The commandment of the matter of the impurity of the zavah (woman with an irregular discharge), that is impure and renders impure: That the zavah be impure and render impure, as it is stated (Leviticus 15:25), “And a woman who discharges a discharge of her blood many days, etc.” I have written a hint of the root of the commandment with the woman that has given birth (Sefer HaChinukh 166) — that the matter of distancing from them and their impurity is because of the illness that they have, which hurts many people; and all the more so, one who lays with her. As the hurt is greater, according to the greatness of the closeness.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Niddah 72b) that there are eleven days between [one] menstruation (niddah) and [another] menstruation — meaning to say, that she becomes a zavah upon them. This is a law of Moshe from Sinai. And the explanation of the matter is like this: That every woman at the time that she [experiences] blood, at the beginning of her [experiencing] it, is called a “menstruant.” And the law of the matter of the menstruant is like this: That if she [experiences] blood one day, or even seven consecutive days — so long as the blood stops on the seventh day while it is still day — immerses at night; which is the night, the morrow of which is the eighth from the beginning of her experiencing [it]. And after her immersion, she is pure for her husband. But after the seven days of menstruation, if she [experiences] blood within the eleven days after the seven, that blood is called, “blood of discharge,” and its law is [as follows]: That if she [experiences] it for one day — whether she [experiences] it at the beginning of the night or the end of the day — she watches one day corresponding to it and immerses, and she is pure for her husband in the evening. And her immersion is even during the day, from when the sun rises. And this is called a “small zavah.” And so [too,] if she [experiences] blood two days and stops on the third, her law is likewise to watch one day. And this is sufficient for her — even for two days — and she is purified. And this is also called a “small zavah.” But if she [experiences] blood during these eleven days [over] three consecutive days, she is called a “big zavah,” and needs to sit [out] seven clean days. And afterwards, she immerses and is pure for her husband. And after these eleven days, if she [experiences blood], she goes back to the beginning of menstruation; and she has seven days [to be] like the law of the menstruant, as we said above. And so is the matter always — that after [the days of] menstruation, she has eleven days in which she [can] become a zavah. And after those eleven days pass, she never becomes a zavah until the seven days of menstruation have passed.
And because others have already erred in this — and thought that the equation is that she count seven days of menstruation and afterwards eleven days of discharge, and seven of menstruation and eleven of discharge and so on, forever — I have spoken at length about this matter, to say that it is not like that. Rather, there are never days of discharge besides [the] eleven days after the seven of [actual] menstruation; and never afterwards until she returns to the beginning of [actual] menstruation. I mean to say that if she stops and does not [experience blood] after the eleven days - even [for] a year - she does not have the status of a zavah, until seven days of menstruation pass over her.
And the rest of its details are in Tractate Zavim, and a few of the laws of discharge are also in Tractate Niddah. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 183.) And in the negative commandment of the menstruant in the Order of Acharei Mot (Sefer HaChinukh 207), we will write, with God’s help, that which is practiced today. And one who transgresses this commandment and is lenient in these matters and in the matter of impurity has violated this positive commandment; besides the punishment of the one who lays with her, which is with excision, as we will write in the negative commandment of the menstruant, with God’s help.
מִצְוַת עִנְיַן טֻמְאַת זָבָה שֶׁטְּמֵאָה וּמְטַמְּאָה – לִהְיוֹת הַזָּבָה טְמֵאָה וּמְטַמְּאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טו כה) וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ יָמִים רַבִּים וְגוֹ'. רֶמֶז שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה כְּתַבְתִּיו בְּיוֹלֶדֶת (מצוה קסו) כִּי עִנְיַן הָרִחוּק מֵהֶן וְטֻמְאָתָן, מִפְּנֵי הַמַּחֲלָה שֶׁבָּהֶן שֶׁמַּזֶּקֶת הַרְבֵּה בְּנֵי אָדָם וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן הַשּׁוֹכֵב אוֹתָן, כִּי לְפִי רֹב קִרְבָתוֹ עִמָּהֶן, הַהֶזֵּק יוֹתֵר.
