arise in the morning and immerse herself after sunrise. She should watch herself for the entire day.16 If there are no signs of bleeding, there is then a pure day to compensate for the two impure days17 and she is permitted to her husband at night.

If she discovered [uterine] bleeding on the third day, whether during the day or at night, she is a major zavah and she must count seven pure days when there is no uterine bleeding [at all], as [Leviticus 15:28] states: "She must count seven days for herself." She immerses herself on the seventh day after sunrise and is permitted to her husband at night. On the eighth day, she brings her sacrifice, two turtle doves or two doves.

When a minor zavah immerses herself at night18 during the day she is watching or a major zavah immerses herself on the seventh night, it is as if she did not immerse herself.19 She is like a niddah who immerses herself within the seven days.

When a person has relations with a major zavah after she immersed herself on the seventh day of her counting [of "spotless" days] or with a minor zavah after she immersed herself on the day on which she must watch herself, he is not liable for kerait, because she immersed herself at the time she was fit to immerse herself when regaining ritual purity.20 This woman, however, possessed improper culture, for relations with her and things she touches are tenative.21

What is meant by their being "tentative"? If the day on which she immersed herself is completed without her discovering any uterine bleeding, everything which she touched after she immersed herself is ritually pure and there is no liability for relations with her. If, however, she discovers blood on this day after immersing herself, she is considered as a zavah retroactively. Anything which she touched is retroactively considered as impure and she and the man who engaged in relations with her are obligated to bring a sacrifice.22 Therefore she is forbidden to her husband until the evening, lest she bring herself to a situation involving doubt.

When a zavah counts six "spotless" days and discovers uterine bleeding on the seventh day, even if it is close to sunset,23 all of the days counted previously are invalidated24 and she begins a new reckoning of seven "spotless" days after the impure day.

If [a woman] discharges semen25 during the days she is counting, she invalidates one day. She is like a zav who has a seminal emission who invalidates one day [in his counting].26

If she discovered uterine bleeding on the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days of her "days of zivah," she is not considered a major zavah. Instead, from the state of a minor zavah, she becomes a niddah. For the twelfth day is the beginning of her days of niddah27 and a woman who discovers bleeding in her days of niddah does not become a zavah, as we explained.28

What is the intent of the Torah's wording [Leviticus 15:25]: "After the time for niddah"? That if she discovered bleeding on the three days that follow her niddah [bleeding], she is a zavah,29 i.e., she discovered bleeding on the eighth day after the onset of the days of niddah, the ninth day, and the tenth day, i.e., the first three of the eleven days of zivah.

[The following laws apply if a woman] discovers bleeding on the eleventh day of zivah and she immersed herself in the evening on the night of the twelfth day and engaged in relations.30 Although she is impure and the man who engaged in relations with her becomes impure and the laws regarding the impurity of the places where they both sit and lie apply, the couple are not liable for kerait. [The rationale is that] the twelfth day is not joined with the eleventh day for her to be considered a zavah. Her immersion that night is effective in saving her from [being liable to bring] a sacrifice.31

If she immerses herself on the twelfth day after sunrise, she is forbidden to her husband until the evening as is the law with regard to any minor zavah.32 If [her husband] transgresses and engages in relations with her, neither of them are liable at all.33 Even if she discovers blood on the twelfth day after they engaged in relations it is of no significance. For this is the blood of niddah and it is not associated with [the bleeding of] the previous day.

If she discovers bleeding at the conclusion of her seventh day of niddah during bein hashamashot,34 and then discovers bleeding on the ninth day and the tenth day, there is an unresolved doubt if she is considered a [major]35 zavah.36 For perhaps the [blood] discovered at first was on the eighth night and thus it is as if she discovered blood on three consecutive days at the beginning of her days of zivah.

Similarly, if she discovered bleeding on the ninth and tenth days of her days of zivah and discovered bleeding again at the conclusion of the eleventh day during bein hashamashot, there is an unresolved doubt if she is considered a [major] zavah. For perhaps the final discovery [of bleeding] was on the eleventh day and she will have discovered [bleeding] on three consecutive days during her days of zivah.

