At the time of the וסת the husband separates one עונה (a day or a night), and from tashmish alone — חיבוק ונישוק permitted; the pokeid (פוקד) before a journey; the exemption of the pregnant (מעוברת) and nursing (מניקה) woman. The practical foundation of the dinei וסתות (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 184 — 12 se'ifim)
כָּל אִשָּׁה יֵשׁ לָהּ וֶסֶת... וּבְשַׁעַת וִסְתָּהּ צְרִיכָה לִפְרֹשׁ מִמֶּנָּה עוֹנָה אַחַת, וְאֵינוֹ אָסוּר אֶלָּא תַּשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה, אֲבָל בִּשְׁאָר קֵרוּב מֻתָּר. הַגָּה: וּמִי שֶׁיּוֹצֵא לַדֶּרֶךְ — צָרִיךְ לִפְקֹד אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ סָמוּךְ לְוִסְתָּהּ.
Every woman has a וסת (a cycle), and at the time of her וסת she must separate one עונה; only the tashmish is forbidden, but other tokens of closeness (שאר קירוב) are permitted. Rama: and one who sets out on a journey (יוצא לדרך) must be פוקד את אשתו — show his attachment before leaving — even near the וסת.
Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 184:1-2, 10 (excerpts)LEVEL 01
Hebrew text of the 12 se'ifim with a fluent English translation. The עונה (a day or a night), the perishah from tashmish alone, the fixed / irregular וסת, the pokeid before a journey and the pregnancy / nursing exemption explained with dignity and practical cases of טהרת המשפחה.
📖 StudyLEVEL 02
In-depth pilpul: vesatot as rabbinic or biblical (Nodaa BiYehuda, PT sk3) and the force of the חזקת טהרה, the extent of the perishah (one עונה vs day + night — Taz sk2), פרישה ≠ הרחקות (only the tashmish is forbidden; the harchakot in sim. קצ״ה), the rationale of the מעוברת / מניקה exemption (Taz sk10), and the נפקא מינה for the pokeid (במקום מצוה לא גזרו).
📖 StudyLEVEL 03
Comparative tables (fixed / irregular וסת, עונת היום / עונת הלילה, perishah / pekidah, מעוברת ומניקה), golden rules, classic pitfalls and cross-references (sim. קפ״ט, ק״צ, קצ״ה, קצ״ו); memorization of the 12 se'ifim of the dinei וסתות.
📖 StudyLEVEL 04
Two parts: the shitah of the Tzemach Tzedek and Chabad (Daat HaRav), then the halacha lema'asse of the other poskim — Beit Yosef, Rama, Shach, Taz, Sidrei Tahara, Chochmat Adam, Aruch haShulchan, Taharat haBayit (Rav Ovadia), Shiurei Shevet haLevi, Badei haShulchan.
📖 StudyAt the expected time of the וסת (the period), the husband must separate one עונה from his wife — that is, an entire day (if the וסת falls by day) or an entire night (if it falls at night). The perishah concerns only the tashmish: other tokens of affection (חיבוק ונישוק) remain permitted (Beit Yosef; the Taz, sk3, confirms it, and one who is stringent תע״ב). For a woman with a fixed וסת (קבוע), one separates precisely at the עונה of the וסת; for an irregular וסת (לא קבוע), one reckons with the עונה בינונית (day 30) and the details of sim. קפ״ט. The exact tracking (a calendar, a taharat haMishpacha app) and the calculation of the עונה should follow the guidance of your Rav (or a competent Yoetzet).
One who sets out on a journey (יוצא לדרך) must be פוקד את אשתו — show his attachment to his wife before leaving — even near the וסת. The Rama rules that in this case even the tashmish is permitted (vesatot are rabbinic, and במקום מצוה לא גזרו — the Taz, sk14, explains); some are more stringent and require at least דברי ריצוי (Taz sk15). But this does not apply when she is then נדה, nor when the journey itself is for a mitzvah. The precise limits of this pekidah — and its application to your situation — are decided with your Rav.
Yes. The מעוברת (once the embryo is recognized) and the מניקה (throughout the twenty-four months, even if the child has died) have no perishah near the וסת, since in these periods the blood is not מצוין (the Taz, sk10, gives the rationale אבריה מתפרקין) — and one relies here on sim. קפ״ט. As with all of טהרת המשפחה, the exact point at which the embryo is deemed recognized, the counting of the twenty-four months, and the practical details are settled with your Rav (or a competent Yoetzet).