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Does anyone know why the Zavah (a woman who experiences certain menstrual bleeding outside her regular cycle) brings a sin offering on the eighth day after the bleeding ceases? (Leviticus 15:29).

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I think you are referring to a Zavah not a Niddah. – Double AA♦ Jul 29 '12 at 22:05
Although the eights day bit comes after the part about the zavah, the zavah and nidda parts are parallel and the eighth day bit applies to both. – RashaGamor Jul 29 '12 at 22:50
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I'm not sure what you mean. Niddah and Zavah are somewhat parallel concepts, but there is only a sin offering after 8 days of Zavah. – Double AA♦ Jul 29 '12 at 23:23
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@DoubleAA is right (there is no korban for a niddah). And the parallel to the zavah is probably more accurately the zav (male). The zav also brings a korban. – Dov F Jul 30 '12 at 0:37
@jutky Isn't the question implicitly asking what sin was committed? – Double AA♦ Jul 30 '12 at 7:50
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2 Answers

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A nidda doesn't even have an 8th day - Min Hatorah she goes to the mikvah on the night after the bleeding stops. The 7 clean days is only for a Zavah.

In modern times we (theoretically) don't know who is a Niddah vs a Zavah so both wait, this change was instituted by women BTW.

I say theoretically because we still do it even in cases where it's obviously Niddah and not Zavah.

Zavah is bleeding outside the expected time. In questionable situations the Sanhedrin was consulted, and we don't have that now.

We could in theory act like a Zavah in all questionable situations, but we don't. We act like Zavah in all cases, this was the change instituted by women.

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Certainly a Niddah has an 8th day. You are confusing shiva nekiim with shiva...not nekiim (dirtiim?) or perhaps with a shomeret yom keneged yom. Min hatorah a woman goes to the mikva 7 days after starting to bleed during Niddah days independent if those seven were clean or not. – Double AA♦ Jul 30 '12 at 6:30
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Min Hatorah she goes to the mikvah on the night after the bleeding stops - This is wrong, Niddah has to wait 7 days and she goes to mikvah on the night of 8-th day. The difference is, as @DoubleAA commented, that 7 days of Niddah may be dirty. – jutky Jul 30 '12 at 7:34
See mechon-mamre.org/i/5107.htm#16 – Double AA♦ Jul 30 '12 at 7:38
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In questionable situations the Sanhedrin was consulted - This is wrong. The psak for niddah is a simple psak that everyone (that have enough knowlage) can give. You can see lot of such cases in gemorah Niddah. There is no need to go to Sanhedrin. – jutky Jul 30 '12 at 7:39
Also, if you want there is a Sanhedrin now' – avi Jul 30 '12 at 8:01
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Although the question originally conflated a zavah with woman who is niddah, this obligation applies to a woman who is experiencing discharge beyond her regular menstrual cycle. Regarding the offering brought by a Zav, the male counterpart of a Zavah, the Ibn Ezra on Lev. 15:15 explains that an offering is brought because such discharges are divine punishment for sin. The Ramban adds that the offering expiates the sin to avoid recurrence.

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remission: groan... :) – Double AA♦ Oct 26 '12 at 17:01
@DoublAA, sorry, no pun intended and I see I clearly used the wrong word, let me think of an appropriate word to express it concisely – Yirmeyahu Oct 26 '12 at 17:03

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