Dampening bedikah cloth

I find doing bedikot quite painful and irritating as I am very dry. Can I wet the cloth then squeeze it out so it is not soaking wet, then do the bedikah? I did it like this and it caused no irritation at all but I worried afterward that perhaps it was invalid because the cloth was wet beforehand.



Dear questioner,

Thank you for your question.

We are sorry to hear you are experiencing such discomfort with bedikot. You may dampen the bedikah cloth slightly and wait until it is nearly dry if that helps you perform the bedikah. We suggest you use the softest cloth you can find - an old well washed white undershirt or underwear tend to be much softer than the cloths which are sold in the store. Bedikot should not be done immediately after a shower or bath, which dry out the vagina. Waiting a half hour or so would help your body produce secretions that are a natural lubricant.

If these suggestions do not help, please get back to us so we can further advise you. Behatzlachah!

This internet service does not preclude, override or replace the psak of any rabbinical authority. It is the responsibility of the questioner to inform us of any previous consultation or ruling. As even slight variation in circumstances may have Halachic consequences, views expressed concerning one case may not be applied to other, seemingly similar cases.

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