1All of what was said with regard to the laws of niddah, zivah, and childbirth applies with regard to Scriptural Law.אכָּל שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ בְּנִדָּה וְזָבָה וְיוֹלֶדֶת, הוּא דִּין תּוֹרָה.
The Jews would follow these laws when the Supreme Sanhedrin held sessions and it included great sages who were familiar with the types of blood.וּבְמִשְׁפָּטִים אֵלּוּ הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל מְצוּיִין, וְהָיוּ שָׁם חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁמַּכִּירִים הַדָּמִים.
If a doubt arose for the lesser judges with regard to the discovery of blood or the days of niddah and zivah, they could ascend to the Supreme Sanhedrin and ask them. As the Torah promised concerning them Deuteronomy 17:8: “If a matter of judgment is unknown to you concerning one type of blood or another, or one judgment and another you shall ascend to the place that God shall choose.”1 “Concerning one type of blood or another” means “between the blood of niddah and the blood of zivah.וְאִם נֹלַּד לָהֶם סָפֵק בִּרְאִיּוֹת, אוֹ בִּימֵי נִדָּה אוֹ זִיבָה - יַעֲלוּ לְבֵית דִּין וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִבְטִיחָה תּוֹרָה עֲלֵיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי יִפָּלֵא מִמְּךָ דָבָר לַמִּשְׁפָּט בֵּין דָּם לְדָם" (דברים יז, ח) - בֵּין דַּם נִדָּה לְדַם זִיבָה.
In that era, Jewish women would be careful concerning this matter and would pay attention to their monthly patterns and would always count the “days of niddah” and the “days of zivah.”וּבְאוֹתָן הַיָּמִים הָיוּ בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל נִזְהָרוֹת מִדָּבָר זֶה, וּמְשַׁמְּרוֹת וֶסְתוֹתֵיהֶן, וְסוֹפְרוֹת תָּמִיד יְמֵי הַנִּדָּה וִימֵי הַזִּיבָה.
2It is very difficult to keep track of the counting of the dates. Many times doubts will arise. For even if a woman discovered bleeding on the day she was born, she must begin counting the “days of niddah” and the “days of zivah,” as we explained.2בוְטֹרַח גָּדוֹל יֵשׁ בְּמִנְיַן הַיָּמִים, וּפְעָמִים רַבּוֹת יָבוֹאוּ לִידֵי סָפֵק - שֶׁאַפִלּוּ רָאַתָה הַבַּת דָּם בְּיוֹם הַלֵּידָה, מֵאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מַתְחִילִין לִמְנוֹת לָהּ יְמֵי נִדָּה וִימֵי זִיבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.

Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)

Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.

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Therefore a girl cannot become impure as a zavah until she is ten days old. For if she discovered bleeding on the day that she was born, she would be a niddah for seven days. Then to be a zavah, she would have to discover bleeding on the three days directly following the “days of niddah.” Thus she would be ten days old. לְפִיכָךְ לֹא תִטַּמֵּא הַבַּת בְּזִיבָה אֶלָא בַּת עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים - שֶׁאִם רָאַתָה בְּיוֹם שֶׁתִּוָּלֵד, הֲרֵי זוֹ נִדָּה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים סָמוּךְ לְנִדָּתָהּ, הֲרֵי עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים.
Thus we learned that she begins counting the “days of niddah” and the “days of zivah” from the first time she discovers uterine bleeding throughout her entire life. This applies even if the first time she discovers bleeding is when she is a minor.הִנֵּה לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁמִּתְּחִלַּת רְאִיָּה, מַתְחֶלֶת לִמְנוֹת יְמֵי נִדָּה וִימֵי זִיבָה כָּל יָמֶיהָ, וְאַפִלּוּ רָאֲתָה וְהִיא קְטַנָּה.
3During the era of the Sages of the Gemara, many doubts arose with regard to the appearance of blood3 and the reckoning of the pattern of menstruation. For it was not within the potential of all women to calculate the “days of niddah” and the “days of zivah.” Therefore our Sages ruled stringently concerning this matter and decreed that a woman should consider all her days as “days of zivah” and consider any bleeding that she discovers as zivah bleeding because of the doubt.4 גוּבִימֵי חַכְמֵי תַּלְמוּד נִסְתַּפֵּק הַדָּבָר הַרְבֵּה בִּרְאִיּוֹת הַדָּמִים, וְנִתְקַלְקְלוּ הַוְּסָתוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה כּוֹחַ בְּכָל הַנָּשִׁים לִמְנוֹת יְמֵי נִדָּה וִימֵי זִיבָה, לְפִיכָךְ הֶחְמִירוּ חֲכָמִים בַּדָּבָר, וְגָזְרוּ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל יְמֵי הָאִשָּׁה כִּימֵי זִיבָתָהּ, וְיִהְיֶה כָּל דָּם שֶׁתִּרְאֶה סְפֵק דַּם זִבוּת.
