physical pleasure. Sex shows commitment and responsibility between husband and wife. Due to their strong belief that sex is an essential component to marriage, it was a Jewish requirement for a couple to meet at least once before an arranged marriage to make sure that there was a physical attraction. Once married, sex is the womans right, not the man's. Within the marriage vows, a man must swear to fulfill three basic needs of a woman: food, clothing, and sex. It is his obligation to initiate sex whenever he sees a sign that his wife may want sex. Within Jewish law, it specifically sets the limits for the quantity and quality of sex depending on the mans occupation. These obligations are stated in the marriage contract and are taken very seriously. One Jewish law specifies that a man cannot take a trip for an extended period of time because it would deprive his wife of her sexual needs. If a husband were to consistently deny his wife sex, it is legitimate grounds for encouraging a man to divorce his wife. On the other hand, a woman does not have the right to refuse sex from her husband or withhold it as a form of punishment. This to is grounds for divorce and in this case the man may divorce her without paying the divorce settlement written on the marriage contract (http://www.us-israel.org). One of the most bizarre aspects of Jewish law is the law of niddah, or the separation of a married couple during the womans menstrual period. Although most Jews do not know about and therefore do not follow this law, the Orthodox community continues to abide by it. A man is forbidden to have intercourse, touch, or even sleep in the same bed with his menstruating wife. The separation lasts a minimum of twelve days from the first sign of blood to the evening of the womans seventh clean day. Because of this, weddings are scheduled very carefully around a womans cycle. Before intercourse, the woman must immerse herself in a mikvah, or ...
