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

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Immersion for conversion

23 October, 2003
Question:

If a Gentile woman is using a mikvah for conversion, must she follow the laws of niddah prior to immersion (i.e., hefsek tahara and 7 clean days)?
 


Answer:

A woman about to immerse in the mikveh for conversion does not have to be concerned about where she is in her cycle and does not do bedikot etc. She simply has to be sure that there are no barriers (chatzitzot) between her body and the mikveh water. Therefore, she bathes, combs her hair, and generally prepares for mikveh in the same manner as a Jewish woman immersing for niddah purposes.

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