4In addition, Jewish women accepted a further stringency upon themselves. They accepted the custom that wherever Jews live, whenever a Jewish woman discovers uterine bleeding, even if she does not discover more than a drop the size of a mustard seed and the bleeding ceases immediately, she must count seven “spotless” days.5 This stringency applies even if she discovered the bleeding during her “days of niddah.”6דוְעוֹד הֶחְמִירוּ בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל עַצְמָן חֻמְרָה יְתֵרָה עַל זוֹ, וְנָהֲגוּ כֻלָּם בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל: שֶׁכָּל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁתִּרְאֶה דָּם - אַפִלּוּ לֹא רָאַתָה אֶלָא טִפָּה כַּחַרְדָּל בִּלְבָד וּפָסַק הַדָּם - סוֹפֶרֶת לָהּ שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים, וְאַפִלּוּ רָאַתָה בְּעֵת נִדָּתָהּ.
Whether the bleeding continued for one day, two days, an entire seven days, or longer, when the bleeding ceases, she counts seven “spotless” days as is required of a major zavah and immerses on the night of the eighth day despite the fact that there is a doubt whether she is a zavah.7 Or she may immerse during the day on the eighth day in a pressing situation, as explained.8 Afterwards, she is permitted to her husband.בֵּין שֶׁרָאַתָה יוֹם אֶחָד, אוֹ שְׁנַיִם, אוֹ הַשִּׁבְעָה כֻּלָּן, אוֹ יָתֵר - מִשֶּׁיִּפְסֹק הַדָּם, סוֹפֶרֶת שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים כְּזָבָה גְּדוֹלָה. וְטוֹבֶלֶת בְּלֵיל שְׁמִינִי, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא סְפֵק זָבָה, אוֹ בְּיוֹם שְׁמִינִי אִם הָיָה שָׁם דֹּחַק, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ תִּהְיֶה מֻתֶּרֶת לְבַעְלָהּ.
5Similarly, every woman who gives birth in the present age is considered as one who gives birth while a zavah and she must count seven “spotless” days, as we explained.9הוְכֵן כָּל יוֹלֶדֶת בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה - הֲרֵי הִיא כְּיוֹלֶדֶת בְּזוֹב, וּצְרִיכָה שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
It is the commonly accepted custom in Babylon, in “the cherished land,”10 Spain, and the West,11 that if a woman discovers bleeding in the days after childbirth,12 she must count seven “spotless” days after the bleeding stopped. This applies even if she first counted seven “spotless” days and immersed after giving birth. We do not grant her any pure days at all. Instead, whenever a woman discovers bleeding whether it is bleeding associated with childbirth or “pure blood,” it is all impure. She must count seven “spotless” days after the bleeding ceases.וּמִנְהָג פָּשׁוּט בְּשִׁנְעָר וּבְאֶרֶץ הַצְּבִי וּבִסְפָרַד וּבַמַּעְרָב, שֶׁאִם רָאַתָה דָּם בְּתוֹךְ יְמֵי מְלֹאת - אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָאַתָה אַחַר שֶׁסָּפְרָה שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים וְטָבְלָה - הֲרֵי זוֹ סוֹפֶרֶת שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים אַחַר שֶׁיִּפְסֹק הַדָּם, וְאֵין נוֹתְנִין לָהּ יְמֵי טֹהַר כְּלָל; אֶלָא כָּל דָּם שֶׁתִּרְאֶה הָאִשָּׁה - בֵּין דַּם קֹשִׁי, בֵּין דַּם טֹהַר - סוֹפֶרֶת שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים, אַחַר שֶׁיִּפְסֹק הַדָּם.