When a niddah inspects herself in the midst of her days of niddah and discovers that her bleeding has ceased, even if it ceased on the second37 day of her menstrual period, and either, inadvertently or intentionally, did not inspect herself again until many days after her [days of] niddah and discovers impurity,38 we do not say that she was impure for all those days and [hence,] she is a zavah.39 Instead, throughout the entire time that she did not inspect herself, we operate under the presumption that she is pure.40

If she inspected herself and found impurity, even if she checked herself on the seventh of her days of niddah, if she did not inspect herself again [before] bein hashamashot to separate herself from the impurity of niddah, but instead waited [several] days and afterwards inspected herself and found that she was pure, there is an unresolved doubt if she is considered a [major] zavah.41

If she discovered impurity, she is definitely a zavah. [The rationale is that since] at the beginning she discovered impurity and at the end, she discovered impurity, we operate under the presumption that she did not stop bleeding.42

On the first day of menstruation, even though a woman [conducted an inspection and] found that she was pure, it is as if she discovered impurity. For on the first day of menstruation, we operate under the presumption that a woman's flow will continue.43

When a zavah inspects herself on the first day of [the seven days]44 she must count and finds herself pure and then did not inspect herself until the seventh day and found that she was pure, she can be assumed to be pure.45 It is as if she inspected herself for all of the seven days and discovered herself to be pure.

Similarly, if she inspects herself on the first day of [the seven days] she must count and finds herself pure and [inspects herself] on the eighth day and found that she was pure, she can be assumed to be pure.46

If she checked herself on the third day of zivah and discovered that the bleeding had ceased, but did not check herself on the first day of counting and then checked herself on the seventh day, she can be assumed to be pure.47

The same laws apply to a zav48 with regard to all these inspections if he finds himself pure and it is considered as if he counted these days.

Whenever there is a doubt whether a woman is niddah or a zavah, she must count seven "spotless" days49 because of the doubt. She immerses herself on the night preceding the eighth day50 Afterwards, she is permitted to her husband. She must bring the sacrifice of a zavah, but it is not eaten as will be explained in the appropriate place.51

When a pregnant woman begins to feel pain, the labor pains take hold of her, and there is a flow of blood before she gives birth, that bleeding called "the blood of the throes."

What are the laws that govern it? If it comes during her days of niddah, it is considered as niddah bleeding and she is impure as a niddah. If it comes in her days of zivah, she is pure.1 [This is derived from Leviticus 15:19]: "When blood flows within her flesh." According to the Oral Tradition , we learn that the bleeding must come from herself, and not because of a child.

[The above applies] provided she gives birth to a living child. If, however, she miscarries, [the laws of "the blood of] the throes" do not apply.

Even if the blood is flowing together with contractions and pain for fourteen days2 before she gives birth, this is considered as "the blood of the throes" and she is pure. If, however, the bleeding began fifteen days or more before birth, the bleeding is considered as "the blood of zivah" and the laws that apply to a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah apply to her.3

When does the above apply? When the contractions, throes, and pain did not cease, but instead, she continued having difficulty until she gave birth. If, however, she discovered bleeding for three days or more during her "days of zivah" amid pain and throes, but the pains cease and the throes ease after three days and she is able to remain comfortable for 24 hours or more, she is a zavah.4 For if the bleeding was coming as a result of the child, the pain and the throes would not cease [for that long]. If she gives birth afterwards, the laws that apply to a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah apply to her.5

When she discovers bleeding for one day without pain and then for two days with difficulty and then gives birth, [discovers bleeding] for two days without pain and then for one day with difficulty and gives birth, or [discovers bleeding] for one day with difficulty, then for one day without pain, and then for one day with difficulty and gives birth, the laws that apply to a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah do not apply to her.

