Ask the Rabbi

  • Torah and Jewish Thought
  • Women's Mitzva Observance

mikveh after birth of a girl or miscarrige when gender is un

undefined

Rabbi Gideon Weitzman

Cheshvan 28, 5776
Question
I read a response of the Rabbi to a woman 7 weeks after the birth of a baby girl as to when she could go to the mikvah. The reply said, "Generally we do not hold by the Torah law of a specific waiting period after giving birth unless you have a specific family minhag to do the opposite. Therefore when the bleeding has ceased you can check for 7 clean days and go to the mikvah." I wanted to clarify if this was a response to this particular woman who was already 7 weeks after birth or it was a general response to any woman who gave birth to a girl or miscarried an unknown gender which could have been a girl. I was under the assumption that Torah law must always be kept in addition to Rabbinic law today. Therefore, I thought that a woman after the birth of a girl or unknown gender of miscarriage must count the Rabbinic law of 5 (4 for Sefardim), do a hefsek taharah examination and count 7 clean days and since that only adds up to 12 days must wait an additional 2 days before going to the mikvah in order to abide by Torah law of a woman waiting 14 days before going to the mikvah after a baby girl. (After the birth of a baby boy a woman only waits 7 days according to Torah law. When she keeps Rabbinic law of 5 (4) and 7 which equals 12 days she already included in that the 7 days of Torah law.) I understand that it is rare for a woman after birth to be able to stop bleeding 5 days after birth but I do think it may be possible after an early miscarriage and then this law would need to be observed. Thank you so much for clarifying and giving us of your precious time.
Answer
Shalom A woman must wait at least two weeks after giving birth before going to the mikvah. This answer was given to a woman who was seven weeks after birth. Kol tuv
את המידע הדפסתי באמצעות אתר yeshiva.org.il