6This law was instituted in the era of the Geonim. They decreed that there be no concept of “pure” blood. For the stringency that women accepted upon themselves in the era of the Sages of the Talmud applies only to a woman who discovers bleeding that would render them impure. In this instance, they accepted the custom of waiting seven days. Blood which she discovers during her “days of purity” after counting seven “spotless” days, by contrast, is not a matter of concern according to Scriptural Law. For the days of purity are not subject to concern with regard to niddah or zivah as we explained.13 ווְדִין זֶה בִּימֵי הַגְּאוֹנִים נִתְחַדֵּשׁ, וְהֵם גָּזְרוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שָׁם דַּם טֹהַר כְּלָל - שֶׁזֶּה שֶׁהֶחְמִירוּ בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל עַצְמָן בִּימֵי חַכְמֵי תַּלְמוּד, אֵינוֹ אֶלָא בְּרוֹאָה דָּם שֶׁהוּא טָמֵא, שֶׁיּוֹשֶׁבֶת עָלָיו שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים; אֲבָל דָּם שֶׁתִּרְאֶה בִּימֵי טֹהַר אַחַר סְפִירָה וּטְבִילָה - אֵין לָחוּשׁ לוֹ, שֶׁאֵין יְמֵי טֹהַר רְאוּיִין לֹא לְנִדָּה וְלֹא לְזִיבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
7We have heard that in France,14 even today, relations are allowed despite “pure” bleeding as was the law in the Talmudic era after the woman counts seven “spotless” days and immerses herself because of the impurity resulting from giving birth in the zivah state. This matter is dependent on local custom.15זוְשָׁמַעְנוּ שֶׁבְּצָרְפַת בּוֹעֲלִים עַל דַּם טֹהַר כְּדִין הַתַּלְמוּד עַד הַיּוֹם, אַחַר סְפִירָה וּטְבִילָה מִטֻּמְאַת יוֹלֶדֶת בְּזוֹב. וְדָבָר זֶה תָּלוּי בַּמִּנְהָג.
8Similarly, stringencies were adopted with regard to the laws of hymeneal bleeding in the present age. Even if a minor is below the age when she could be expected to menstruate and never discovered uterine bleeding, her husband must separate after engaging in the relations which are a mitzvah.16חוְכֵן דִּין דַּם בְּתוּלִים בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, שֶׁאַפִלּוּ הָיְתָה קְטַנָּה שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ זְמַנָּהּ לִרְאוֹת, וְלֹא רָאַתָה דָּם מִיָּמֶיהָ - הֲרֵי זֶה בּוֹעֵל בְּעִילַת מִצְוָה, וּפוֹרֵשׁ.
Whenever she discovers hymeneal bleeding,17 she is impure. When the bleeding ceases, she must count seven “spotless” days before immersing herself.וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁתִּרְאֶה דָּם מֵחֲמַת הַמַּכָּה, הֲרֵי הִיא טְמֵאָה. וְאַחַר שֶׁיִּפְסֹק הַדָּם, סוֹפֶרֶת שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים.
9Moreover, whenever a girl is asked to marry and consents, she must count seven “spotless” days after she consents to marry.18 Afterwards, she immerses and becomes permitted to her husband.19 The rationale is that she might have desired a man and released a drop of blood without being aware of it. Whether she is a mature woman or a minor, she must wait seven “spotless” days after she consents to marry. Afterwards, she immerses and may engage in relations.טיָתֵר עַל זֶה, כָּל בַּת שֶׁתְּבָעוּהָ לְהִנָּשֵׂא וְרָצְתָה - שׁוֹהָה שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים מֵאַחַר שֶׁרָצְתָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ תִּהְיֶה מֻתֶּרֶת לְהִבָּעֵל; שֶׁמָּא מֵחִמּוּדָהּ לָאִישׁ רָאַתָה דָּם טִפָּה אַחַת, וְלֹא הִרְגִּישָׁה בָּהּ. בֵּין שֶׁהָיְתָה הָאִשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה, בֵּין שֶׁהָיְתָה קְטַנָּה - צְרִיכָה לֵישֵׁב שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים מֵאַחַר שֶׁרָצְתָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ תִטְבֹּל וְתִבָּעֵל.
10All of these matters are additional stringencies that have been practiced by Jewish women from the era of the Sages of the Talmud onward. One should never deviate from it. יוְכָל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ חֻמְרָה יְתֵרָה שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ בָּהּ בְּנוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיּמֵי חַכְמֵי תַּלְמוּד, וְאֵין לָסוּר מִמֶּנָּה לְעוֹלָם.
