Questions on Hefsek Tahara and Moch Dachuk

Question:

1) When is the ideal time for a Hefsek Tahara Lechatchilo? Can one do it earlier than this in order to leave time for an additional bedika if it turns out not good.

2) Does a Hefsek Tahara done at night help (Bdieved) for the following day?

3) Can a woman do a Hefsek (Lechatchilo) on the second or third day of her period and only start counting from day five?

4) I heard from a Rov that a woman doesn’t have to do moch dochuk nowadays unless it’s Yom Rishon L’Riyoso as it can cause problems (Makos). Is this something to be relied on?

5) When a woman’s period has continued until day 5, does she have to do a Moch Dochuk Meikar hadin? If yes, then how much dam is considered “seeing” on day 5?

6) If a woman forgot or deliberately didn’t wear white and we see a Kesem which is a Gris is she Tahor?

7) If a woman does a Hefsek early or goes to Mikva after night, does she still have to wear white as it is not part of Shiva Nekiyim?

8) Whats the Lechatchilo time a woman should wait after washing before doing a Hefsek? What about Bdieved?

9) If a woman is only doing day 1 and 7 because she has a Makah etc. is it better to do it in the day or night?

Thank you

Answer:

Hello,

1. The ideal time to do a hefsek tahara is from Mincha Ketana time, which is around two and a half hours before shikia Shulchan Aruch Y:D 196:1). The exact time can be found on a calendar. If possible, it is even better to do the hefsek a half an hour to an hour before shikia, provided that the person will indeed have enough time to do as many additional hefseks as will be necessary )Aruch Hashulchan 196:10).
2.   Yes, bedieved (Chazzon Ish Y:D 92:45, Aruch Hashulchan Y:D 196:7).
3. Yes. (Chazzon Ish Y:D 92:45)
4. There is no general rule that says that every woman today should not do a moch dachuk. In fact, most women are able to do a moch dochuk. There are different factors that can cause dryness and sensitivity, for example a low estrogen level, and therefore nursing can cause dryness. If a woman feels that doing a moch dachuk might cause a makka, she should speak to her Rav who most probably will tell her not to. However, as mentioned above, different factors at different periods of life cause sensitivity. Therefore, although a woman had sensitivity and a heter not to do a moch dachuk at one point in her life, that heter should periodically be revisited.
5. The Chavos Daas (Y:D 196:1,2) writes that she would need to do a moch dachuk. Lechatchila we try to do as the Chavos Daas, therefore we are more machmir to do a moch dachuk if the woman saw blood on the fifth day. However, if a moch is not possible, we are lenient. Seemingly, any amount of blood would require a moch dachuk according to the Chavos Daas, however a Rav should be consulted since there are a few factors to consider when giving a psak regarding this topic.
6. If she forgot, than we are lenient. Regarding her deliberately not wearing white, she would have to ask the question to a Rav and specify why she chose not to wear white (Chochmas Adam 117:8).
7. Regarding doing a hefsek early, the wording of the Shulchan Aruch (Y:D 196:3) seems to indicate that she should wear white. After nightfall of the seventh day, she does not have to wear white.
8. In Israel we say that ideally she should wait 10 minutes (as Rav Elyashiv said), however if there is not enough time, she can wait 3 minutes (Rav Nissim Karelitz). Less than 3 minutes is a question to be asked to a Rav. Rav Moshe Feinstein writes (Igros Moshe Y:D 2 siman 71) that ideally a woman should wait 15 minutes, however a close talmid of his told me that Rav Moshe told him that he only meant lechatchila.
9. She should do the bedika of the first day in the morning, and the bedika of the seventh day in the afternoon. (Raaved Baalai Hanefesh- Shaar Hasefira vehabedika “בדיקת הזבה, עיקר בדיקתה בתחלת יום הראשון ובסוף יום השביעי כדי שתהא תחלתן וסופן בטהרה”.

All the best

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