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Preparing for the Mikveh: Difference between revisions
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→Chatzitzot (Interpositions)
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# Ink, milk, honey, and blood aren't chatzitzot if they are moist but are chatzitzot if they are dry.<Ref>Tosefta Mikvaot 6:5, Rosh Mikvaot no. 26, Shulchan Aruch YD 198:15</ref> Blood that congealed is a chatzitza.<Ref>Rambam (Mikvaot 2:2) writes that blood that congealed on the skin is a chatzitza. Even though the Bet Yosef cites the Smag who argues with the Rambam, the Shulchan Aruch 198:16 rules like the Rambam. See Zevachim 35a which illustrates that moist blood isn't a chatzitza.</ref> | # Ink, milk, honey, and blood aren't chatzitzot if they are moist but are chatzitzot if they are dry.<Ref>Tosefta Mikvaot 6:5, Rosh Mikvaot no. 26, Shulchan Aruch YD 198:15</ref> Blood that congealed is a chatzitza.<Ref>Rambam (Mikvaot 2:2) writes that blood that congealed on the skin is a chatzitza. Even though the Bet Yosef cites the Smag who argues with the Rambam, the Shulchan Aruch 198:16 rules like the Rambam. See Zevachim 35a which illustrates that moist blood isn't a chatzitza.</ref> | ||
# Dry skin should be soaked and rubbed to remove any loose skin. Some say that women should not make it her practice to remove any hard skin with a pumice stone. <ref>The Laws of Niddah p. 349. Shiurei Shevet Halevi 198:22(4) writes that the reason why a woman shouldn't have a consistent practice to dry all hard skin is that if she does she so she must continue her practice and then if she forgets one time there is a serious question that should be asked to a rabbi. See Shevet Halevi 3:127.</ref> | # Dry skin should be soaked and rubbed to remove any loose skin. Some say that women should not make it her practice to remove any hard skin with a pumice stone. <ref>The Laws of Niddah p. 349. Shiurei Shevet Halevi 198:22(4) writes that the reason why a woman shouldn't have a consistent practice to dry all hard skin is that if she does she so she must continue her practice and then if she forgets one time there is a serious question that should be asked to a rabbi. See Shevet Halevi 3:127.</ref> | ||
# If a woman has a dye or a coloration on the skin such as if she was burned it isn't a chatzitza but if she could remove it she should.<ref> The [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=1120&st=&pgnum=423&hilite= Bet Dovid YD siman 98] and [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=812&pgnum=133 Ohel Yosef siman 40] hold that a dye on the hands isn't a chatzitza if it doesn't leave any substance above the skin level (based on the Rashba cited in Shulchan Aruch 198:17). For example, they were discussing a woman whose hands were dyed because of peeling nuts and were lenient because it couldn't be removed and it didn't leave any residue. This also seems to be the opinion of the Taz 198:17 citing the Roke'ach. | |||
* Taharat Habayit v. 3 p. 28 is lenient on any coloration of the skin since it has no substance above the skin level. Nonetheless, he writes that initially it should be removed.</ref> | |||
====Medical Circumstances==== | |||
# If an item is left for a long time and won't be removed earlier some poskim hold that it isn't considered that she's wants it removed now.<ref>Pitchei Teshuva 198:1 quoting the Zichron Yosef. The Orot Hatahara p. 336 quotes this and the several opinions that follow and sides with Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.</ref> Poskim mention different times as to how long this has to be. Some say a half a year<Ref>Avnei Nezer YD 253:3</ref>, some say say 30 days<ref>Shaarei Tevilah 34:4 quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach</ref>, some say 1 week<ref>Shaarei Tevilah 34:4 quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach for an extenuating circumstance, Chelkat Yoav YD 30</ref>, and some say that it doesn't depend on any fixed amount of time but as long as there is some definitive time that it'll remain there.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:97</ref> A rav should be consulted about any such case. | |||
# Many poskim are lenient about a gauze that the doctors say need to remain in the ear to avoid a serious medical complication. A rav should be consulted.