What is a Mikveh?
(10) for you must distinguish between the sacred and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean;
Mikveh comes from the Hebrew root ה ו ק, meaning "collection" with the added place prefix מ- "collection place." A mikveh is a collection of water used for immersion to restore ritual purity (taharah).
|
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (Parshat Shmini) When a person immerses his entire body in such water, (viz. water that has not lost its’ elemental character) and sinks completely, into this element, all connections between this person and the realm of impurity is severed. This person leaves the ground of human beings, and returns for a moment to the world of elements, in order to begin a new life of purity. Symbolically, this person is reborn. |
(א) דִין תּוֹרָה שֶׁכָּל מַיִם מְכֻנָּסִין טוֹבְלִין בָּהֶן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יא לו) "מִקְוֵה מַיִם" מִכָּל מָקוֹם. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּהֶן כְּדֵי לְהַעֲלוֹת בָּהֶן כְּדֵי טְבִילָה לְכָל גּוּף הָאָדָם בְּבַת אַחַת. שִׁעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים אַמָּה עַל אַמָּה בְּרוּם שָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת. וְשִׁעוּר זֶה הוּא מַחֲזִיק אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה מַיִם בֵּין שְׁאוּבִין בֵּין שֶׁאֵינָן שְׁאוּבִין:
(1) According to biblical law, any water that is gathered may be used for immersion, as it is written: "A gathering of water" (Leviticus 11:36), of any kind; provided that there is enough of it to fill up the measure required for the complete immersion of a human's entire body. The sages have calculated the measure to be one cubit square by three cubits deep.
Is a lake a mikveh? Is my bathtub a mikveh?
Chabad.org
The world’s natural bodies of water—its oceans, rivers, wells and spring-fed lakes—are mikvahs in their most primal form. They contain waters of Divine source, and thus, tradition teaches, the power to purify. Created even before the earth took shape, these bodies of water offer a quintessential route to consecration. But they pose difficulties as well. They are not necessarily kosher for immersion (a competent rabbi must be consulted). In addition, these waters may be inaccessible or dangerous, not to mention the problems of inclement weather and lack of privacy. Jewish life therefore necessitates the construction of mikvahs(“pools”), and indeed this has been done by Jews in every age and circumstance.
When do you go to a Mikveh?
In biblical times, what were the causes of ritual impurity (tumah)? Today, why might you immerse in a mikveh?
Uses:
- Following the niddah period after menstruation, prior to resuming marital relation
- Following the niddah period after childbirth, prior to resuming marital relation
- By a bride or groom before their wedding
- As part of a conversion to Judaism
- Immersion of utensils acquired from a gentile
- Before Yom Kippur
- Before a Jewish holiday
- Weekly before Shabbat, under Hasidic and Haredi customs
What is the connection between the mikveh and tzedakah?
Observance of Family Purity (taharat hamishpacha) is a biblical injunction of the highest order. The infraction of this law is equated with major transgressions such as eating chametz (leavened foods) on Passover, intentional violation of the fast on the holy day of Yom Kippur, and not entering into the covenant through ritual circumcision, brit milah.
Most Jews see the synagogue as the central institution in Jewish life, But Jewish law states that constructing a mikvah takes precedence even over building a house of worship. Both a synagogue and a Torah scroll, Judaism’s most venerated treasure, may be sold to raise funds for the building of a mikvah. In fact, in the eyes of Jewish law, a group of Jewish families living together do not attain the status of a community if they do not have a communal mikvah.
There are also other criteria for priority of tzedakah:
- Pidyon shvuyim (redeeming captives) is primary.
- Supporting a mikveh, in a place where there is no other mikveh and there is a chance that people will stumble in prohibitions that involve kareis—takes precedence over supporting a yeshiva.
- Charity so that children can study Torah is next (i.e., a yeshiva).
- There is a debate as to whether tzedakah to run the day-to-day activity in the beis ha’knesses (for example, the electricity bill) receives precedence over tzedakah to poor people.