What is the purpose of a bedika kodem tashmish if the isha is not going to look at it kodem tashmish? If its just to know if they are chayiiv a korban, how can she do that? Isn't it then a mazid? Or korov limayzid since she could have looked at the bedika cloth?
jeff, woodmere, US
Shalom Rav,
As is clear from the Gemara itself, the Chachamim did not institute a Bedikah for the husband, for whom the wife's Chazakah will suffice. Rather, it is a Chumrah in connection with Taharos, to ascertain whether the woman was Tamei or not when she came into contact with any Taharos she might have handled within the last 24-hour period, or from the time of the previous Bedikah. That is why the Chachamim required two cloths, both of which are inspected in the morning.
The reason why they did not necessitate a Bedikah for the husband (in fact, they even forbade it) is in order not to scare him away from fulfilling the Mitzvah of Onah. The reason for the two Bedikos regarding Taharos is in case the man's Zera from subsequent Bi'os will cover over the drop of blood from the first Bi'ah (as the Gemara explains). Otherwise, the Bedikah at the end would have sufficed.
Kol Tuv,
Eliezer Chrysler