A couch, which is meant for sitting or lying down, can contract
tumah if a person who is a
niddah or a
zav/zavah sits or lies on it. In fact, many objects in the home may have the ritual status of
tumah. However, since the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, the laws associated with this type of
tumah no longer have practical applications, and anyone may sit on a couch without concern regarding the ritual status of the couch.
Ashkenazi practice is that, when the wife is in
niddah, a couple may not
sit together at the same time on a seat where the movement of one person can be felt by the other. However, this restriction is not connected to the laws of
tumah.
This response was updated on 4 November, 2025.
