Mikveh

Pool of a medieval mikvah in Speyer, dating back to 1128

First room in the medieval mikvah in Speyer

Mikvah (or mikveh) (Hebrew: מִקְוָה; Tiberian Miqwāh, Standard Hebrew Miqva) (plural, mikvaot) is a "ritual bath" used for immersion in a purification ceremony within Judaism. Its main use nowadays is by Jewish women to achieve ritual purity after menstruation or childbirth. Immersion in a mikvah is also required during a traditional conversion to Judaism and in some cases for pots and pans.

History

Traditionally, the mikvah was used by both men and women for various purposes. Everyone was required to go to the mikvah upon coming into contact with the dead or other ritually unclean (tamei) objects if they wanted to enter the temple area or eat Terumah. Nazirites were required to immerse in the mikvah upon completing their vows, lepers were required to immerse upon healing, priests were required to immerse before performing certain Temple rites, men were required to immerse after having a nocturnal emission (this is still practiced by some as tevilath Ezra, "the immersion of Ezra"), and women after giving birth or menstruating.

Ancient mikvahs dating from Temple times (predating 70 AD) can be found throughout the Land of Israel, as well as in the diaspora.

Present situation

Today, among Orthodox Jews, only women are still required to immerse in a mikvah after childbirth or menstruation before they have intercourse with their husbands. In some Orthodox communities, men may immerse before their wedding. Women immerse themselves before the day of their wedding, after their last pre-wedding menstrual cycle in order to be ritually pure for their wedding night. Traditionally, converts to Judaism also immerse in the mikvah, although a minority of Reform rabbis do not require this. Some men, especially in Hasidic circles, also use the mikvah regularly, either daily, before Shabbat, or before certain Jewish holidays. Since a woman's use of the mikvah is a private matter, men and women may have separate mikvah facilities in separate locations, or have different designated times to use the same mikvah.

A Jewish funeral home may have a mikvah for immersing a body during the purification procedure before burial.

Requirements of a mikvah

The rules regarding the construction of mikvaot are complicated. The immersion itself must take place in a "mayan" a spring or well. Certain rivers or lakes can therefore be used for immersion, but one should always check with a mikvah expert to be sure as to the status of a particular body of water. Standard bathtubs cannot be used. Alternately, rain water can also be used, and is the source of most mikvah water today. Though a certain amount of rainwater is required, this can be augmented with regular tap water, which has a connection to the pool of rain water. This later formula is often used so that the water used for immersion can be frequently changed. A pool of rainwater (bor) is connected with a duct to a regular bathing pool, and the duct is closed to empty and replace the regular water without having to replace the rain water. A mikvah must contain a minimum of forty se'ah of water, approximately 200 gallons.

Requirements for immersion

Immersion requires that the water cover the entire body. All clothing, jewelry, and even bandages must be removed, and the hair must be combed straight so that there are no knots. In contemporary mikvaot for women, there is always an experienced attendant, commonly called the "mikvah lady", to watch the immersion and ensure that the woman has been entirely covered in water.

See also

• Niddah
• Ghusl

External links

• The Mikvah - by Rivkah Slonim
• Global Mikvah Directory - by Mikvah.org
• Mayim Rabim website and message boards - women's reflections on mikvah and taharat hamishpacha