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

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Speck on hefsek

18 November, 2008
Question:

Hi there

I already asked a question today but have just thought of another (I really love your website by the way, I am learning so much from it and so many questions are being answered just by reading other people's questions!)

Basically, I was wondering, with a hefsek taharah, am I looking for a 100% clean white cloth to come out? Or is it ok if there is a speck on it of a red/brown colour? I know you need a certain size stain to RENDER you a niddah, but does the same apply when you are looking to come out of the bleeding days? (I hope that made sense)

Many thanks for your help


Answer:

Thank you for the compliment.  We hope you will continue to learn from our posts.  We also encourage you to continue to ask your own questions, since answers may vary in certain situations.

Leniencies based on size apply only to external stains (ketamim). They do not apply to any bedikah or hefsek taharah; a speck can invalidate them.

The purpose of the hefsek taharah is to establish that you have stopped bleeding.  Therefore, the requirements are rather stringent. Most rabbis evaluate colors on a hefsek taharah more stringently than on other bedikot. 

Even so, a hefsek taharah such as you describe is worth bringing to a rabbi for evaluation.  Browns on a hefsek taharah may be acceptable depending on their shade.  For example, a light brown with no hint of red would be acceptable.  Other browns are best evaluated by a rabbi, who can also give you guidance on how to evaluate future stains.

Always make sure to check the cloth carefully before doing the bedikah to make sure there are no small specks on the cloth. If you do find a speck after performing a bedikah, and suspect that it may be a foreign object rather than blood, bring the cloth to a rabbi for evaluation.

Please feel free to get back to us with any other questions.

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. For further questions or comments:  The Nishmat Women's Health and Halacha Site is a public service of Nishmat, The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women. This project and others like it are made possible by contributions from people like you. If you have benefited from the service, and wish to enable us to help others, click here to donate.
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