SEPARATION BEFORE THE EXPECTED PERIOD

Prohibition of contact before the expected period

1. Since such importance is attached to the Nidah laws, that the basis of the purity of Jewish family life and of future generations depend on their observance ' we are commanded by our Holy Torah laws to abstain from marital relations and also from any physical intimacy, even before the expected periods. If the period is anticipated in the daytime (for this purpose, the day is considered from sunrise to sunset), relations are forbidden from the beginning of the night before until the end of the day it was expected. If her period is due at night (for this purpose, from sunset to sunrise), they must separate from the beginning of the previous day until the end of the night (See below par. 8, 9, and I 0).

Order of The Hebrew Months

In order to facilitate the calculations of the various periods, we present the order of the Hebrew months and the number of days in each: Nissan 30 days, lyar 29 days, Sivan 30 days, Tammuz 29 days, Av 30 days, Elul 29 days, Tishrei 30 days, Cheshvan 29 or 30 days, Kislev 30 or 29 days, Teveth 29 days, Shevat 30 days, Adar 29 days. In a Leap Year: Adar Rishon (1) 30 days, Adar Sheni (11) 29 days.

ATTENTION

Since all our calculations are based on the lunar calendar, it is imperative that every woman have a Jewish calendar in which to keep an exact-record of the onset of each period as well as the dates when separation is required. (Alternately, she may use the 'Record of Periods', a sample of which appears on page 84).

The three main rules of periods

2. In order to establish the day or night she must anticipate her period and separate from her husband (and also during the preceding night or day as mentioned above), our Holy Torah set down three main rules, and these are their details:

(A) The Monthly Rule

In this case, the period always begins on a particular date of each Hebrew month. For example: the tenth of Nissan, the tenth of lyar, the tenth of Sivan. It makes no difference whether Rosh Chodesh (the New Moon) is one or two days. All that matters is which date of the month the menstruation began. If the period began on Rosh Chodesh of a month that has only one day Rosh Chodesh (it being the first day of the month), and in the following month, Rosh Chodesh is two days, her period should be expected on the second day of Rosh Chodesh (which is also the first day of the new month, since the first day of Rosh Chodesh is really the thirtieth day of the previous month).

(B) The Interval Rule

In this case, the menstrual flow does not begin on any particular day of the month,, but there are regular intervals between the beginning of one period and the beginning of the next; for instance, the beginning of every period is separated by twenty, twenty-five, or thirty-two days. When we calculate the interval, we include the starting days of both the previous and latter menses. (Those who follow Shulchan Aruch Harav should ask a competent Rabbi experienced therein.)

(C) The Median Rule

A woman who has no regular period, must follow the Median Rule in addition to the two aforementioned rules. She must expect a period on the thirtieth day from the beginning of the last period. We include the day on which the menses began in the count of thirty. (This means that there is an interval of twenty-eight days between the day of the beginning of the flow and the thirtieth day.) Accordingly, if for example, the most recent period began on Sunday, then the next period (in regard to this rule) should be anticipated on Monday four weeks later. Note: In accordance with the explanation regarding the Monthly Rule (par. A), attention must be paid the thirty-first day as well.

3. The day the bleeding begins (even if the flow was slight and no more) is always the day to consider in establishing the time for anticipating the next period. This holds true in respect to all three rules.

Physical symptoms before the period

4. With some women, the arrival of the menses is preceded by certain physical symptoms, such as a repeated succession of yawns or sneezes, a heaviness in the head or limbs, pain in the lower part of the body or in the loins, chills, or similar disturbances. This is called the Rule of Physical Symptoms. In such cases, a Rabbi must be consulted for directions in regard to the separation.