If, however, she discovers bleeding for one day with difficulty and then for two days without pain and then6 gives birth, [discovers bleeding] for two days with difficulty and then for one day without pain and gives birth, or [discovers bleeding] for one day without pain, then for one day with difficulty, and then for one day without pain and gives birth, the laws that apply to a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah apply to her.7

This is the general principle: When there are throes in proximity to birth, the laws that apply to a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah do not apply to her. When there is ease in proximity to birth, the laws that apply to a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah apply to her.

When the third day of her sighting blood is the day on which she gives birth, even if the entire day is characterized by ease, the laws that apply to a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah do not apply to her. [The rationale is that] the day she gave birth is close to difficulty.8

If she discovered bleeding for two days and miscarried on the third day, but did not identify what emerged in the miscarriage,9 her status is doubtful. There is a question if the laws of zivah or the laws of a woman who gave birth apply to her.10

What are the laws that apply to a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah? She must abide seven spotless days.11 Afterwards, she immerses herself at night and is permitted to her husband. Only then do the laws of "the blood of purity" apply to her. She must bring an offering of a zavah and the offering of childbirth. Accordingly, if she gives birth to a male, even if her bleeding ceases on the day she gives birth, she should count seven "spotless" days and immerse herself. If she gives birth to a female and counts seven "spotless" days which conclude with the fourteen days [she is impure because of] birth or after them, she can immerse herself and she is permitted to her husband. If the days of her counting conclude within the fourteen days, she is forbidden to her husband until the fifteenth night.12

What is implied? If she discovered bleeding for three days and then counted seven "spotless" days, there are [only] ten days and she remains forbidden to her husband until the fifteenth night.13 For the entire fourteen days, she is like a niddah.

Why do we not require a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah to count seven "spotless" days after the seven days [of impurity that follow] the birth of a male or the fourteen days [of impurity that follow] the birth of a female?14 Because the days following birth and the days of niddah in which blood is not sighted are counted as part of the seven "spotless" days, as will be explained.15

When a woman who gives birth while in the state of zivah does not cease bleeding,16 [the laws of] "the blood of purity" do not apply to her. Instead, any uterine bleeding is considered as the bleeding of zivah. If, however, she counted seven "spotless" days, completed the fourteen days [following the birth of] a female, and then immersed herself, [the laws of] "the blood of purity" apply to her [should] she sight bleeding during the 40 days following the birth of a male and the 80 days following the birth of a female.17

If she counted seven "spotless" days, but did not immerse herself immediately and afterwards18 discovered bleeding, she may [nevertheless] immerse herself. She is permitted to her husband immediately, for all of the days of purity are not fit neither for niddah, nor for zivah.19 Nevertheless, until she immerses herself, the blood itself is impure and renders others impure like the blood of niddah.20

[The following laws apply when a woman] gives birth to a female and after the fourteen days of impurity, she becomes pregnant again. She then [begins to miscarry and] the blood of childbirth begins to flow with the 80 days [of blood of purity]. This is also considered as "pure" blood. Although generally, we do not consider bleeding which precedes miscarriage as bleeding which precedes childbirth,21 [an exception is made in this instance]. For any blood that she sights during the days of purity is pure until she [actually] miscarries. When she miscarries, she becomes impure because of the birth. If [the fetus] she miscarries was male, she is impure as if she gave birth to a male. If [the fetus] she miscarries was female, she is impure as if she gave birth to a female. She counts the days of impurity and then the days of purity from the second "birth."

Even if she was pregnant with twins and miscarried one on one day and miscarried the other after several days passed, she counts days of impurity and days of purity from the second [miscarriage].

When the flow of a zavah ceases, she begins to count her seven "spotless" days, and then the blood of the throes of childbirth comes in the midst of the "spotless" days, it does not nullify her counting. [On the contrary,] the days of bleeding are counted as part of the seven days.22

Similarly, if she gave birth in the midst of the seven "spotless" days, the birth does not nullify her counting. Indeed, the days of birth can be counted in the seven ["spotless"] days23 even though she is impure. [This is indicated by Leviticus 15:28]: "If she has become pure from her zivah." Implied is that since she has become pure from her zivah - even though she is impure for other reasons, e.g., the impurity of childbirth, the impurity of niddah, or the impurity of tzara'at24 - she may count on them. These types of impurity and the like do not nullify her counting.

