Niddah 16 – Multiple Acts

Earlier we said that a woman who was involved with ritually pure foods, in the time of the Temple, had to examine herself before and after intimacy with her husband, to verify that she has not become a niddah.  The next rule discusses how these examinations are performed when she is involved in multiple acts of intimacy in a single night.

Beit Shammai say that she must use two clean examination clothes for each and every act of cohabitation, or she must cohabit by the light of a lamp. That means, she must wipe herself before and after the act, and set the cloth aside for later examination. If she only has one cloth, she must inspect it by lamplight each time. Actually, one should not cohabit by lamplight, but only use it for the inspection. Beit Hillel, on the other hand, say that two examination clothes suffice her through the entire night.

Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: “According to your view, it is possible that the blood is covered by later wiping.” Beit Hillel answered, “Even according to you, it might still be diluted with semen and dissipate!” Beit Shammai replied, “One-time dilution is not comparable to two-times dilution.”

Art: Jacob Jordaens - Portrait of a Young Married Couple