Menopause

What are the Biblical and Rabbinical references on menopause? (From Rabbi S.E.W. on behalf of Dr. M. G.)

There is, of course, the Biblical reference to Sarah (Genesis 18 : 11): “There had ceased to be with Sarah the way of women.” Unfortunately, none of the Midrashic references to this verse make any comments which deal with this physiological condition. Incidentally, none of the modern Talmudic medical books seems to deal with this condition (Preuss, Greenwald, et cetera).

There is, however, some mention of this in the legal literature. The first reference is in the Mishnah (Niddah I : 5) where the question is asked: What is an old woman? The answer given is: Every woman with whom three regular periods have passed “near her older years.” This last phrase refers to the fact that the Mishnah deals also with a young girl who may miss three periods because she has not yet become regular.

The Talmud (Niddah 9a), discussing this Mishnah, gives a sort of “social” definition of the words, “near her older years.” One rabbi says, “All whom her friends consider old.” The other rabbis say, “All whom people call ‘mother’ and she is not embarrassed at it.” The Tosfos (ad loc.) objects to this on the ground that the definition should not depend upon how she feels (i.e., that she should not resent being generally called “mother”). Therefore, quoting the Jerushalmi, the Tosfos says that it means every woman who should be called old (and misses three periods).

These definitions of menopause are of importance with regard to the laws of uncleanness (Niddah), and so on. Hence they are codified in two references in the Shulchan Aruch. In Yore Deah 184 : 3 there is a discussion of the law that a man must keep from contact with a woman the day before her period; the other reference is that one need not keep away from a young person who has not yet had three successive regular periods—and, then the Shulchan Aruch adds, “So it is with an old woman whose blood has ceased” (i.e., the test is the passing of three periods).

In Yore Deah 189 : 28 the law is more specific. In this section the law deals with the question of irregular periods. It says (28): “So it is with an old woman who has passed three periods and has not seen blood, having grown old. She is to be considered as having ceased to have regularity; and she no longer needs to be concerned (as to ritual cleanliness) with regard to her original date.” See also Isserles, who explains that she (like a young girl) need not be concerned with irregular reappearance of blood. That is to say that after three regular periods have passed, then the occasional irregular reappearance of blood has no significance legally. This opinion is based on Joseph Caro (in “Bes Joseph”) and on Solomon ben Aderet (rabbi in Barcelona, thirteenth century).

A later and fuller statement of the law is found in “Chochmas Adam” 112: 37 (Abraham Danzig, of Vilna, 1747-1820): “An old woman who can be called ‘mother’ in her presence, and she is not ashamed, usually has ceased to have ‘the way of women.’ If three average periods have passed, that is, ninety days, she is to be considered as having ceased to have menstruation. She need no longer have concern for any recurrence that is not regular . . . ,” and so forth.

In general one may sum up the law by saying that a woman who is generally considered old (i.e., by their standards in those days) has the same menstrual status as a young girl. With a young girl, if three, regular, successive periods have not yet occurred, she is not to be considered as having menstrual maturity. So an old woman, if she misses three regular periods, is no longer to be considered as regular.

This is about all there is (or at least all I can find) on this question.