Nishmat's Women’s Health and HalachaIn memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

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Abstinence & mikveh on Shabbat

1 June, 2004

Question:

In response to a previous question you wrote that where birth control is permitted, natural family planning, including abstinence on the mikva night, is a permissible method. If that is the intent, is it permissible to go to the mikvah on Friday night? (We have 3 young children and our shul Rabbi says that we can use a diaphragm)


Answer:

You may go to mikveh on Friday night even if you plan to abstain from marital relations.

Immersion on Shabbat is prohibited only when the couple are halachically required to abstain (e.g., one of them is sitting shivah), or when relations are impossible because one of them is out of town. Even if one spouse is out of town, there are circumstances in which immersion on Friday night would be permitted if the wife would be unable to go on Saturday night.


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