Talmudic Sexual Practices and Menstruating Women - Kindle English Talmud Niddah

Daf Yomi is studying Niddah now. Today is folio page 17. In the tractate the Talmud deals primarily with sexual practices, mainly taboos, those sexual actions one should not perform. Here is an excerpt about what today we might call modesty practices in sexuality:

R. Simeon b. Yohai observed: There are four [types] which the Holy One, blessed be He, hates, and as for me, I do not love them: The man who enters his house suddenly and much more so [if he so enters] his friend’s house, the man who holds the membrum when he makes water, the man who when naked makes water in front of his bed, and the man who has intercourse in the presence of any living creature. ‘Even,’ said Rab Judah to Samuel, ‘in the presence of mice?’ ‘Shinena,’ the other replied, ‘no; but [the reference is to] a house like that of So and so where they have intercourse in the presence of their men-servants and maidservants. But what was the exposition they made? — Abide ye here with the ass, implies: peoples that are like an ass. Rabbah son of R. Huna used to chase away the wasps from his curtained bed. Abaye drove away the flies. Rabba chased away the mosquitoes...

R. Hisda ruled: A man is forbidden to perform his marital duty in the day-time, for it is said, But thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But what is the proof? — Abaye replied: He might observe something repulsive in her and she would thereby become loathsome to him.

R. Huna said, Israel are holy and do not perform their marital duties in the day-time. Raba said, But in a dark house this is permitted; and a scholar may darken a room with his cloak and perform his marital duty...

Come and hear: And the people of the house of Monobaz did three things, and on account of these they were honorably mentioned: They performed their marital duties in the day-time, they examined their beds with cotton, and they observed the rules of uncleanness and cleanness in the case of snow.

Talmudic sex is real sex in the sense that it admits that some people do and some don't. In this example for instance some do have relations in the daytime and are praised. Others do not, based on a biblical verse and some commonplace advice.

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