Bedika Cloths: Difference between revisions
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# Gray is tahor according to many poskim. Some poskim are strict regarding dark gray. A posek must be consulted about these shaylot.<ref>The Shevet Halevi (5:106:6) writes that gray is tahor. Ta Chazi (p. 133-150) discusses this at great length. He explains that the distinction is and unlike black or even light black, which is an admixture of black dye and water. Gray is an admixture of black and white. Furthermore, pink is tameh since it has a reddish look because red is tameh in it of itself so we include any color with a reddish look. However, black is only tameh because it is red which changed and even though we say any shade of black is tameh, since gray is another color we can be lenient. His conclusion is that gray is tahor, even though some are strict about dark gray, but one needs to be a major expert in this area to know how to distinguish between gray and light black. Additionally, he adds that the posek needs to determine that the black or gray color are from the body and aren't result of something that stuck to the cloth which wasn't from the body at all. </ref> | # Gray is tahor according to many poskim. Some poskim are strict regarding dark gray. A posek must be consulted about these shaylot.<ref>The Shevet Halevi (5:106:6) writes that gray is tahor. Ta Chazi (p. 133-150) discusses this at great length. He explains that the distinction is and unlike black or even light black, which is an admixture of black dye and water. Gray is an admixture of black and white. Furthermore, pink is tameh since it has a reddish look because red is tameh in it of itself so we include any color with a reddish look. However, black is only tameh because it is red which changed and even though we say any shade of black is tameh, since gray is another color we can be lenient. His conclusion is that gray is tahor, even though some are strict about dark gray, but one needs to be a major expert in this area to know how to distinguish between gray and light black. Additionally, he adds that the posek needs to determine that the black or gray color are from the body and aren't result of something that stuck to the cloth which wasn't from the body at all. </ref> | ||
# Brown is a major dispute and according to most poskim is tahor. However, one needs to be an expert in this area since sometimes there are highlights of red in the brown. Also, brown could be a result of red blood oxidizing, which is tameh. A posek must be consulted about these questions.<ref>The Yavetz 1:44 writes that brown isn't similar to red or black and is a totally different color, and therefore it is tahor. The Pitchei Teshuva 188:1 and Sidrei Tahara 188:1 quote the Yavetz. The Badei Hashulchan 188:6 that there is a dispute about brown, but nonetheless, he is lenient. Badei Hashulchan 188:1 adds that a posek must have training to know what is considered brown and additionally there is a concern that brown is a result of red that oxidized. Rabbi Mordechai Willig ([http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/874477/rabbi-mordechai-i-willig/niddah-shiur-104-is-brown-tameh-waiting-until-the-maarah-dries/ Niddah Shiur 104] and [http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/876241/rabbi-mordechai-i-willig/niddah-118-chazara-1-on-maarot/ 118]) added that in brown it is important to check for any red highlights which can only be seen in the sun. Furthermore, it is important to ask the woman if the color changed and was red earlier and now turned brown.</ref> | # Brown is a major dispute and according to most poskim is tahor. However, one needs to be an expert in this area since sometimes there are highlights of red in the brown. Also, brown could be a result of red blood oxidizing, which is tameh. A posek must be consulted about these questions.<ref>The Yavetz 1:44 writes that brown isn't similar to red or black and is a totally different color, and therefore it is tahor. The Pitchei Teshuva 188:1 and Sidrei Tahara 188:1 quote the Yavetz. The Badei Hashulchan 188:6 that there is a dispute about brown, but nonetheless, he is lenient. Badei Hashulchan 188:1 adds that a posek must have training to know what is considered brown and additionally there is a concern that brown is a result of red that oxidized. Rabbi Mordechai Willig ([http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/874477/rabbi-mordechai-i-willig/niddah-shiur-104-is-brown-tameh-waiting-until-the-maarah-dries/ Niddah Shiur 104] and [http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/876241/rabbi-mordechai-i-willig/niddah-118-chazara-1-on-maarot/ 118]) added that in brown it is important to check for any red highlights which can only be seen in the sun. Furthermore, it is important to ask the woman if the color changed and was red earlier and now turned brown.</ref> | ||
==Wet or Dry== | |||
# According to many poskim, a woman need not wait until the blood is dry to inspect its color.<ref> Taharat Habayit vol 1. 6:2, Shoshanat Ha'amakim 3:3. <br /> | |||
Shach 188:3 quotes the Bach that if it’s wet, you need to wait until it dries because it might turn red but the Shach himself disagrees and says we don't need to be concerned for that Taz 188:1 agrees.</ref> | |||
==Looking at Night== | |||
