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{{short description|State of ritual impurity applicable to females arising from vaginal blood discharges}}
{{distinguish|Zav}}
{{Tumah and taharah}}
In Jewish ritual law, a '''''zavah''''' (Hebrew זבה, lit. "one whosewho[se body] flows") is a woman who has had vaginal blood discharges not during the usually anticipated [[menstrual cycle]], and thus entered a state of [[tumah and taharah|ritual impurity]]. AThe manequivalent whoimpurity hasthat hadcan be contracted by males, by experiencing similaran abnormal discharge from histheir genitals, is known as the impurity of a '''''[[zav]]'''''.
 
In the realm of [[tumah and taharah]], the ''zavah'', hasjust thelike abilitya to''[[niddah]]'' create(menstruant woman) and ''[[Impurity after childbirth|yoledet]]'' (woman after giving birth), is in a state of major impurity, and creates a [[midras]], by sitting and by other activities ({{bibleverse||Leviticus|15:4|HE}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Leviticus|15:9|HE}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Leviticus|15:26|HE}}). andAnother toaspect makeof uncleanher formajor aimpurity, seven-dayis period -that a man who conducts sexual intercourse with her becomes unclean for a seven-day period. Additionally, the ''zavah'' woman and her partner are liable to ''[[kareth]]'' (extirpation) for willfully engaging in forbidden sexual intercourse, as is the case for a ''niddah'' and ''yoledet''.
 
== Hebrew Bible ==
Torah sources for the ''zavah'' are sourced in the book of [[Leviticus]] ({{bibleverse||Leviticus|15:1-15|HE}}, {{bibleverse||Leviticus|15:25-33|HE}}).
 
According to [[textual criticism|textual scholars]], the regulations concerning childbirth,({{bibleverse||Leviticus|12|HE}}) which have a similar seven-day waiting period before washing, and the sin and whole offerings, were originally suffixed to those concerning menstruation, but were later moved.<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia'', ''Leviticus''</ref> Although the ''zavah'' regulations clearly have a [[sanitary]] benefit in the light of modern medical knowledge, [[Biblical criticism|Biblical scholars]] see these regulations as having originally derived from [[taboo]]s against contact with [[blood]] and semen, because they were considered to house life and were consequently considered sacred;<ref>''[[Peake's commentary on the Bible]]'' {{Page needed|date=September 2011}}</ref> the seven-day period is thought to exist to ensure that the abnormality has genuinely ceased, the [[sin offering]] is considered to have originally been made as an apology for violating the taboo.<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia'', ''Sin Offering''</ref>
 
== In rabbinic literature ==
 
According to the [[Jerusalem Talmud]], the eleven-day period between each [monthly] menstrual cycle is ''[[Halakha LeMoshe MiSinai]]''.<ref>[[Jerusalem Talmud]] (''Berakhoth'' 37a [5:1])</ref> This has been explained by [[Maimonides]]<ref>[[Maimonides]], ''[[Mishne Torah]]'' (Hil. ''Issurei Bi'ah'' 6:1–5) </ref> to mean that seven days are given to all women during their regular monthly menstrual cycle, known as the days of the menstruate ([[Hebrew]]: ''niddah''), even if her actual period lasted only 3 to 5 days. From the eighth day after the beginning of her period (the ''[[terminus post quem]]'', or the earliest date in which they begin to reckon the case of a ''zavah''), when she should have normally concluded her period, these are days that are known in Hebrew as the days of a running issue ([[Hebrew]]: ''zivah''), and which simply defines a time (from the 8th to the 18th day, for a total of eleven days) that, if the woman had an irregular flow of blood for three consecutive days during this time, she becomes a ''zavah gedolah'' and is capable of defiling whatever she touches, and especially whatever object she happens to be standing upon, lying upon or sitting upon. If blood flows or issues during that short window when it is expected not to, that, then, is an irregular flow.<ref>Rabbi Avram Reisner (2006), [http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/halakhah/teshuvot/20052010/reisner_niddah.pdf Observing Niddah in Our Day], [[Committee on Jewish Law and Standards]], Rabbinical Assembly, p. 9</ref> Only in such cases of irregular sightings of blood would the woman require seven days of cleanness before she can be purified, according to the Written Law of Moses ({{bibleverse|Leviticus|15:25-28|HE}}).
=== Zavah ktanah ===▼
 
