Corona: Bringing a bedikah for evaluation
19 March, 2020
Question:I’m counting my seven clean days and I have a bedikah that’s a questionable color. However, with the Coronavirus pandemic, we are not supposed to leave the house unless absolutely necessary, and we are also not supposed to hand things to people if we can avoid it. What should I do?
Answer:We recommend that you call the halachic authority to whom you usually bring such questions to consult. (You could also contact a Yoetzet Halacha through Nishmat’s Golda Koschitzky Hotline, or a local Yoetzet Halacha.) Explain that it is difficult to bring in the cloth because of the restrictions, and give as many details about it as possible.
Another possibility is to seek to have it evaluated by a rabbi online through Tahor App (available on iPhone and some models of Android phones), which uses special color calibration technology to ensure that the stain is photographed and transmitted accurately. While some borderline colors will require in-person evaluation, many questions are more clear-cut and can be accurately assessed through the app.
If you will need to drop the bedikah off for in-person evaluation, please lay the cloth flat to dry and then place it in a clear plastic bag. Wash your hands, and place the bag in an envelope with a note with your phone number and other relevant information.
In this situation, you might try to perform another bedikah prior to sunset, to serve as a new hefsek taharah should one be necessary.
Be”H, the pandemic will pass and we’ll be able to return to our normal mikveh practices soon!
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