A Mikvah (or Mikveh, מקוה Pronunciation: ( Seph.mē-kvä'; Ashk., Eng. mik'vu) is a Jewish ritual bath used for immersion in a purification ceremony. Its main use nowadays is by women to achieve ritual purity after menstruation or childbirth. Immersion in a mikvah is also required for completion of a traditional conversion to Judaism.
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. Nazirites were required to immerse in the mikvah upon being healed or 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.
Samples of ancient mikvahs dating from Temple times 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. Men and women have separate mikvah facilities in separate locations, as a woman's attendance at the mikvah is a private matter. Some men also use the mikvah regularly, either daily, weekly, or before Yom Kippur. This is especially so in Hasidic circles.
Requirements of a mikvah
The rules regarding the construction of mikvahs are complicated. The immersion itself must take place in mayim chayim ("living water"), i.e., water that moves. Rivers or lakes can therefore be used for immersion, but standard bathtubs cannot. 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 mayyim chayyim. 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.
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 mikvahs for women, there is always an experienced "mikvah lady" to watch the immersion and ensure that the woman has been entirely covered in water.
See also
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