When a woman does not discover bleeding in her niddah days25 and the days following childbirth, they may be counted as part of her seven "spotless" days. If she does discover bleeding during these days, these days are not counted, nor do they nullify her previous reckoning. Instead, she completes her counting, adding to the days counted previously, when her bleeding ceases. For the only bleeding that nullifies a woman's counting is zivah bleeding. These types of bleeding invalidate only that very day.

After you have understood all the fundamental principles which we have explained, you will be able to comprehend our Sages' statement26 that a woman may discover uterine bleeding for 114 consecutive days without becoming a [major] zavah.

What is implied? [The first days are] the last two days before her days of niddah.27 [They are followed by] the seven days of niddah, two days [of zivah] which follow the days of niddah,28 14 days of [pre-birth] difficulty, the 80 days associated with the birth of a female, the seven days of niddah, and two days [of zivah] which follow the days of niddah.

From this, one learns that any bleeding that a woman discovers after the completion of the days associated with childbirth marks the beginning of her days of niddah. We do not pay attention to the previously existing times when she would be expected to menstruate.

Accordingly, there is a doubt whether a woman who discovers bleeding bein hashamashot29 is a niddah. For perhaps it is considered as if she discovered the bleeding at night, when her days of niddah could begin.

We have already explained30 that when a woman continues her niddah bleeding for seven days, she is permitted to engage in relations on the night of the eighth day after she immerses herself.31 A minor zavah who watches herself for one pure day and immerses herself is permitted to engage in relations in the evening. A major zavah must count seven "spotless" days. Then she immerses herself and is permitted to engage in relations on the night of the eighth day. There are only eleven days between [one set of] the "days of niddah" and a second set. During these eleven days, [a woman who discovers uterine bleeding will be either a minor zavah or a major zavah.

When you will remember all of these fundamental points, you will understand our Sages' statement32 that a woman who has established a fixed [continuous] pattern in which she discovers bleeding on one day and does not discover it on the following day. At the outset, she may engage in relations on the night and day of the eighth day,33 i.e., the first day after her "days of niddah." [On the whole,] she may engage in relations only four nights34 during eighteen days.35 She may not engage in relations during the days which are pure, because the days must be watched because of the [previous] impure day.36 Accordingly, if on the impure days, she always discovers bleeding at the beginning of the night, she may only engage in relations on the eighth day which is the first day after her "days of niddah."

If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for two impure days and then to experience two pure days, she may engage in relations on the eighth, the twelfth, the sixteenth, and the twentieth.37

If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for three impure days and then to experience three pure days, she may engage in relations on two of the three pure days that follow her "days of niddah." For the first of them must be watched because of the two impure days that follow her "days of niddah."38 Afterwards, she may never engage in relations again. For she will be established as a major zavah,39 but will never count seven "spotless" days [to purify herself].40

If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for four impure days and then to experience four pure days, she may engage in relations on one day after her ["days of] niddah."41 Afterwards, she may never engage in relations again.42

13If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for five impure days and then to experience five pure days, she may engage in relations on three days after her ["days of] niddah."43 Afterwards, she may never engage in relations again.

13If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for six impure days and then to experience six pure days, she may engage in relations on five days after her ["days of] niddah."44 Afterwards, she may never engage in relations again.

If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for seven impure days and then to experience seven pure days, she may engage in relations during the first pure week that follows her ["days of] niddah." That is followed by an impure week which establishes her as a zavah.45 The week which follows is required to count [seven "spotless" days] and it is forbidden to engage in relations during it. Thus in four weeks she is allowed to engage in relations for only one week. Throughout her entire life, she may engage in relations for eighteen days in eighteen weeks.46

What is implied? During the fifth week, she is a zavah. The sixth week in which she is pure is required to count [seven "spotless" days]. During the seventh week, she is a zavah. During the eighth week, she must count. During the ninth week, when she discovers bleeding, five of these days are [during her] "days of niddah" and two are [during] the beginning of her "days of zivah."47 [Hence,] she must watch one day48 of the tenth week and may engage in relations for six [days]. During the eleventh week when she discovers bleeding, two are the conclusion of the days of zivah49 and five are during "the days of niddah." During the twelfth pure week, she may engage in relations for five days.50 During the thirteenth week, she is a zavah. During the fourteenth week, she must count. During the fifteenth week, she is a zavah. During the sixteenth week, she must count. During the seventeenth week, she is a zavah. During the eighteenth week, she must count.