Therefore every women who consents when asked to marry should not marry until she counts these days and immerses herself.לְפִיכָךְ, כָּל אִשָּׁה שֶׁרָצְתָה כְּשֶׁתְּבָעוּהָ לְהִנָּשֵׂא - לֹא תִנָּשֵׂא עַד שֶׁתִּסְפֹּר וְתִטְבֹּל.
If she marries a Torah scholar, she may marry immediately and then count after marriage and immerse. The rationale is that a Torah scholar will know that she is forbidden and observe the restriction. He will not approach her until she immerses.20 וְאִם נִשֵּׂאת לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם - מֻתֶּרֶת לְהִנָּשֵׂא מִיָּד, וְתִסְפֹּר מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּשֵּׂאת וְתִטְבֹּל; שֶׁתַּלְמִיד חָכָם יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהִיא אֲסוּרָה, וְנִזְהָר מִזֶּה, וְלֹא יִקְרַב לָהּ עַד שֶׁתִּטְבֹּל.
11The laws applying to the discovery of stains in the present era follow the principles we explained.21 There is no innovation in this regard, not are there any new customs.יאדִּין הַכְּתָמִים בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. וְאֵין בַּדָּבָר חִדּוּשׁ, וְלֹא מִנְהָג.
Instead, any stain which we ruled was pure, is considered pure. And when a woman discovers any of the stains which we ruled were impure - even of the stain was not of the size that would generate concern for zivut - she must count seven “spotless” days, after the day of the discovery of the stain. For the discovery of a stain is not identical with the discovery of bleeding.22 אֶלָא כָּל כֶּתֶם שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁהִיא טְהוֹרָה, הֲרֵי הִיא טְהוֹרָה, וְכָל שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁהִיא טְמֵאָה, סוֹפֶרֶת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּמְצָא בּוֹ הַכֶּתֶם. וְאִם הָיָה שִׁעוּר הַכֶּתֶם כְּדֵי לָחוּשׁ לְזִבוּת, סוֹפֶרֶת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים מֵאַחַר יוֹם שֶׁנִּמְצָא בּוֹ הַכֶּתֶם - שֶׁאֵין הָרוֹאָה דָּם כְּרוֹאָה כֶּתֶם.
12All the statements we made concerning a woman who miscarried and discharged a creature that does not resemble a human fetus23 and hence is pure also apply in the present age.24 Similarly, when a woman discovers a white or green blood-like secretion25 or if she discharges a red mass of flesh that is not accompanied by bleeding,26 she is pure even in the present age. For the stringency involves only one who discovers impure bleeding and the above are not considered as impure bleeding.יבוְכֵן כָּל שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ בַּיּוֹלֶדֶת שֶׁאִמּוֹ טְהוֹרָה, הֲרֵי הִיא טְהוֹרָה בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה. וְכֵן הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁרָאַתָה לֹבֶן, אוֹ דַּם יָרֹק, אוֹ שֶׁהִשְׁלִיכָה חֲתִכָּה אֲדֻמָּה שֶׁאֵין עִמָּהּ דָּם - הֲרֵי הִיא טְהוֹרָה, אַף בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה; שֶׁלֹּא הֶחְמִירוּ אֶלָא בְּרוֹאָה דָּם טָמֵא, וְאֵין זוֹ רוֹאָה דָּם טָמֵא.
13Similarly, if she had a wound from which blood was flowing27 or blood was released with her urine,28 she is pure. Innovations in practice were made only with regard to all women who discover impure bleeding as explained above and also that all different shades of blood are considered impure.29 יגוְכֵן אִם הָיְתָה בָּהּ מַכָּה וְהָיָה הַדָּם שׁוֹתֵת מִמֶּנָּה, אוֹ שֶׁבָּא הַדָּם עִם מֵימֵי רַגְלַיִם - הֲרֵי זוֹ טְהוֹרָה. וְלֹא נִתְחַדֵּשׁ דָּבָר, אֶלָא סְפִירַת שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים לְכָל רוֹאָה דָּם טָמֵא, כְּמוֹ שֶׂאָמַרְנוּ, וְשֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל מַרְאֵה דָּמִים טְמֵאִים.
