First time immersion
18 January, 2009
Question:Shalom. I have never been to mikveh and for the first time started attending shul few month ago, when my baby was a few month old. I still do not have my period due to breastfeeding. Should I wait to go to a mikveh for the first time in my life until I get my period? thank you
Answer:You deserve a great deal of credit for asking this question.
A woman remains in niddah, and is halachically prohibited from having relations with her husband, until she has immersed in a mikveh – even if a long time has passed since her last menstrual period.
Therefore, we recommend that you not wait to initiate the immersion process. For details about practice, please see our article "Niddah In a Nutshell". In your case, you should wait five days (starting today – not with your next period) and then perform a hefsek taharah. For specific questions that arise as someone new to the process, please feel free to get back to us.
If at all possible, we recommend that you approach a kallah teacher, the rabbi's wife, or another knowledgeable woman in your community for some practical personal guidance in this mitzva.
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. All health and health-related information contained within Nishmat's Women's Health & Halacha Web site is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for consulting with your health care professional. The advice is intended to offer a basis for individuals to discuss their medical condition with their health care provider but not individual advice. Although every effort is made to ensure that the material within Nishmat's Women's Health & Halacha Web site is accurate and timely, it is provided for the convenience of the Web site user but should not be considered official. Advice for actual medical practice should be obtained from a licensed health care professional.
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