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

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Attributing toilet stain to another woman

27 January, 2005

Question:

I just used the toilet at work and noticed a bright red streak of blood on the inside of the bowl. (I almost never look and I don't know what possessed me to this time.) I am certain that this did not come from me, as (1) I had just checked my cervical mucus before urinating and it was clear/whitish; and (2) none of the toilet paper or the water in the bowl showed any signed of blood that I could see. I don't have any bedikah cloths with me but I checked (externally) with a bit of toilet paper and saw no traces of anything reddish or brownish. This bathroom is used by multiple women at work, many of whom are of childbearing age (and therefore may be menstruating at any given time), so it is very reasonable to think that this originated with one of them and didn't get flushed away.

What is my status now? If I do a bedikah when I go home tonight (as I plan to) and it is clear, what effect does that have?


Answer:

You can attribute the stain to another woman, based on your having checked yourself beforehand and immediately afterward and based on not having checked the bowl beforehand. There is no need to perform a bedikah tonight.


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