She continues to count in this manner forever.51 Thus she will be able to engage in relations on eighteen days in eighteen weeks. If she did not have such a physical difficulty, and she would be a niddah for a week and be pure for eleven days, she would be able to engage in relations for eleven weeks, i.e., 77 days, out of the eighteen weeks.

When she discovers bleeding for one impure week and then is pure for a week, and thus can engage in relations for eighteen days, this is approximately52 one fourth of the days [on which she would ordinarily be allowed to engage in relations]. This is what our Sages53 [implied when] saying: "She may engage in relations for a fourth of her days."

If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for eight impure days and then to experience eight pure days, she may engage in relations for fifteen days amid 48 days.54

What is implied? Of the first eight days, seven are her "days of niddah" and one is the first of the "days of zivah" that follow the "days of niddah." She must watch one of the eight pure days and can engage in relations on seven of them. Afterwards, come seven impure days. Two of them are the final days of her "days of zivah" and six are in her days of niddah. Then come eight pure days. The first of them is the conclusion of her "days of niddah."55 She may engage in relations on the remaining seven.

Then come eight impure days. Four of them are the final days of her "days of zivah" and four are in her "days of niddah." Thus she is a major zavah and must count seven "spotless" days. Afterwards, come seven pure days. She counts for seven of them and may engage in relations for one day. Thus she may engage in relations for fifteen days in each 48.56

If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for nine impure days and then to experience nine pure days, she may engage in relations for eight days in every eighteen days forever.57

What is implied? Of the nine impure [days]: Seven of them are her "days of niddah" and two are "days of zivah" that follow her "days of niddah." She must watch one day58 of the nine pure days and may engage in relations on the remaining eight. This pattern continues forever.

If [a woman's established pattern] is to discover bleeding for ten impure days and then to experience ten pure days - and the same rules prevail for more than ten, indeed even 1000 days, if the same number of days are pure as impure59 - the number of days when she may engage in relations will equal the number of days [from when she began bleeding]60 as a zavah.

What is implied? If there are ten impure days, seven of them are days of niddah and three days of zivah. [Therefore on] her ten pure days, she must count seven and may engage in relations on three. Thus there will be three days when she may engage in relations and three days of zivah. Similarly, when she is impure for 100 days and pure for 100 days. The first seven are days of niddah and the following 93 [start on] her "days of zivah." Hence, of her 100 pure days, seven must be counted and she may engage in relations on 93 of them. Similar principles apply with regard to 1000 days or any other number of days.

There are women who have vesetot, established times [when they menstruate] and other women who do not have vesetot. Instead, they feel nothing until the blood is actually released1 and they do not have a fixed day on which they menstruate.

[The intent when speaking of] a woman who has a veset is that there is a specific day - [e.g.,] from the twentieth [day of the month] to the twentieth or from the twenty-fourth to the twenty-fourth, or more or less - [on which she begins to menstruate].

Before the onset of menstruation, she will demonstrate physical symptoms,2 [e.g.,] she yawns, sneezes,3 feels anxiety at the opening to her stomach and lower intestinal area, the hairs of her flesh will stand up, her flesh will become warm, or any similar physical symptoms.4 She will experience these - or at least one of these - symptoms at the fixed time when she [will menstruate] on the established day.