<ref> | # Many poskim are lenient about a gauze that the doctors say need to remain in the ear to avoid a serious medical complication. A rav should be consulted.<ref> | ||
* Igrot Moshe YD 1:98 is lenient about a woman who needs a cotton smeared with Vaseline in the ear because a chasisa that isn't attached to the body but merely covers it and prevents water from penetrating it isn't a chatzitza in a concealed area (bet hastarim). See there at length where he uses this to explain the Raavad quoted in Shulchan Aruch 199:12. Rav Ovadia Yosef in Taharat Habayit v. 3 p. 66 agrees. | * Igrot Moshe YD 1:98 is lenient about a woman who needs a cotton smeared with Vaseline in the ear because a chasisa that isn't attached to the body but merely covers it and prevents water from penetrating it isn't a chatzitza in a concealed area (bet hastarim). See there at length where he uses this to explain the Raavad quoted in Shulchan Aruch 199:12. Rav Ovadia Yosef in Taharat Habayit v. 3 p. 66 agrees. | ||
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* [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14334&st=&pgnum=263 Chazon Ish YD 94:8] is lenient for a woman who had a hole in her ear to place a cotton in the ear with oil on it since the oil is a liquid substance. His main discussion is regarding the oil and not the cotton. | * [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14334&st=&pgnum=263 Chazon Ish YD 94:8] is lenient for a woman who had a hole in her ear to place a cotton in the ear with oil on it since the oil is a liquid substance. His main discussion is regarding the oil and not the cotton. | ||
* Ben Ish Chai in Rav Poalim 2:27 is strict on the cotton in the ear because she wants it there to be tight. Rather he advises having another person wet their hands and not so tightly cover her ears while she's tovel.</ref> | * Ben Ish Chai in Rav Poalim 2:27 is strict on the cotton in the ear because she wants it there to be tight. Rather he advises having another person wet their hands and not so tightly cover her ears while she's tovel.</ref> | ||
====Nails==== | ====Nails==== | ||
# The minhag is to cut the nails before tevilah.<ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 198:18</ref> If she forgot to cut her nails before the tevilah she should cut them and go to the mikveh again<Ref>Rama 198:20</ref> without a bracha.<ref>Aruch Hashulchan 200:1, Badei Hashulchan 200:5</ref> If they were clean and she didn't realize until the next morning a rav should be consulted. <Ref>Taz 198:21 is lenient only after the fact if the nails were clean and she was with her husband, whereas the Shach 198:25 is strict even in such a case. Laws of Niddah v. 2 p. 311 writes that a rav should be consulted. Binat Adam 119:14 and Ben Ish Chai (Shana Bet, Shemini no. 4) agree with the Taz. Taharat Habayit v.3 p. 85 cites the Tashbetz 3:58 who is a support for the Taz. | # The minhag is to cut the nails before tevilah.<ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 198:18</ref> If she forgot to cut her nails before the tevilah she should cut them and go to the mikveh again<Ref>Rama 198:20</ref> without a bracha.<ref>Aruch Hashulchan 200:1, Badei Hashulchan 200:5</ref> If they were clean and she didn't realize until the next morning a rav should be consulted. <Ref>Taz 198:21 is lenient only after the fact if the nails were clean and she was with her husband, whereas the Shach 198:25 is strict even in such a case. Laws of Niddah v. 2 p. 311 writes that a rav should be consulted. Binat Adam 119:14 and Ben Ish Chai (Shana Bet, Shemini no. 4) agree with the Taz. Taharat Habayit v.3 p. 85 cites the Tashbetz 3:58 who is a support for the Taz. | ||
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====Decorative Substances==== | ====Decorative Substances==== | ||