Although the Written Law explicitly enjoins women to count seven days of cleanness when they have seen irregular blood sightings (the irregularity occurring only from the eighth day of the start of her regular period and ending with the conclusion of the eighteenth day), the [[Chazal|Sages of Israel]] have required all women who have experienced even their regular and natural purgation to count seven days of cleanness before they can be purified.<ref>[[Babylonian Talmud]] (''[[Berakhot (tractate)|Berakhot]]'' 31<sup>a</sup>, [[Rashi]] s.v. {{Script/Hebrew|יושבת עליה ז' נקיים}})</ref>
The woman, within an eleven-day window of the completion of her base seven-day ''[[niddah]]'' period (and her typical immersion in the mikveh) notices an abnormal blood discharge. This one time discharge deems her a ''zavah ktanah'' (minor zavah) and brings the requirement for her to verify that the next day will show no discharge. Provided the next day is clean, her immersion in the mikveh prior to sunset makes her ''tahor'' (pure) after sunset.▼
 
=== ''Zavah gedolahketanah'' ===
 
In the ''zavah gedolah'' (major zavah) scenario, theThe woman, within an eleven-day window of the completion of her base seven-day ''[[niddah]]'' period,<ref name="ReferenceA"/>(and her typical immersion in the mikveh) notices an abnormal blood discharge.<ref> This one time discharge deems her a ''zavah ztanahketanah'' (minor zavah) and brings the requirement for her to verify that the next day will show no discharge</ref>. IfProvided the next day another discharge is noticedclean, followedher byimmersion yet another discharge onin the thirdmikveh consecutive day, she is deemed a zavah gedolah. She is then requiredprior to countsunset sevenmakes clean days, immerse in a mikveh on the seventh day and bring aher ''[[korban]]tahor'' on(pure) theafter eighthsunset.
 
▲=== ''Zavah ktanahgedolah'' ===
 
▲TheIn the ''zavah gedolah'' (major zavah) scenario, the woman, within an eleven-day window of the completion of her base seven-day ''[[niddah]]'' period (and her typical immersion in the ''mikveh'') notices an abnormal blood discharge. <ref>This one time discharge deems her a ''zavah ktanahztanah'' (minor zavah) and brings the requirement for her to verify that the next day will show no discharge.</ref> ProvidedIf the next day another discharge is cleannoticed, herfollowed immersionby inyet another discharge on the mikvehthird priorconsecutive day, she is deemed a zavah gedolah. She is then required to sunsetcount makesseven herclean days, immerse in a mikveh on the seventh day and bring a ''tahor[[korban]]'' (pure)on afterthe sunseteighth.
 
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=== Other laws ===
[[Chazal]] stipulate - although uncommon - that a female must be at least ten days old to be eligible for zavah status.<ref>[[Sifra]] to Leviticus 15:19)</ref> According to the [[Talmud]], the law of ''zavah gedolah'' is applicable if the discharge in question hadhappens happenedfor (ata least)minimum three times overof three consecutive days.<ref>[[Bava Kamma]]kama, 24a24 a.</ref>
 
A female must be at least ten days old to be eligible for ''zavah gedolah'' status.<ref>[[Sifra]] to Leviticus 15:19</ref> this is possible only in a case wher the newborn experienced a uterine discharge of blood on the day of her birth, and again on the 8th 9th and 10th day consecutively<ref>[[Rashi]] on ''[[Niddah (Talmud)|niddah]],'' 32b.</ref>
 
The ''[[SifraTosefta]]''<ref>Megillah, ch 1: 14.</ref> stipulates that theunlike a ''zavahzav'', who is required to immerse in a [[Spring (hydrosphere)|spring]] (as opposed to the standard ''mikveh'' bath) to obtain taharah, a ''taharahzavah'' (may complete her purification) process by immersing in a either a mikveh or a spring. This is the halakhic position accepted by virtually all Orthodox authorities.<ref>Hilchot haRif, Shevu'ot 5a.</ref>
 
The ''zavah'' is commonly known as one of four types of ''tumah'' that are required to bring a [[korban|sacrifice]] post the purification process.<ref>[[Rashi]] on [[Makkoth]] 8b</ref> The ''korban'' consists of both a [[sin offering]] and a ''[[Korban Olah|whole offering]]'', each involving a [[dove]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}
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{{Jewish life}}
[[Category: Book of Leviticus]]
[[Category:Jewish ritual purity law]]
[[Category:Hebrew words and phrases in the Hebrew Bible]]
[[Category:Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law]]
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