The Seven Clean Days

After completing a proper Hefsek Taharah, the woman begins counting her seven clean days. On each of these seven clean days, the woman is required to make two internal examinations; one in the morning, and a second one in the late afternoon before sunset.

She should be careful to make these examinations thoroughly, the same way as her examination for the Hefsek Taharah was made. This means she should insert the examination cloth as far into her vagina as possible and into all creases and crevices, making sure that the entire internal area is completely clean. (See Question 63.)

There are authorities who say that the woman should actually count the seven clean days, but most do not require this. However, the woman definitely does have to keep in mind that she is within her seven clean days.

If the woman does not keep in mind that she is within her seven clean days, there are authorities who require that she repeat the seven clean days. An example of this would be a woman who found a stain during her seven clean days which she considered unclean. Several days later when her husband happened to see the stain and showed it to a Rav, it was determined to be clean. However, since the woman considered herself unclean, she would have to repeat her seven clean days.

Another example of this would be a woman who stops counting her seven clean days because her husband leaves on an extended trip during these days. If the husband then returns unexpectedly, the wife may have to repeat the complete counting of the seven days.

In all such cases, a Rav should be consulted as to how the woman should proceed.

In such a case, it might be sufficient after the fact (b’dieved) for the woman to examine herself only on the first and seventh day. In the above cases, or in a case where a woman has, for example, a cut or sore in her vagina which causes bleeding, a Rav should be consulted as to how the woman should proceed.

Due to the many different opinions in such a case, a competent Rav should be consulted.

No. A woman must wear clean washed white undergarments during the entire period of the seven clean days. If she is unable to wear freshly laundered undergarments, however, as long as they are white and she examines them to make sure they are free of blood stains, she may wear them. If the woman forgets and puts on colored undergarments, she should consult a Rav concerning how to proceed.

It is customary for women to refrain from eating meat on the day they will go to the Mikvah. On Shabbos or Yom Tov, it is permissible to eat meat. The woman should, however, be careful to clean her teeth before immersing in the Mikvah. (If it is Friday night or a Yom Tov night, she should only use a dry toothbrush.)

It should be noted that if a woman immerses and there is food stuck between her teeth, her immersion is not considered valid and has to be repeated.

No. A woman should not handle wax candles, dough, or any other sticky substances on the day of her immersion so that nothing should be stuck to her hands, etc. However, if the night of her immersion is Shabbos and it is the woman’s custom to bake chalahs every Erev Shabbos, it would be permissible for her to make the chalahs. She must be very careful to clean her hands thoroughly afterwards to make sure that nothing sticks to them.

The procedure before immersing in the Mikvah is called chafifah, which means thoroughly washing all parts of the body in warm water and combing out all hair on all parts of the body so that it should not be knotted or stuck together. After this, the woman should examine her entire body to make sure she is completely clean of anything which could invalidate her immersion.

These preparations should begin while it is still day and should be continued into the night until the woman can immerse herself. If this is impossible, the woman can start the preparations at night. However, she should be careful not to rush the preparations in order to get home early. The woman in charge of the Mikvah should also be careful not to rush anyone in their preparations.

In emergency situations where one cannot obtain hot or warm water, it is doubtful whether preparations can be made properly with cold water. A Rav would definitely have to be consulted.

Soap should definitely be used. (A mild soap is preferable.)

The proper procedure is to first take a bath in warm water. During the bath, the woman should make sure to clean all the folds and crevices of her body; i.e. ears, between toes, navel, under the breasts, the holes of pierced ears, etc.

After this thorough washing, the woman should comb out all the hair on her head, under her arms, and in the private parts of her body, making sure that there are no loose or knotted hairs which would invalidate her immersion.

She should thoroughly wash and prepare herself on Friday, being careful to finish before candle-lighting time. On Motzoei Shabbos, she should wash herself again, comb her hair and prepare herself. This washing on Motzoei Shabbos does not have to be as lengthy as the one on Friday; the woman should just be sure that she is properly clean.

A woman should act with modesty regarding the night of her immersion. It is, therefore, customary for a woman to act with discretion so that others will not realize she is going to the Mikvah.

To be continued.

(Reprinted with kind permission of Yeshivat Neveh Tzion and www.neveh.org)