As a corollary to this question, if a woman goes to Mikvah for her conversion "during her period" (let's say on the 2nd or 3rd day), but for some reason (for which she should probably consult her OB/GYN), she doesn't see any blood from the moment she emerges from the Mikvah, is she Tehorah? Does she need to count 7 clean days and then go to the Mikvah again? Does she need to wait a minimum number of days from the onset of her period before she can count those days? If she sees blood after Mikvah, does that begin a new Niddah period with a minimum number of days like a normal Niddah?
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1I'm just going to point out that this is purely a theoretical question. She would be prohibited to marry a Jew for 3 months in order to distinguish paternity– Double AA ♦Commented Oct 18, 2013 at 18:33
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@DoubleAA, what if she were converting with her husband? I mean, I know they have to be re-married, but I have not heard that they need to wait for 3 months.– Seth JCommented Oct 18, 2013 at 18:39
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1You still wouldn't know if the kid was conceived before or after conversion...– Double AA ♦Commented Oct 18, 2013 at 18:42
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@DoubleAA, would it matter?– Seth JCommented Oct 18, 2013 at 18:49
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1Yes. Is the kid a convert himself or not (NM to marry a Kohein). This is straight up shulchan aruch YD 269:9.– Double AA ♦Commented Oct 18, 2013 at 18:50
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1 Answer
Rav Yehuda Hertzl Henkin's (Benei Vanim 2:31) discussion of a related case indicates that she is Tehorah as all bleeding before going to the Mikva is Halachically insignificant.
(The case there is whether a pregnant woman converting needs to worry about Dam Chimmud before marrying her Jewish partner.)
answered Nov 12, 2015 at 11:11
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Is there any reason to think there's a difference between potential blood and blood that's been seen? E.g., should she have to at least keep 7 clean days in my case, since there was blood, and any blood that exists in small amounts after she immerses in a Mikvah might be Dam Niddah?– Seth JCommented Nov 18, 2015 at 19:02
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@SethJ I don't quite follow your case. Your asking about blood that was discharged from the uterus before the Mikva but was hanging out in the vagina until afterwards?– Double AA ♦Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 19:03
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I'm saying, a regular Niddah needs to keep 7 clean days after a minimum number of 3-5 days of flow. Let's say she has a short period, maybe 3 days. Then she goes to Mikvah on day 4. Your answer says she's Tehorah. That's the first part of my question. The rest of my question is, does she still need to count 7 clean days anyway, since the point of counting is to ensure there is no new blood? Your answer suggests not, which I can accept, but then, if she does see blood after Mikvah (on day 5), can she immediately count 7 days, or does she have to wait 3- 5 days, even though it's not a new flow?– Seth JCommented Nov 18, 2015 at 19:34
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@SethJ (I think you're confusing a number of issues in contemporary hilchot niddah about why different numbers of days are relevant at different times (including issues of Zavah and Poletet Shikhvat Zera').) My answer is that she has a new slate after becoming Jewish bc everything prior was irrelevant. When she next sees blood, she should act as in any situation of seeing new blood.– Double AA ♦Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 19:40
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I think I was confusing them when I wrote the question. I think I've got it straight now. The question still stands. If we know, factually, that this is a flow that began 5 days ago, and she hasn't seen any blood in at least two days, but, whoops, there it is today, does this mean she has to wait a minimum number of days before counting 7 clean? If she doesn't see any blood at all after the Mikvah, are you sure the ruling above means she doesn't even need to count 7 clean days at all, even though the point of counting is to ensure the flow has stopped?– Seth JCommented Nov 18, 2015 at 19:51