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Leviticus 15:24 - Impurity through intimacy during niddah?

Leviticus 15:24 - ויקרא 15:24

Hebrew Text

וְאִם שָׁכֹב יִשְׁכַּב אִישׁ אֹתָהּ וּתְהִי נִדָּתָהּ עָלָיו וְטָמֵא שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְכָל־הַמִּשְׁכָּב אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּב עָלָיו יִטְמָא׃

English Translation

And if any man lie with her at all, and her menstrual flow be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days: and all the bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

Transliteration

Ve'im shakho yishkav ish otah utehi nidatah alav vetame shivat yamim vechol-hamishkav asher-yishkav alav yitma.

Hebrew Leining Text

וְאִ֡ם שָׁכֹב֩ יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אִ֜ישׁ אֹתָ֗הּ וּתְהִ֤י נִדָּתָהּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וְטָמֵ֖א שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְכׇל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ב אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃ <span class="mam-spi-samekh">{ס}</span>        
וְאִ֡ם שָׁכֹב֩ יִשְׁכַּ֨ב אִ֜ישׁ אֹתָ֗הּ וּתְהִ֤י נִדָּתָהּ֙ עָלָ֔יו וְטָמֵ֖א שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְכׇל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ב אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁכַּ֥ב עָלָ֖יו יִטְמָֽא׃ {ס}        

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Parasha Commentary

Overview of the Verse

The verse (Vayikra 15:24) discusses the laws of tumah (ritual impurity) that apply when a man has relations with a woman during her niddah (menstrual) state. The Torah states that both the man and any bedding he lies upon become ritually impure for seven days.

Rashi's Explanation

Rashi (Vayikra 15:24) clarifies that the phrase "and her menstrual flow be upon him" means that the woman was in a confirmed state of niddah at the time of relations. The impurity is transmitted to the man regardless of whether emission occurs, as the verse states "if any man lie with her at all." Rashi also notes that the bedding becomes impure through direct contact with the impure man.

Rambam's Halachic Perspective

In Hilchot Metamei Mishkav uMoshav (1:6), Rambam rules that this impurity applies even if the man was unaware of the woman's niddah status at the time. The seven-day impurity period mirrors that of a zav (a man with a discharge), indicating the severity of this transgression.

Midrashic Insight

The Sifra (Metzora, Parashah 5) connects this law to the broader theme of maintaining holiness in marital relations. The seven-day purification period serves as a deterrent against forbidden relations and emphasizes the importance of taharah (ritual purity) in Jewish family life.

Practical Implications

  • The man becomes a baal keri (impure through emission) and requires immersion in a mikveh after the seven days.
  • Any bedding or furniture he touches during this period contracts tumah of the first degree (av hatumah).
  • This law reinforces the strict prohibition of relations during niddah (Vayikra 18:19).

Kabbalistic Dimension

The Zohar (Vayikra 49a) teaches that violating niddah laws creates spiritual damage that requires significant repair. The seven-day purification period corresponds to the seven emotional sefirot that need rectification after such an offense.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Niddah 35b
The verse is discussed in the context of the laws of ritual impurity related to menstruation, specifically addressing the impurity transmitted through lying with a menstruating woman.
📖 Keritot 8b
The verse is referenced in a discussion about the severity of transgressions related to ritual impurity and the consequences thereof.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Leviticus 15:24 mean?
A: Leviticus 15:24 discusses the laws of ritual impurity (tumah) related to a man who has relations with a woman during her menstrual period (niddah). According to the verse, both the man and any bedding they lie on become ritually impure for seven days. This is part of the Torah's detailed laws about purity and impurity found in Leviticus.
Q: Why is this verse important in Judaism?
A: This verse is important because it establishes the halachic (Jewish legal) principle that contact with a niddah (a menstruating woman) transmits ritual impurity. These laws are foundational to the Torah's system of taharah (purity) and tumah (impurity), which affects various aspects of Jewish life, including marital relations, Temple service (when the Temple stood), and other areas of Jewish practice.
Q: How does this apply to Jewish life today?
A: Today, Orthodox Jews observe the laws of family purity (taharat hamishpacha), which include abstaining from physical contact during a woman's menstrual period and for seven 'clean' days afterward. While the Temple is not standing and many purity laws are not fully applicable, these marital laws remain central to Jewish observance, as codified in the Shulchan Aruch and other halachic works.
Q: What is the significance of the seven-day impurity period mentioned in this verse?
A: The seven-day period aligns with the general Torah principle that major forms of impurity (such as contact with the dead or a niddah) require a seven-day purification process, often involving immersion in a mikveh (ritual bath) and other steps. This timeframe appears in multiple places in Leviticus regarding different types of tumah.
Q: Does this verse mean a menstruating woman is 'dirty'?
A: No, the concept of tumah (ritual impurity) in Judaism is not about physical cleanliness or moral judgment. It is a spiritual state with specific halachic consequences. A niddah is not 'dirty,' but her status requires separation from her husband during this time, followed by immersion in a mikveh to restore taharah (purity) before resuming marital relations. This system elevates the sanctity of the marital relationship.