"A woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda taught that because Rabbi Shimon's generation was righteous, it was all right for secrets to be revealed, but in other generations they will be hidden.

Dwellings Eyes Fear Flow Nakedness Shechinah Sin Women

397. We have learned it is written, "Also you shall not approach to a woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow, to uncover her nakedness" (Vayikra 18:19). Rabbi Yehuda taught, the generation in which Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai dwells are all meritorious, all pious, all sin fearing, the Shechinah dwelling in their midst. Not so in other generations. For this reason, these things are expounded and not concealed, IN HIS GENERATION. In other generations it is not so, and supernal secrets cannot be revealed. And those who do know them are afraid TO REVEAL. When Rabbi Shimon would relate the secret of this verse among all the friends, their eyes would flow with tears. All the words he said were being revealed before their very eyes, as the verse says, "With him I speak mouth to mouth, manifestly, and not in dark speeches" (Bemidbar 12:8).

397. תָּאנָא כְּתִיב וְאֶל אִשָּׁה בְּנִדַּת טוּמְאָתָהּ לֹא תִקְרַב לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָתָהּ, תָּנֵי רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, דָּרָא דרשב"י שָׁארִי בְּגַוֵּיהּ, כֻּלְּהוּ זַכָּאִין, חֲסִידִין, כֻּלְּהוּ דַּחֲלֵי חַטָּאָה נִינְהוּ. שְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ, מַה דְּלֵית כֵּן בְּדָרִין אָחֳרָנִין. בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ מִילִּין אִינּוּן מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְלָא אִתְטַמְּרָן בְּדָרִין אָחֳרָנִין לָאו הָכִי, וּמִלִּין דְּרָזֵי עִלָּאָה לָא יַכְלִין לְגַלָּאָה, וְאִינּוּן דְּיַדְעֵי מִסְתָּפוּ. דר"ש כַּד הֲוָה אָמַר רָזָא דְּהַאי קְרָא, חַבְרַיָּיא כֻּלְּהוּ עֵינֵיהוֹן נַבְעִין דִּמְעִין, וְכֻלהוּ מִילִין דְּאָמַר הֲווֹ בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ גַּלְיָין, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֵּר בּוֹ וּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בְחִידוֹת.