# Some poskim say that you need sunlight to determine the color, and therefore cannot look at night.<ref> Rav Hershel Schachter (notes to The Laws and Concepts of Niddah by Rabbi Sobolofsky pg. 306) </ref> Others are lenient, if necessary.<ref> Taharat Habayit 2:13:7 says that artificial light can alter the appearance. Therefore it should be inspected it by light of the sun and not lamplight. At night however, she may do her inspection by artificial light, preferably fluorescent. If she finds color that might to be evaluated, she should check again in the morning by sunlight. Shoshanat Ha'amakim 3:2 agrees. <br /> | |||
* Torat Hashelamim 188:1 says checking at night is ok because we don't distinguish between shades of red anyway. Badei hashulchan 184:53 is lenient</ref> | |||
==Waiting for an Answer== | |||
# If a woman finds a questionable color, whether on an examination cloth or stain on a garment, it must be shown to rabbi. In the interim, until she receives an answer, she should conduct herself like a full fledged nidda.<ref>Shoshanat Ha'amakim 3:4 </ref> | |||
==Differences between a Bedika Cloth and a Ketem== | ==Differences between a Bedika Cloth and a Ketem== | ||
# Unlike a ketem any blood even a minimal amount found on a bedika cloth renders the woman tameh.<ref>The achronim learn that blood found on a bedika cloth is like the woman actually saw blood and is certainly tameh. Most achronim consider the tumah on a bedika cloth to possibly be of | # Unlike a ketem any blood even a minimal amount found on a bedika cloth renders the woman tameh.<ref>The achronim learn that blood found on a bedika cloth is like the woman actually saw blood and is certainly tameh. Most achronim consider the tumah on a bedika cloth to possibly be of biblical tumah and not just rabbinic. One source that indicates that the tumah is biblical is the gemara Niddah 14a which states that blood found on a bedika cloth renders the woman tameh niddah. Rashi s.v. tameh implies that this is a certain tumah. Regarding whether this is a biblical concern, see the Pitchei Teshuva 183:1 who cites the Chavot Daat, Sidrei Tahara 183:2, and Peleti 190:1 who considers the blood on the bedika cloth to be biblical. The Rambam (Isurei Biyah 9:1) is a strong proof that is of biblical significance, while the Hagahot Maimoniyot (Isurei Biyah 4:20) implies that it is rabbinic. Shulchan Aruch Harav (Kuntres Acharon 183:2), Rabbi Akiva Eiger 1:62, Aruch Hashulchan 183:55, Badei Hashulchan 183:6, and Taharat Habayit v. 1 p. 17 hold that it is potentially biblical even if she says that there was no hargasha. See Yabia Omer YD 8:16 where he clarifies that he agrees with the achronim that it is of biblical concern unlike the Netah Shashuim who thinks that it is only rabbinic if there was no hargasha. Hear Rabbi Mordechai Willig ([http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/872192/rabbi-mordechai-i-willig/niddah-shiur-83-hargasha-today/ Niddah Shiur 83] at the end) who explains that according to his explanation of hargasha the bedika cloth is only rabbinic but nonetheless it doesn't have any leniencies of ketamim.</ref> | ||
# Becoming tameh because of blood on a bedika cloth can create a veset unlike blood found as a ketem.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch 190:54</ref> | # Becoming tameh because of blood on a bedika cloth can create a veset unlike blood found as a ketem.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch 190:54</ref> | ||
==If the Bedika Cloth Is Lost before the Rabbi sees it== | |||
# If a woman loses her bedika cloth that she is sure was a clean color, she is believed to say so.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 188:2 </ref> | |||
# If a woman loses her bedika cloth that she was unsure about before she shows it to the rabbi, she becomes forbidden to her husband and must count 7 nekiim over again.<ref> Rav Hershel Schachter (notes to The Laws and Concepts of Niddah by Rabbi Sobolofsky pg. 306) </ref> | |||
==Who is Qualified to Decide== | |||
===Husband=== | |||
# | |||
===Getting a Second Opinion=== | |||
# Once a cloth has been declared tameh by a rabbi, it may not be shown to a second rabbi without mentioning that it had been previously declared unclean.<ref> Taharat habayit 1:6:5, Shoshanat Ha'amakim 3:7</ref> | |||
==Trusting Your Wife== | |||
# A women who said that she is a niddah or not a niddah she is believed.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 185:3</ref> | |||
# If she says she is a niddah and then says in fact she wasn't a niddah she isn't believed unless she has a reasonable excuse why she lied.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 185:3</ref> | |||
# If she later says that was joking and in fact she isn't a niddah she isn't believed with her second statement unless she has an excuse as to why she said she was a niddah previously.<ref>Dor Hamelaktim Niddah v. 1 p. 111 cites the Baal Hatrumah 91 who writes that even if she says it was a joke she's still a niddah and not believed that it was a joke unless she has another excuse. They also cite that this is accepted by the poskim including Levush 183:3, Bach 185:4, Shach 185:2, Graz 185:4, Taharat Habayit 4:3, Shiurei Shevet Halevi 185:1, Pitchei Halacha p. 102</ref> | |||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Niddah]] | [[Category:Niddah]] | ||
