Women and Water: Menstruation in Jewish Life and Law

The term Niddah means separation. During her menstrual flow and for several days thereafter, a Jewish woman is considered Niddah — separate from her husband and unable to practice the sacred rituals of Judaism. Purification in a miqveh (a ritual bath) following her period restores full status as a wife and member of the Jewish community. In the contemporary world, debates about Niddah focus less on the literal exclusion of menstruating women from the synagogue, instead emphasizing relations...