We have already explained5 that any woman who does not have a [fixed] veset is forbidden to engage in relations until she makes an internal examination first. If she has a [fixed] veset, she is forbidden to engage in relations through the entire time of the veset. If her veset is during the day, she is forbidden to engage in relations throughout the entire day.6 If her veset is during the night, she is forbidden to engage in relations throughout the entire night. She should begin counting her "days of niddah" and her "days of zivah"7 from the day of the veset at all times.8

Therefore women must be careful with regard to vesetot until they know the day and the hour when a veset is established. If her pattern was to begin menstruation on the twentieth day9 and the twentieth day came and she did not menstruate and she did menstruate on the twenty-third, she is forbidden [to engage in relations on] the twentieth and twenty-third.10

Similarly, if a second time she did not menstruate on the twentieth and [instead,] began to menstruate on the twenty-third day, both days remain forbidden.11 If for a third time, she did not menstruate on the twentieth and [instead,] began to menstruate on the twenty-third day, the twentieth day is purified12 and the veset is transferred to the twenty-third day. For a woman does not establish a veset until she establishes it three times, nor does she uproot a veset until she bypasses it three times.

When a veset is established because of outside factors, even if recurs several times, it is not a veset, because [menstruation] came as a result of an outside factor.13

If a woman jumped14 and menstruated and [again] jumped and menstruated, she establishes a veset for the specific day without considering whether she jumped. What is implied? She jumped on Sunday and menstruated. After an interval of 20 days,15 she again jumped on Sunday and menstruated. Then after an interval of 19 days, she jumped on the Sabbath and did not menstruate, but menstruated after the Sabbath without jumping, she establishes [a fixed veset] for Sunday after a twenty day interval.16 For it is clear that the interval causes her to menstruate and not jumping,17 and the interval has been established as the onset of menstruation on three occasions. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.

When a woman begins menstruating on the fifteenth of one month, and menstruates on the sixteenth of the following month, the seventeenth of the month which follows that, and the eighteen of the month which follows that, she establishes a veset which advances.18

If during the fourth month, she begins menstruating on the seventeenth, the veset is not established.19 Instead, [in the following month,] she suspects that she will menstruate on the day on which she menstruated during the previous month.20 If that day arrives and she does not menstruate, that day becomes pure and is no longer suspected. For only a date that has been established by three [consecutive onsets] need be uprooted by three consecutive occasions when menstruation does not occur.

If her pattern had been to begin menstruation on the fifteenth and she changed21 to the sixteenth, [relations] are forbidden on both.22 If, [in the following month,] she changed to the seventeenth, the sixteenth is released and the seventeenth becomes prohibited. The fifteenth remains prohibited.23 If, [in the following month,] she changed to the eighteenth, the eighteenth becomes prohibited24 and all the other dates are released.

If her pattern had been to begin menstruation on the twentieth day and she changed to the twenty-second, they are both forbidden.25 If, [in the following month,] the twentieth arrives and she does not menstruate, but she does menstruate on the twenty-second, they both remain forbidden. If, [in the following month,] the twentieth arrived and she began menstruating, she is considered to have returned to her fixed pattern.26 The twenty-second is released, because it was not established through three [onsets of menstruation].

A woman does not establish a veset in the midst of her "days of niddah" during which she has menstruated.27 Since she menstruates on one of these days, she cannot establish a veset in any of the seven. Similarly, a woman does not establish a veset in her eleven "days of zivah." She may, however, establish a fixed veset in her "days of niddah" when she has not menstruated.

If she established a veset in her "days of zivah,"28 she must show concern over that veset.29 Whenever a veset is established in [a woman's] "days of zivah," it is uprooted if it is bypassed even once. It does not have to be bypassed three times. [The rationale is that] it is an accepted presumption that a woman's [menstrual] blood is withdrawn on these days.30

What is meant by "she must show concern over that veset"? If she sighted bleeding on this veset for even one day, she must wait as a niddah because of the doubt.31 [In the following month,] she is forbidden to engage in relations on that day even if she did not sight bleeding as32 on the other days of the vesetot. If she discovers bleeding for three successive days, she is a zavah.33

When a woman frequently inspects herself at all times, her conduct is praiseworthy.34 [This applies] even if she has established a fixed veset. For bleeding may come at times other than her veset.