14In certain places, the practice is that a woman must consider herself a niddah for seven days even though her bleeding lasted only one day. Then after these seven, she must count seven “spotless” days. This is not a proper custom.30 Instead, it is an error on the part of the one who ruled in this manner and is not worthy of being given any consideration.31 Instead, the law is that if a woman experiences one day of menstrual bleeding, she should count seven “spotless” days afterwards and immerse on the night following the eighth day,32 which is the second day after her “days of niddah.” She is then permitted to her husband.ידזֶה שֶׁתִּמְצָא בְּמִקְצַת מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהַנִּדָּה יוֹשֶׁבֶת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים בְּנִדָּתָהּ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא רָאַתָה דָּם אֶלָא יוֹם אֶחָד, וְאַחַר הַשִּׁבְעָה תֵּשֵׁב שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים - אֵין זֶה מִנְהָג, אֶלָא טָעוּת הִיא מִמִּי שֶׁהוֹרָה לָהֶם כָּךְ, וְאֵין רָאוּי לִפְנוֹת לְדָבָר זֶה כְּלָל. אֶלָא אִם רָאֲתָה יוֹם אֶחָד, סוֹפֶרֶת אַחֲרָיו שִׁבְעָה, וְטוֹבֶלֶת בְּלֵיל שְׁמִינִי שֶׁהוּא לֵיל שֵׁנִי שֶׁלְּאַחַר יְמֵי נִדָּתָהּ, וּמֻתֶּרֶת לְבַעְלָהּ.
15Similarly, in certain places, the practice is - and support for this is found in the responsa of some of the Geonim - for a woman who gives birth to a male not to engage in relations until the conclusion of forty days and for one who gives birth to a female to refrain until after eighty days33 even though they discovered bleeding only during the first seven days. This is not a proper custom.טווְכֵן זֶה שֶׁתִּמְצָא בְּמִקְצַת מְקוֹמוֹת, וְתִמְצָא תְּשׁוּבוֹת לְמִקְצַת גְּאוֹנִים, שֶׁיּוֹלֶדֶת זָכָר לֹא תְשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתָהּ עַד סוֹף אַרְבָּעִים, וְיוֹלֶדֶת נְקֵבָה אַחַר שְׁמוֹנִים, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא רָאֲתָה דָּם אֶלָא בְּתוֹךְ הַשִּׁבְעָה - אֵין זֶה מִנְהָג.
Instead, these responsa are in error and indeed the observance of this practice in these places is of a heretical nature.34 They learned this interpretation from the Sadducees.35אֶלָא טָעוּת הִיא בְּאוֹתָן הַתְּשׁוּבוֹת. וְדֶרֶךְ מִינוּת בְּאוֹתָן הַמְּקוֹמוֹת, וּמִן הַצְּדּוּקִין לָמְדוּ דָּבָר זֶה.
It is a mitzvah to compel these people to remove this improper custom from their hearts and to return them to the observance of the words of the Sages who require only the counting of seven “spotless” days as explained.וּמִצְוָה לְכוֹפָן כְּדֵי לְהוֹצִיא מִלִּבָּן, וּלְהַחְזִירָן לְדִבְרֵי חֲכָמִים - שֶׁתִּסְפֹּר שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים בִּלְבָד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
16A woman does not ascend from her state of ritual impurity and cease being considered as an ervah until she immerses herself in a mikveh that is halachicly acceptable while there are no substances intervening between her flesh and the water.36טזאֵין הָאִשָּׁה עוֹלָה מִטֻּמְאָתָהּ וְיוֹצְאָה מִידֵי עֶרְוָה עַד שֶׁתִּטְבֹּל בְּמֵי מִקְוָה כָּשֵׁר, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה דָּבָר חוֹצֵץ בֵּין בְּשָׂרָהּ וּבֵין הַמָּיִם.
In Hilchot Mikveot, we will explain what defines a mikveh as acceptable and what disqualifies it, the manner in which one should immerse, and the laws concerning intervening substances.וּבְהִלְכוֹת מִקְוָאוֹת יִתְבָּאֵר הַמִּקְוָה הַכָּשֵׁר וְהַפָּסוּל, וְדֶרֶךְ הַטְּבִילָה, וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי הַחֲצִיצָה.
If, by contrast, she washes in a bath - even if all the water in the world passes over her - her state is the same after washing as before washing and a man who engages in relations with her is liable for kereit. אֲבָל אִם רָחֲצָה בַּמֶּרְחָץ - אַפִלּוּ נָפְלוּ עָלֶיהָ כָּל מֵימוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם - הֲרֵי הִיא אַחַר הָרְחִיצָה כְּמוֹת שֶׁהָיְתָה קֹדֶם הָרְחִיצָה, בְּכָרֵת.