5. In regard to the above rules, there is a difference between regular periods and irregular periods, which we proceed to explain:

Regular Period

Under the Monthly Rule, a period is considered regular, if it began on the same day of the month for three consecutive months (e.g. Sivan 15, Tammuz 15, and Av 15). Under the Interval Rule, a period is considered regular, if there were three equal intervals between four consecutive periods (figuring from the beginning of one period to the beginning of the next period). For instance, if she had four consecutive periods, on the following dates: Nissan 1, Nissan 20, lyar 9, lyar 28, she has established a Regular Period of twenty days, for between the four,periods there were three equal intervals (see par. 11).

6. Another condition for establishing a regular period is the following: under the Monthly Rule, a regular period can be established only if each of the periods began at night or each of them began during the day. However, if they began once in the daytime and twice at night or vice versa, a regular period is not established. The Interval Rule, however, varies in this respect and in certain cases, the' stringencies of a regular period must be observed (see pars. 8- 10), even if bleeding began sometimes during the day and sometimes at night, as long as the intervals (i.e. number of days) between -the periods were equal. In such an instance, a Rabbi should be consulted.

Irregular Period

7. A period is considered irregular, if the bleeding began only once or twice on a particular date (under the Monthly Rule) or once or twice after a particular interval (under the Interval Rule). Separation before the expected menses must be strictly observed (in the manner prescribed in par. 1) regardless of whether the period is regular or irregular.

Examination at the time of the expected period

8. On the day or night on which a Regular Period is anticipated, the rules of separation do not terminate with the mere passing of that day or night, even if her expected period did not arrive, unless she examined herself thoroughly (see Chapter 2) and found herself clean. If she failed to make this examination. on time, she may examine herself later, but the rules of separation must be observed until -then. If she took a bath in the meantime, a Rabbi must be consulted.

If an Irregular Period is anticipated, she must also examine herself. In this case, however, a simpler examination is sufficient; i.e., she need not penetrate so deeply with the examination cloth. If she failed to make even this simple examination on time - although the examination may be made later - if she felt no bleeding sensation at the expected time, this irregular period is considered discontinued (see par. 10

It should be noted that, both in the case of a regular period as well as an irregular period, the more often she examines herself at the times the period is anticipated, the more she is to be commended.

9. The Median Rule is' unique in that even the first time she anticipates a period based on this rule, the required separation may be terminated only after a thorough examination has determined that she is clean. (As mentioned above, she may not bathe before the examination.)

10. The Irregular Period is discontinued even after one failure to appear on time, and she need not anticipate it again. A Regular Period, however, is not discontinued unless three consecutive appearances are missed (see explanation in par. 13).

How to figure the periods until a regular period is established

11. As long as a woman has not established one of the various types of regular periods, she must expect her period, practice separation, and make examinations on the dates anticipated according to the Monthly Rule, the Interval Rule, and the Median Rule. To clarify this, we offer the following example:

If the bleeding began on the first day of Nissan (Rosh Chodesh), then the next period should be expected on Nissan 30 (the first day of Rosh Chodesh lyar) under the Median Rule (30 days) and on lyar I (the second day of Rosh Chodesh lyar) under the Monthly Rule.

If the next period arrived earlier than expected, for instance on Nissan 20, then she must still anticipate her period on the second day of Rosh Chodesh lyar (lyar 1) (as the Monthly Rule does not change its date because of a period that arrived earlier than expected). However, the first day of Rosh Chodesh lyar (the day of separation based on the Median Rule) need no longer be considered. Instead it is replaced by the thirtieth day counted from Nissan 20 - the most recent period - as the day for expecting a period under the principle of this rule. If the period failed to appear on the first day of lyar, then lyar 9 is scheduled in anticipation as a twenty-day interval from Nissan 20 under the Interval Rule, corresponding to the twenty-day interval from Nissan I to Nissan 20 (including the starting days of the two periods, as we always count).

