A man and a woman who both have irregular genital flows may not eat together, lest they subsequently have sexual intercourse.[49] For a man, irregular genital flow causing impurity is white, but not as clear white as normal semen.[50] It is discharged without erection of the penis or feelings of sexual desire or satisfaction,[51] without a thought of sexual relations, without seeing a woman who induced lustful urges, without overeating or overdrinking or eating food or drinking beverages that induce the discharge of semen, without being sick, without lifting a heavy object and without jumping around.[52] Maimonides says that irregular genital flow from a man is semen.[53]

Impurity from vaginal discharge of blood (Shulchan Aruch). Whenever a woman feels that blood is flowing out of her uterus, she is impure. This is true even if no blood is actually discharged from her body or if the amount of blood is no greater than the size of a mustard seed. Whenever this happens, she remains impure until she has examined herself for seven consecutive days and found no blood. Isserles^** says: This is true whether she is married or unmarried.[54]

A woman is impure if the color of a vaginal discharge is any shade of red or black. If it is white or green or yellow, then she is pure.[55]

If a woman sees a blood stain on her clothing or herself, even if she did not feel any discharge and further examination reveals no blood, she is impure and forbidden to her husband until seven consecutive days of examination reveal no blood. [56]

Childbirth or miscarriage renders a woman impure as if she had menstruated. She is forbidden to her husband until no blood is found for seven consecutive days for a male child and fourteen consecutive days for a female.[57]

If a woman has regular menstrual cycles, such as every 20 days or even every 30 days, it is not necessary for her to check herself for blood discharge before having sexual relations. Also, she should not check herself before intercourse when her husband is present because doing so may cause him to worry and lose his desire.[58]

To establish that a woman has regular menstrual cycles, she must begin her menstrual period after exactly the same number of days for three consecutive months. For such women, sexual relations must cease prior to the established number of days since the onset of her previous menstrual period.[59]

When a woman's menstrual cycles are irregular, she should act as if her period begins 30 days following the commencement of her previous period, since this is the most usual time for women, in general. However, if she has an established cycle of 20 or 25 days, she is to observe that shorter cycle.[60]

If the woman's menstrual cycles are irregular, then when sexual relations resume after her menstrual period, she and her husband must inspect the bedding three times before and after intercourse. If no suspicious stains are found, then they may have sexual relations without such inspections.[61]

If a woman is believed by her neighbors to be impure due to menstruation, for example because she is seen wearing clothing of a menstruant, but she tells her husband that she is pure and, as a result, he has sexual intercourse with her, then she loses the amount of her ketubah.[62]

A woman who is sure that she is pregnant, or one who is breast-feeding, has no need to be concerned about menstruation.[63] An elderly woman, meaning one who is not offended when given the title of mother by those around her, who misses three menstrual periods no longer has to be concerned about the date of her period.[64]

Rules concerning immersion for purification (Shulchan Aruch).

A woman becomes pure and permissible for sexual intercourse after menstruation when she has immersed her whole body in the water of a mikveh or a stream. The water must be of sufficient volume (at least 40 se'ah) and of a size to permit total immersion.[65] Immersion in water that has been drawn[66] or the water in a bathhouse[67] does not purify the woman from the restrictions of her menstrual period.

If a woman's husband is in town, she is forbidden to delay her immersion because that would violate the commandment to be fruitful and multiply. Isserles^** says: She is permitted to immerse on Shabbat if that is the earliest time for her to do so.[68]

Before performing immersion for purification, a woman must wash her armpits and all the parts of her body that are kept concealed. She must comb all of the tangles out of her hair. Then she must inspect her whole body to make sure that there is no impurity that might cause a separation between her and the water of the mikveh. Then she must take a bath in hot water and wash her hair in hot water.[69] All parts of her body where there is hair must be washed with hot water only, not using soap which can cause matting of the hair. If her doctor forbids her from washing her head with water, she should ask him if a particular wine will not stick to the hair; if he says that it will not or that he does not know, she should use that wine.[70]

It is a good practice for a woman, after preparing for her immersion for purification, to take a comb with her to the mikveh at sunset to use before she immerses.[71]

An immersion done without the proper preparation is invalid for purification.[72]

A woman may not immerse during the day, before sunset[73] unless there is some compelling reason to do so, such as fear of the colder water at night or of thieves who may attack when she leaves the house at night.[74]