The commandment of the matter of the impurity of the zavah (woman with an irregular discharge), that is impure and renders impure: That the zavah be impure and render impure, as it is stated (Leviticus 15:25), “And a woman who discharges a discharge of her blood many days, etc.” I have written a hint of the root of the commandment with the woman that has given birth (Sefer HaChinukh 166) — that the matter of distancing from them and their impurity is because of the illness that they have, which hurts many people; and all the more so, one who lays with her. As the hurt is greater, according to the greatness of the closeness.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (נדה עב ב) שֶׁאַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם הֵם שֶׁהֵם בֵּין נִדָּה לְנִדָּה. כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה נַעֲשֵׂית בָּהֶם זָבָה, כָּךְ הִיא הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי. וּפֵרוּשׁ הַדָּבָר כָּךְ הוּא שֶׁכָּל אִשָּׁה בְּעֵת שֶׁתִּרְאֶה דָּם בִּתְחִלַּת רְאִיָּתָהּ תִּקָּרֵא נִדָּה. וְעִנְיַן הַנִּדּוּת כָּךְ דִּינוֹ שֶׁאִם תִּרְאֶה יוֹם אֶחָד דָּם, אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ שִׁבְעָה יָמִים רְצוּפִים, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁתִּפְסֹק הַדָּם בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם, טוֹבֶלֶת לָעֶרֶב, דְּהַיְנוּ הַלַּיְלָה שֶׁמָּחֳרָתוֹ יוֹם שְׁמִינִי לִתְחִלַּת רְאִיָּתָהּ. וְאַחַר טְבִילָתָהּ טְהוֹרָה לְבַעְלָהּ. וְאַחַר שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַנִּדּוּת אִם תִּרְאֶה דָּם בְּתוֹךְ אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם אַחַר הַשִּׁבְעָה, יִקָּרֵא אוֹתוֹ הַדָּם דַּם זִיבָה, וְדִינוֹ כֵּן, שֶׁאִם תִּרְאֶה מִמֶּנּוּ יוֹם אֶחָד, בֵּין שֶׁתִּרְאֶה בִּתְחִלַּת הַלַּיְלָה אוֹ בְּסוֹף הַיּוֹם, מְשַׁמֶּרֶת יוֹם אֶחָד כְּנֶגְדּוֹ וְטוֹבֶלֶת, וּטְהוֹרָה לְבַעְלָהּ לָעֶרֶב. וּטְבִילָתָהּ אֲפִילּוּ בַּיּוֹם מִשֶּׁתָּנֵץ הַחַמָּה, וְזֹאת הִיא זִיבָה קְטַנָּה. וְכֵן אִם תִּרְאֶה דָּם שְׁנֵי יָמִים וְתִפְסֹק בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי, דִּינָהּ כְּמוֹ כֵן לְשַׁמֵּר יוֹם אֶחָד, וּבְכֵן יַסְפִּיק לָהּ אֲפִלּוּ לִשְׁנֵי יָמִים וְתִטְהָר. וְזֹאת גַּם כֵּן תִּקָּרֵא זָבָה קְטַנָּה. וְאִם תִּרְאֶה דָּם בְּתוֹךְ אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם אֵלּוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים רְצוּפִים, תִּקָּרֵא זָבָה גְּדוֹלָה וּצְרִיכָה לֵשֵׁב שִׁבְעָה יָמִים נְקִיִּים וְאַחַר כָּךְ טוֹבֶלֶת וּטְהוֹרָה לְבַעְלָהּ. וְאַחַר אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם אֵלּוּ אִם תִּרְאֶה, חוֹזֶרֶת לִתְחִלַּת נִדּוּת וְיֵשׁ לָהּ שִׁבְעָה יָמִים כְּדִין נִדָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה. וְכֵן יִהְיֶה הַדָּבָר לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁאַחַר הַנִּדּוּת יֵשׁ לָהּ אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם שֶׁבָּהֶן נַעֲשֵׂית זָבָה. וְאַחַר שֶׁעָבְרוּ אוֹתָן הָאֶחָד עָשָׂר יוֹם אֵינָהּ נַעֲשֵׂית זָבָה לְעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁיַּעַבְרוּ עָלֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי נִדּוּת.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Niddah 72b) that there are eleven days between [one] menstruation (niddah) and [another] menstruation — meaning to say, that she becomes a zavah upon them. This is a law of Moshe from Sinai. And the explanation of the matter is like this: That every woman at the time that she [experiences] blood, at the beginning of her [experiencing] it, is called a “menstruant.” And the law of the matter of the menstruant is like this: That if she [experiences] blood one day, or even seven consecutive days — so long as the blood stops on the seventh day while it is still day — immerses at night; which is the night, the morrow of which is the eighth from the beginning of her experiencing [it]. And after her immersion, she is pure for her husband. But after the seven days of menstruation, if she [experiences] blood within the eleven days after the seven, that blood is called, “blood of discharge,” and its law is [as follows]: That if she [experiences] it for one day — whether she [experiences] it at the beginning of the night or the end of the day — she watches one day corresponding to it and immerses, and she is pure for her husband in the evening. And her immersion is even during the day, from when the sun rises. And this is called a “small zavah.” And so [too,] if she [experiences] blood two days and stops on the third, her law is likewise to watch one day. And this is sufficient for her — even for two days — and she is purified. And this is also called a “small zavah.” But if she [experiences] blood during these eleven days [over] three consecutive days, she is called a “big zavah,” and needs to sit [out] seven clean days. And afterwards, she immerses and is pure for her husband. And after these eleven days, if she [experiences blood], she goes back to the beginning of menstruation; and she has seven days [to be] like the law of the menstruant, as we said above. And so is the matter always — that after [the days of] menstruation, she has eleven days in which she [can] become a zavah. And after those eleven days pass, she never becomes a zavah until the seven days of menstruation have passed.
וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּבָר טָעוּ בָּזֶה אֲחֵרִים וְחָשְׁבוּ שֶׁהַחֶשְׁבּוֹן הוּא שֶׁתִּמְנֶה שִׁבְעָה יָמִים שֶׁל נִדּוּת וְאַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם שֶׁל זִיבוּת, וְשֶׁבַע שֶׁל נִדּוּת, וְאַחַד עָשָׂר שֶׁל זִיבוּת, וְכֵן לְעוֹלָם, הֶאֱרַכְתִּי בָּעִנְיָן לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ כֵּן, אֶלָּא לְעוֹלָם אֵין יְמֵי זִיבָה אֶלָּא אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם אַחַר שִׁבְעָה שֶׁל נִדּוּת וְלֹא אַחַר כָּךְ לְעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁתַּחְזֹר לִתְחִלַּת הַנִּדּוּת. רְצוֹנִי לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם תַּעֲמֹד וְלֹא תִּרְאֶה אַחַר הָאֶחָד עָשָׂר יוֹם אֲפִלּוּ שָׁנָה, אֵין לָהּ דִּין זָבָה עַד שֶׁיַּעַבְרוּ עָלֶיהָ שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי נִדּוּת.
And because others have already erred in this — and thought that the equation is that she count seven days of menstruation and afterwards eleven days of discharge, and seven of menstruation and eleven of discharge and so on, forever — I have spoken at length about this matter, to say that it is not like that. Rather, there are never days of discharge besides [the] eleven days after the seven of [actual] menstruation; and never afterwards until she returns to the beginning of [actual] menstruation. I mean to say that if she stops and does not [experience blood] after the eleven days - even [for] a year - she does not have the status of a zavah, until seven days of menstruation pass over her.
וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ בְּמַסֶּכֶת זָבִים וּבְמַסֶּכֶת נִדָּה גַּם כֵּן קְצָת מִדִּינֵי זִיבָה [י"ד סימן קפ"ג]. וּבְלָאו דְּנִדָּה בְּסֵדֶר אַחֲרֵי מוֹת (מצוה רז) נִכְתֹּב בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם מָה שֶׁנָּהוּג הַיּוֹם בְּעִנְיָנִים אֵלֶּה. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל מִצְוָה זוֹ וְהוּא מֵקֵל בְּעִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ וּבְעִנְיַן טֻמְאָתָהּ, בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה, מִלְּבַד הָעֹנֶשׁ שֶׁהַשּׁוֹכֵב עִמָּהּ הוּא בְּכָרֵת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּכְתֹּב בְּלָאו דְּנִדָּה בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם.
And the rest of its details are in Tractate Zavim, and a few of the laws of discharge are also in Tractate Niddah. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 183.) And in the negative commandment of the menstruant in the Order of Acharei Mot (Sefer HaChinukh 207), we will write, with God’s help, that which is practiced today. And one who transgresses this commandment and is lenient in these matters and in the matter of impurity has violated this positive commandment; besides the punishment of the one who lays with her, which is with excision, as we will write in the negative commandment of the menstruant, with God’s help.