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Jun. 9th, 2004 09:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gnomiWelcome to a new feature here in Nomi-ville: periodic peeks into the AskNomi mailbox.
Why would a mikvah shopping site have black panty-liners for sale?
OK, this veers into the realm of traditional Jewish observances of Family Purity, so please bear with me here.
When a woman menstruates, she enters a status known as niddah. She remains in niddah until she goes to the mikvah, the ritual bath. From the day that her menstrual period ends, the woman counts 7 "clean" days, days on which she inspects closely for any trace of menstrual blood, as any trace would invalidate her "clean" days and require her to start the 7-day count again. After seven "clean" days, the woman goes to the mikvah and is no longer niddah. Custom is to wear underwear with a white crotch panel so that any trace of discharge can be seen and analyzed to see if it invalidates her count.
So, where do the black panty-liners come in? Well, during the other 2 weeks of the month (the ones that aren't her clean week nor her menstrual week), she doesn't want to see any trace of discharge, as it could make her niddah if the rabbi determines that the spot is, in fact, blood. And, as tradition has passed to us today, the rule is that if you can't see it and determine its color, it doesn't count. Therefore, a tradition has arisen for women to wear underwear with dark-colored crotch panels to prevent them from being able to see any spots. And if a woman does not own any underwear that fits the bill, she can use a dark-colored panty-liner that serves the same purpose - obscuring any stains that could be blood.
ETA: This site has a discussion of the leniencies that the rabbis use in terms of identifying spots to prevent women from being continually niddah.
Have a question? Ask!
Why would a mikvah shopping site have black panty-liners for sale?
OK, this veers into the realm of traditional Jewish observances of Family Purity, so please bear with me here.
When a woman menstruates, she enters a status known as niddah. She remains in niddah until she goes to the mikvah, the ritual bath. From the day that her menstrual period ends, the woman counts 7 "clean" days, days on which she inspects closely for any trace of menstrual blood, as any trace would invalidate her "clean" days and require her to start the 7-day count again. After seven "clean" days, the woman goes to the mikvah and is no longer niddah. Custom is to wear underwear with a white crotch panel so that any trace of discharge can be seen and analyzed to see if it invalidates her count.
So, where do the black panty-liners come in? Well, during the other 2 weeks of the month (the ones that aren't her clean week nor her menstrual week), she doesn't want to see any trace of discharge, as it could make her niddah if the rabbi determines that the spot is, in fact, blood. And, as tradition has passed to us today, the rule is that if you can't see it and determine its color, it doesn't count. Therefore, a tradition has arisen for women to wear underwear with dark-colored crotch panels to prevent them from being able to see any spots. And if a woman does not own any underwear that fits the bill, she can use a dark-colored panty-liner that serves the same purpose - obscuring any stains that could be blood.
ETA: This site has a discussion of the leniencies that the rabbis use in terms of identifying spots to prevent women from being continually niddah.
Have a question? Ask!
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Date: 2004-06-09 10:33 am (UTC)Interestingly, for all that I'm Jewish, I'd never heard of the black underwear/pantyliner thing till I read Taking Charge of Your Fertility.
no subject
Date: 2004-06-09 11:16 am (UTC)And, really, a lot of these things aren't well known unless one has taken bride classes. It's the women who teach the classes who pass along the tips and tricks.