Preparing early for hefsek
26 August, 2009
Question:I was wondering how long before you perform the hefsek and moch you can begin cleaning the area? I am going to be driving at the time of sunset/insertion of the moch, and would like to prepare for it before I get in my car (4 hours before sunset) so that when sunset comes, all I have to do is the hefsek and moch (which would not be that difficult in a public restroom).
Answer:The cleaning of the vaginal area is done to help ensure that no remnants of old blood remain before performing the hefsek taharah. Therefore, the cleaning can be done at any point during the day you plan on performing the hefsek. Alternatively, you can bring a baby wipe with you to clean the area immediately before performing the hefsek.
You may also want to do a trial hefsek earlier in the day, before you start driving. This can serve as a backup if you find that no restroom is available close to sunset (e.g., you get caught in traffic).
Please feel free to get back to us with any further 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.
Users of Internet filtering services: This site discusses sensitive subjects that some services filter without visual indication. A page that appears 100% complete might actually be missing critical Jewish-law or medical information. To ensure that you view the pages accurately, ask the filtering service to whitelist all pages under yoatzot.org.