A Jewish woman over 12 years old must observe the immersion during daylight to make sure that every part of the body is immersed, including that no hairs are floating on top of the water. If there is no observer or if the immersion is performed at night, then the hair should be loosely tied in such a way to ensure that all of it becomes soaked with the water of the mikveh.[75]

In performing immersion, the whole body must plunge into the water at once. No part of the body may be covered. If the woman has anything on her body, the immersion is not valid for purposes of purification. Isserles says: A woman may not even have on her body something that does not form a separation between the water and her body because doing this could lead to women keeping on something that does create such a separation.[76]

Among those things that are not permitted during immersion because they create a barrier between the water and the body are: a thread or hair ribbon, even if tied on loosely;[77] a single knotted hair;[78] any hairs stuck to a head wound; two hairs stuck together by some substance; two lashes from the lower eyelid stuck to the upper eyelid;[79] pubic hairs stuck together;[80] fresh blood that is starting to coagulate by forming filaments;[81] coagulated, dried blood that has remained on a wound for more than three days;[82] scabs that have not been softened by washing with hot water;[83] the crust that forms over a wound scar;[84] dirt between the toes;[85] a splinter that protrudes from the skin;[86] an insect that has gone under the skin on a place of the body that is aways covered and that can be removed by washing or scratching with a fingernail;[87] sweat mixed with dust so that it forms a kind of crust;[88] a bit of dough that has stuck to the body during kneading;[89] a piece of clay of a type that does not immediately disperse in water, such as modelling clay, potter's clay, and clay found on carriage wheels;[90] a stain of any type except for a fresh stain of ink, milk, honey or candied fig juice;[91] black deposit that faces the finger under very long nails (but it is no longer possible to determine what this is so it is customary for women to cut their nails prior to immersion.[92] In fact, Isserles says: because it is now customary for women to cut their fingernails before immersion, if a woman fails to cut one fingernail, her immersion is not valid);[93] a fingernail when a small part of it is detached;[94] any detached body part;[95] or a tight chain, earring, ring or necklace or a tight cloth wrapped around a wound or tight bandage over a fracture.[96]

However, it is acceptable if, during immersion, a woman has: a mesh of threads holding the hair that permits water to pass through;[97] two or more hairs tied together;[98] a splinter that is completely under the skin;[99]

a wart or extra body part like a sixth finger;[107] or a loose-fitting chain, earring, ring or necklace.[108] Also, it is permitted for a woman to purify herself by immersion while wearing clothing, such as a bathrobe.[109]

Purification by immersion is valid even if it was not done intentionally, such as if the woman fell into the water or was only intending to cool herself off. Isserles says: Some authorities are more stringent and will require the woman to immerse again if her immersion was not intentional. Isserles also says that a woman who has just purified herself must not find as the first thing she sees a filthy animal or a non-Jew; a pious woman will repeat the immersion if this happens.[110]

Before immersion, the teeth must be carefully cleaned. It is customary in some places, and recommended, not to eat meat before immersion because particles may remain. Isserles says: No eating should be done between taking a regular bath for cleaning and immersing for purification. Isserles also says: On the day of immersion, a woman must not knead dough or make wax candles because some dough or wax may adhere to her body.[111]

If, after immersion, a woman finds anything it attached to her body, the immersion is invalid.[112]

The immersion is invalid if, while immersing, a woman clenches her fist, clenches any hair between her teeth, holds something between her lips or presses her lips tightly together.[113] Also, the lips must not be open allowing water from the mikveh to enter the mouth; they should be gently closed.[114]

A woman should not immerse in a place where she is concerned that other people might see her because this concern will cause her to hurry and fail to ensure that all is done properly. However, if she has immersed in such a place, the immersion is valid.[115]

Women who fail to follow the laws concerning immersion will be punished by premature death.[116]

Prohibitions on intercourse and other acts with women who are menstruating or have other vaginal discharge (Shulchan Aruch). A man must stay apart from his wife when she is impure due to menstruation.[117]

If a woman has regular menstrual periods of a consistent number of days, then it is permissible to have sexual intercourse with her when it is not her usual time to menstruate. It is not necessary for her to check for blood prior to sexual relations. However, it is praiseworthy for her to check at other times. Isserles says: She should not check immediately before or after sexual relation because doing so may cause her husband to worry and lose his desire to have relations with her.[118] If a woman's menstrual period begins 15 days following immersion, then her periods are considered regular; if they begin later than that, then they are irregular.[119]