# Makeup should be removed before tevilah. <ref>The Rashba ([http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=8922&st=&pgnum=401 Torat Habayit Hakatzar 32a]) writes that hair dye isn't a chatzitza for three reasons. 1) Since the women don't want to remove it it isn't considered a chatzitza if it doesn't cover a majority of the hair. 2) They actively want it there so that it becomes like part of the body. 3) As it is very thin it isn't considered an interposition between the body and the water at all. The Rashba (Meyuchasot LRamban no. 124) in a letter writes that the Ramban agreed with his opinion on this matter. The Rosh (Mikvaot no. 27), Rabbenu Yerucham (Netiv 26 ch. 5), Tur and Shulchan Aruch 198:17 agree. The Tur and Shulchan Aruch even extend this to dye on the face as well. | # Makeup should be removed before tevilah. <ref>The Rashba ([http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=8922&st=&pgnum=401 Torat Habayit Hakatzar 32a]) writes that hair dye isn't a chatzitza for three reasons. 1) Since the women don't want to remove it it isn't considered a chatzitza if it doesn't cover a majority of the hair. 2) They actively want it there so that it becomes like part of the body. 3) As it is very thin it isn't considered an interposition between the body and the water at all. The Rashba (Meyuchasot LRamban no. 124) in a letter writes that the Ramban agreed with his opinion on this matter. The Rosh (Mikvaot no. 27), Rabbenu Yerucham (Netiv 26 ch. 5), Tur and Shulchan Aruch 198:17 agree. The Tur and Shulchan Aruch 198:17 even extend this to dye on the face as well. | ||
* | * The Shach 198:21 and Badei Hashulchan 198:118 hold that the primary reasons for the leniency are 2 and 3. However, the Sidrei Tahara 198:33 argues that the reason that the chatzitza is so thin and doesn't leave a residue isn't the primary reason to be lenient. | ||
* Nonetheless, The Laws of Niddah v. 2 p. 294 writes that makeup must be removed since it is routinely removed and also it would run when the woman goes in the mikveh. The Mishmeret Hatahara (Rabbi Morgenstern, v. 2 p. 371 n. 229) agrees.</ref> | * Nonetheless, The Laws of Niddah v. 2 p. 294 writes that makeup must be removed since it is routinely removed and also it would run when the woman goes in the mikveh. The Mishmeret Hatahara (Rabbi Morgenstern, v. 2 p. 371 n. 229) agrees. | ||
* Taharat Habayit v. 3 p. 29 writes that makeup should be removed but isn't chatzitza after the fact. He also mentions that tattoos aren't a chatziza.</ref> | |||
# Nail polish should be removed before tevilah. If it can't be removed the nail polish isn't a chatzitza unless it was only partially on the nail or cracked. <Ref>The Rashba (Torat Habayit Hakatzar 32b) explains that dyes on the hands are decorative and don't constitute a chatzitza. Many rishonim agree with this and it is quoted in Shulchan Aruch YD 198:17. See above for more details. However, according to Ashkenazim the nail polish has to be removed initially as the Rama 198:1 writes that all chatzitzot should be removed. | # Nail polish should be removed before tevilah. If it can't be removed the nail polish isn't a chatzitza unless it was only partially on the nail or cracked. <Ref>The Rashba (Torat Habayit Hakatzar 32b) explains that dyes on the hands are decorative and don't constitute a chatzitza. Many rishonim agree with this and it is quoted in Shulchan Aruch YD 198:17. See above for more details. However, according to Ashkenazim the nail polish has to be removed initially as the Rama 198:1 writes that all chatzitzot should be removed. | ||
* Therefore, The Laws of Niddah v. 2 p. 293 writes that the nail polish should be removed, but if it can't be removed or she was already tovel without removing the polish and it remained intact, the nail polish isn't a chatzitza. This is only true if the nail polish was in a decorative manner such as that she'd be seen publicly like that it isn't a chatzitza but if it is cracked or only on partially it is an issue. Mishmeret Hatahara (v. 2 p. 372) only accepts that it isn't a chatzitza if she always wears nail polish. | * Therefore, The Laws of Niddah v. 2 p. 293 writes that the nail polish should be removed, but if it can't be removed or she was already tovel without removing the polish and it remained intact, the nail polish isn't a chatzitza. This is only true if the nail polish was in a decorative manner such as that she'd be seen publicly like that it isn't a chatzitza but if it is cracked or only on partially it is an issue. Mishmeret Hatahara (v. 2 p. 372) only accepts that it isn't a chatzitza if she always wears nail polish. | ||