For there is no way of ascending from a state of ritual impurity to one of purity except through immersing in the waters of a mikveh, a spring, or a sea which is like a spring, as will be explained in Hilchot Mikveot.שֶׁאֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה מִטֻּמְאָה לְטָהֳרָה אֶלָא טְבִילָה בְּמֵי מִקְוָה, אוֹ בְּמַעְיָן, אוֹ בְּיַמִּים שֶׁהֵם כְּמַעְיָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּהִלְכוֹת מִקְוָאֹות.
17In the present age, although the seven “spotless” days are observed only because of doubt,37 if a woman immerses herself during them, it is as if she did not immerse herself.38יזכָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים שֶׁבַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה - אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן סָפֵק - אִם טָבְלָה בָּהֶן, כְּאִלּוּ לֹא טָבְלָה.
If she immerses herself on the seventh day,39 the immersion is valid even though it is forbidden to do so at the outset, lest one engage in relations on the seventh day after the immersion.40 The rationale is that she immersed in the appropriate time even were she to have definitely been a zavah.41 וְאִם טָבְלָה בַּשְּׁבִיעִי - אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן לְכַתְּחִלָּה, שֶׁמָּא יָבוֹא לִבְעֹל בַּשְּׁבִיעִי אַחַר הַטְּבִילָה - הוֹאִיל וְטָבְלָה בִּזְמַנָּהּ אַפִלּוּ הָיְתָה זָבָה וַדָּאִית, הֲרֵי זוֹ עָלְתָה לָהּ טְבִילָה.
18It is forbidden to a person to embrace his wife during these seven “spotless” days. This applies even if she is clothed and he is clothed.42 He should not draw close to her, nor touch her, not even with his pinky. He may not eat together with her from the same plate.43 The general principle is he must conduct himself with her during the days she is counting as he does in her “days of niddah.” For relations with her are still punishable by kereit until she immerses herself, as we explained.44 יחוְאָסוּר לוֹ לָאָדָם שֶׁיִּדְבַּק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ בְּשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא בִּכְסוּתָהּ וְהוּא בִּכְסוּתוֹ. וְלֹא יִקְרַב לָהּ, וְלֹא יִגַּע בָּהּ אַפִלּוּ בְּאֶצְבָּע קְטַנָּה. וְלֹא יֹאכַל עִמָּהּ בִּקְעָרָה אַחַת. כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר: יִנְהֹג עִמָּהּ בִּימֵי סְפִירָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּנְהֹג עִמָּהּ בִּימֵי נִדָּה - שֶׁעֲדַיִן הִיא בְּכָרֵת עַד שֶׁתִּטְבֹּל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
19A niddah may perform any task which a wife would perform for her husband except washing his face, hands, and feet, pouring him a drink, and spreading out his bed in his presence.45 These were forbidden as decrees, lest they come to sin.46 For this reason, she should not eat with him from the same plate, nor should he touch her flesh, lest this lead to sin. Similarly, she should not perform these three tasks for him during her seven “spotless” days.יטכָּל מְלָאכוֹת שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה עוֹשָׂה לְבַעְלָהּ, נִדָּה עוֹשָׂה לְבַעְלָהּ - חוּץ מֵהַרְחָצַת פָּנָיו יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו, וּמְזִיגַת הַכּוֹס, וְהַצָּעַת הַמִּטָּה בְּפָנָיו. גְּזֵרָה, שֶׁמָּא יָבוֹא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה. וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה לֹא תֹאכַל עִמּוֹ בִּקְעָרָה אַחַת, וְלֹא יִגַּע בִּבְשָׂרָהּ, מִפְּנֵי הֶרְגֵּל עֲבֵרָה. וְכֵן בְּשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נְקִיִּים, לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ שָׁלוֹשׁ מְלָאכוֹת אֵלּוּ.
It is permitted for a woman to adorn herself during her “days of niddah,” so that she does not become unattractive to her husband.וּמֻתָּר לָאִשָּׁה לְהִתְקַשֵּׁט בִּימֵי נִדָּתָהּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִתְגַּנֶּה עַל בַּעְלָהּ.