Mikvah - General Introduction Part One: "The Physicality of Judaism"

Rabbi Gary S. Creditor

February 2, 2001

It is with great pride for our synagogue and community that I initiate this series of four sermons to share our Jewish understanding and teachings about mikvah. For some the word itself is unknown, foreign, or even alien. Others might think that this is only something Orthodox Jews "do," and that Conservative Judaism did away with it, which is totally untrue. To arrive at this point in time, fundraising quietly so as not to detract from other worthy synagogue and communal causes, with construction now underway, has required a tremendous amount of education about our Judaism and observances, and particularly from the standpoint of Conservative Judaism. It is now time to bring this subject to our synagogue community at large. It is my hope that our mikvah will open many doors into a deeper religious experience, a heightened personal religiosity and piety, will strengthen individual holiness and spirituality. Themikvah will be a treasure for our entire community and a great blessing to us all.

Tonight I address two main issues: what is a mikvah and the physicality of Judaism.

Firstly, the word Hebrew mikvah used as a common noun means "a collection." In this context it means a collection of natural water such as rainwater, in contrast to what is called "drawn water" which refers to tap water or water drawn in a bucket from a well. Secondly, as a proper noun, mikvah refers to the pool into which one immersesthemselves. The act of immersion is called tevilah. There are special rules that determine how a mikvah is constructed. Later I will mention a few. Thirdly, the word mikvah is used for the entire complex that houses the mikvah pool. This includes facilities to wash and change, as well as the machinery to maintain, heat, and purify the mikvah and the cistern, in Hebrew, bor, which holds the rainwater. These are the three immediate and relevant uses of the word mikvah: a collection of natural water, the pool that holds the water for immersion, and the complex housing the pool. