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

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Premenstrual cramps

3 January, 2005

Question:

Are cramps considered a hargasha? Does it matter when the cramps were felt (i.e, before an anticipated date of period, or right after mikveh immersion)


Answer:

Cramps are not considered a hargashah. Hargashah is not well defined in written halachic sources. A number of possibilities are described:

  1. she feels her uterus open
  2. she feels her whole body shake
  3. she feels an internal flow.

Menstrual cramps do not fall into these catagories.

If your cramps come regularly, and you always see blood at at the same interval following the cramps, you may have a veset haguf. We suggest you read about these two concepts on our website, where they are discussed at length, and get back to us if you have a more specific question.


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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