If,, however, the period did arrive on the first of lyar, then lyar 9 is to be disregarded and lyar 20 is scheduled for anticipation of the menses, according to both the Monthly and Interval Rules. The Monthly Rule: since a date anticipated under the Monthly Rule does not change because of an intervening menses, as mentioned above. The Interval Rule: since the interval is always counted from the last menses, she counts her twenty-day interval from lyar 1. (The twenty interval is also not annulled because of an intervening menses.) lyar 12 is likewise scheduled for anticipation under the interval established by Nissan 20-lyar 1 (12 days). If there was no bleeding on lyar 1, then Sivan I need not be considered, under the Monthly Rule, as this date has become annulled.

If the menses arrived on lyar 9, then lyar 28 is scheduled for anticipation as a 20 day interval period, for the interval between Nissan 20 and lyar 9 was twenty days. If the menses appeared also on lyar 28, then the 20 day interval becomes a Regular Period, because this same interval occurred three consecutive times between four menses: Nissan I - Nissan 20; Nissan 20 - lyar 9 and lyar 9 - lyar 28. [From now on, she need only anticipate her established, regular period, unless her cycle changes, as in par. 13.] As an aid in understanding this discussion, see Appendix A.

We could continue with examples and lead the reader through all sorts of possibilities. We will refrain from doing so because our discussion would become very lengthy. Our only intention in offering the above example is to demonstrate how many details a G-d-fearing woman must take into consideration and that she must regard it as her sacred duty to consult a competent Rabbi when there is the slightest divergence from her normal pattern.

12. We must again stress the need for every Jewish woman to record, on a Jewish calendar, or on the "Record of Periods," the exact time of the arrival of her menses,. especially if she has no regular period. She must record upon it the day of the week, whether by day or by night, the date of the month when her bleeding started, and how many days have elapsed from the beginning of one period to the next. Thus she will know clearly all the particulars that concern her regarding the Monthly Rule, the Interval Rule, and the Median Rule. Furthermore, it is to her benefit to record her periods because if she must consult a Rabbi with a shaaloh, he will be guided by these notes. They will enable him to narrow down to a minimum the days she must anticipate, especially if she has irregular periods. The Rabbi can clarify which days she must separate and. which days are free from doubt.

How a regular period is annulled

13. We find it necessary to offer an example of a Regular Period and to show how it is annulled. If, for example, a regular period of twenty-day intervals has been established, and once the period failed to come on the twentieth day, but came on the thirtieth day (ten days later) separation instead must be observed on the twentieth day following the last menses. This is because the rule of the regular period (in this case a twenty-day interval) is still in effect until it has been missed three consecutive times. If again, for the second time, the period fads to come on the twentieth day, there must be a separation on the thirtieth day following the -last menses because of the Irregular Period of a thirty-day interval which occurred between the last two periods. If the menses appeared a second time on the thirtieth day, the twentieth day following is still in effect because of her regular period, and she must still anticipate it. But if now, for the third time, she missed her period on the twentieth day, [the twenty-day interval is now temporarily annulled, and she may disregard it] she must again anticipate the thirtieth day, and if the menses reappeared on this day (which is the third consecutive interval of thirty days], the thirty-day interval is established as a Regular Period [and the twenty-day interval is completely annulled).

If, however, after two appearances on the thirtieth day, the menses reappeared on the twentieth day, then the Regular Period of twenty-day intervals is firmly reestablished and the Irregular Period of thirty-day intervals is cancelled.

Note also, that even if three times in succession her period failed to appear on the twentieth day, for instance; her period came twice on the thirtieth day and once on the thirty- second day (i.e. the intervals are not equal) and then reappeared even once on the twentieth day, then, also, the twentieth day is reinstated as a Regular Period. [The reason is that she did not establish another regular period in the meantime. If she had established another regular period in the meantime, however, then, even if she again had a period on the twentieth day, it is considered a new, irregular period and is annulled by just one failure of the period to appear at that interval.] Other details regarding pars. 11 and 13 are found in the Summary. As an aid in understanding the above discussion, see Appendix B.

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