During the eleven days of zivah, we assume that she is pure.35 [Hence,] she need not inspect herself. After her days of zivah,36 however, she should inspect herself.

When a woman remains passive37 and does not inspect herself, either because of forces beyond her control or intentionally, she is assumed to be pure until she inspects herself and discovers [that she is] impure.38

[The following laws apply when] a woman did not inspect herself at the time of her veset39 and inspected herself a few days afterwards and discovered that she was impure. Retroactively, she is considered impure from the time of her veset with regard to matters of ritual purity and impurity, as will be explained.40 Nevertheless, she does not render a man who engaged in relations with her impure retroactively41 and she may not count [the days of niddah] except from the time she discovered the bleeding.42 If [in the inspection], she discovered that she is pure, we operate under the assumption that she is pure.43

Similarly, when a woman discovers bleeding due to a wound that she has in her uterus, she is pure, even if she discovers the bleeding at the time of her veset.44 The blood is also pure. [The rationale is that the obligation to show concern for] vesetot is Rabbinic in origin, as will be explained in Hilchot Mitamei Mishkav UMoshav.45

A blind woman should conduct an internal examination herself and show [the ed] to her friends.46 A deaf-mute47 and a mentally or emotionally incapacitated woman must be inspected by intellectually capable women48 so that their vesetot can be established. [Afterwards,] they are permitted to their husbands.49

Should a woman err and be unaware of the day when her "days of niddah"50 begins, if she menstruates, she must be concerned that she is a zavah.51 Therefore if she menstruated for one day or two days, she must nevertheless wait a full seven52 lest the blood have come in her "days of niddah." And if she discovers bleeding for three days, she must count seven "spotless" days, lest she be in the midst of her "days of zivah."

What must she do to redefine when her "days of niddah" begin, to know if she is definitely a zavah or that if there is a question concerning that53, and to know when her "days of zivah" begin? Everything is dependent on [the number of days] during which she discovers [bleeding].

If she discovered bleeding for one day or for two days, she counts the remainder of the seven54 and begins counting the eleven55 days after these seven.56

If she discovered bleeding for three days, there is a doubt whether she is a zavah.57 For perhaps one of these days preceded her "days of niddah" and two were at the beginning of her "days of niddah." Similarly, if she discovered bleeding for four days, [there is a doubt whether she is a zavah]. For perhaps two of these days preceded her "days of niddah" and two were at the beginning of her "days of niddah." She must observe the five as the remainder of the seven and [count] the eleven days after these five.

Similarly, if she discovered bleeding for nine days,58 there is a doubt whether she is a zavah. Perhaps two of the days preceded her days of niddah" and seven are her "days of niddah." She begins counting the eleven days after the ninth day [on which] the bleeding stopped. Similarly, if she discovered bleeding for eleven days,59 there is a doubt whether she is a zavah. Perhaps two of the days preceded her days of niddah," seven are her "days of niddah," and two days followed her "days of niddah." Thus there remain nine days within her "days of zivah."60

If she discovered bleeding for twelve days, she is definitely a zavah. For even if two of the days preceded her days of niddah" and seven are her "days of niddah," there are three days61 following her "days of niddah. Thus there remain eight days within her "days of zivah." The same laws apply if she discovered bleeding for thirteen days. There remain seven days within her "days of zivah" and they are the days on which she counts [seven "spotless" days].

Even if a women's menstruation continues for even 1000 days, as soon as the bleeding stops, she should count seven "spotless" days. After these seven days, a woman who erred begins anew her "days of niddah."62

Thus we learn: Whenever a woman errs, she never counts less than seven days from the time which her bleeding stops. Nor does she count more than seventeen. Afterwards, come her "days of niddah."

What is implied? If she discovered bleeding for one day and then it stopped, she should count seventeen days. Six to complete her "days of niddah" and eleven as her "days of zivah." If she discovers bleeding for thirteen days or more she counts seven "spotless" days after the bleeding ceases. Afterwards, her "days of niddah" begin as explained [above].