If during sexual relations the woman says that she has begun to feel her menstrual period beginning, the man must perform penance even if he has separated from her immediately when she told him. Isserles says: If the transgression was not intentional and the man separated immediately from the woman, the man must fast for forty days, for example on every Monday and Thursday. The wife has no obligation to perform penance.[120] For a female minor (less than 12 years old) who does not have signs of maturity (at least two pubic hairs or enlarged breasts) and has not had at least three regular menstrual periods, there is no reason for a man to refrain from sexual intercourse with her. Similarly for older women who no longer menstruate.[121]

The rules of separation apply both while she is menstruating and when, following menstruation, she is counting the days until she is permitted to purify herself by ritual immersion.[122] The separation from her husband is lifted only when she actually performs the ritual immersion.[123]

If a woman is wearing the clothes that she wears during her time of impurity due to menstruation, her husband is forbidden to approach her, even if she was only wearing those clothes as a joke.[124]

A man is not to come into contact with his wife nor touch her even with his little finger during the time of separation. Neither can give anything to the other lest their hands touch.[126] A man should not joke or act frivolously with his wife at this time, lest this lead to forbidden contact. However, he may be alone with her.[127]

If they eat at the same table, something, such as bread or a pitcher, must be put between their plates, or they should use separate tablecloths. Isserles^** says: If they normally eat from the same plate, then it is sufficient for them to now use separate plates without anything in between the plates since the separate plates will constantly remind them of the need to keep apart.[128]

The man may not drink from a cup that his wife has drunk from. Isserles says: This is permitted if someone else has drunk from the cup after she did.[129]

A man may not sleep in the bed of a menstruating woman,[130] nor even sit on her bed,[131] even if she is not there. They may not sleep in the same bed even if they are each wearing separate garments and do not touch each other. Isserles says: They may not sleep in separate beds that touch each other.[132]

The man may not look at any part of his wife, even her ankle, that is to remain covered when she is in a public place.[133]

A woman who is impure because of menstruation should wear distinctive clothing to constantly remind her and her husband to keep apart.[134] She is, however, permitted to adorn herself to keep from becoming repulsive to her husband.[135]

A wife may not fulfill her usual obligation to her husband of pouring the water for washing his hands, his face and his feet, even if she does not touch him.[136] Also, her usual obligation to make his bed should be fulfilled only when he is absent, though she may put the pillows on the bed in his presence.[137]

She may not fulfill in her husband s presence her usual obligation to him of preparing his drink, and when she sets it on the table she must do it in a way that reminds them of their need to keep separate, such as by putting the drink on the left side rather than the right or putting it on a cushion.[138] Similarly, he may not prepare her drink or even send her a cup of wine. If they are drinking from one cup, she must drink after he does.[139]

If the husband is sick and there is no one else to attend to him, his menstruating wife may do this though she should try to avoid washing his face, hands or feet or making the bed in front of him.[140] If a menstruating woman is sick, her husband may not touch her in order to help her, for example in standing up or lying down or by giving support. If he is a doctor, he may not take her pulse. Isserles^** says: The practice is that her husband can help her, even touching her as necessary, if there is no one else available to do so. Similarly, if he is a doctor he may take her pulse if there is no other doctor available.[141]

When a man has sexual intercourse with a woman who is impure because of menstruation, both of them are subject to excision (karet).[142]

If a woman finds blood stains three consecutive times after sexual intercourse, the man and the woman must divorce. If she remarries and it happens again, she must be divorced again. If she remarries for a second time and the same thing occurs with the third husband, she must be divorced again and she may never again get married.[143]

But if blood is found after sexual intercourse and the man is prone to emitting blood from his penis, then only the man is blamed.[144] If the woman has walked through a place where butchers or dyers work, then there is no blame for stains discovered after intercourse since animal's blood or dye may have gotten onto her without her realizing it.[145]

A menstruating woman is permitted to read from the Torah, to pray and to recite the Shema. Isserles^** says: Nevertheless, it is customary for menstruating women not to pray, touch a Torah scroll or enter a synagogue.[146]

After a man has sexual intercourse with a virgin, he must separate from her, as if she were a menstruant, until she finds herself clean (without blood) after inspection for seven successive days. This is true even if the wife is a child who is too young to menstruate and even if no blood was found after intercourse. The seven days of inspection begin on the fifth day following the sexual act.[147]

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