Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Halakhah for Niddah 133:21

נימא אחת קשורה חוצצת

R. Johanan ruled: If a woman<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When performing immersion. ');"><sup>19</sup></span> opened her eyes too wide<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus forming above the eye a fold that prevents the water from penetrating to every part of that region. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> or shut them too closely,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Forming a fold below the eye (cf. prev. n.). ');"><sup>21</sup></span> her immersion has no validity. Resh Lakish ruled: A woman must perform immersion only when standing in her natural position;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. she must neither press her arms to her body nor her legs or feet to each other, since thereby she prevents the water from reaching parts that are normally exposed; nor need she stretch any natural fold or expose any concealed part to enable the water to reach every part of it, since these regions are normally concealed. ');"><sup>22</sup></span> as we have learnt:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Neg. II, 4. ');"><sup>23</sup></span> A man<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Afflicted with leprosy. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> is inspected<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the examining priest. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> in the same position as when he hoes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. if the eruption is high in his arm-pit there is no need for the man to raise his arm higher than he does when hoeing. If, as a result, the priest cannot see it the man must be declared clean. ');"><sup>26</sup></span> or<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of an eruption in the concealed region of the genitals. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> gathers olives;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When one does not bend too low (cf. prev. n. but one mut. mut.). ');"><sup>28</sup></span> and a woman<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Afflicted with leprosy. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> is inspected<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the examining priest. ');"><sup>25</sup></span> in the same position as when she weaves<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of an eruption in her arm-pit (cf. prev. n. but five mut. mut). ');"><sup>29</sup></span> or<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of an eruption in the concealed region of the genitals. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> suckles her child.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When one does not bend too low (cf. prev. n. but one mut. mut.). ');"><sup>28</sup></span> Rabbah b. R. Huna<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reading in the parallel passage in Suk. 6a is 'b. Bar Hana'. ');"><sup>30</sup></span> stated, 'One knotted hair constitutes an interposition,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since it is possible to tie it so closely that no water could penetrate to all its parts. ');"><sup>31</sup></span>

Sefer HaChinukh

And this scrubbing needs to be proximate to her immersion - meaning to say that she not be involved in anything in between. And nonetheless if the immersion of a woman happened to be on Shabbat or a holiday, they permitted even from the outset that she scrub during the day and immerse at night. And likewise the Sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Niddah 67a) that on account of the concern that water should enter onto all parts of here body, a woman needs to stand at the time of the immersion in such a way that she appear like a weaver or one nursing her child standing under her breast. And she also needs to be careful about rings on her hand and bracelets - and if they are tight, she must take them off her hands at the time of immersion; and so [too,] to untie the bands on her hair, and to rinse her mouth and teeth. As even though water does not need to come into any of the hidden places, they need be fit for the water to come in. And there was a case (Niddah 66b) of a woman who immersed and a bone was found between her teeth, and the Sages required her another immersion. If she immersed and then something else separating was found upon her, such as dough or tar or dry blood and what is similar to them from all of the things that the Sages enumerated as separating - even it if is as small as a mustard seed, so long as she is concerned about it and her way is to remove it - her immersion did not count for her. And even if the thing was under the fingernail, and even if it was [impressed on] the flesh - since she is concerned - it is [considered to be] separating. And therefore the daughters of Israel have been accustomed to cut their nails at the time of immersion. And the rest of its many details of the laws of separations and the laws of mikvaot and one who has immersed on that day are elucidated in Tractate Mikvaot and and in Tractate Tevul Yom.
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