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

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Relations on Rosh Hashanah

9 September, 2004
Question:

Hi, Thank you for your wonderful site. I know that you are not supposed to have marital relations on Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, but someone recently told me that it is also not recommended to have relations on Rosh Hashana unless you go to the mikvah, is this true? I have already gone to the mikvah this month, and my husband and I are trying to get pregnant, does this matter at all? Thank you.


Answer:

There is a minhag not to have marital relations on Rosh Hashanah, in keeping with the awesome nature of the holy days and because the time is better spent in prayer and repentance. This usually does not apply when it is a mitzvah to have relations, such as on mikveh night, or to fulfill the commandment of p'ru ur'vu ("be fruitful and multiply"), which entails having at least one boy and one girl.

Abstinence on Rosh Hashanah is merely proper conduct; it is not a law. Newlyweds may not wish to or be able to refrain. There is also local custom to be considered.

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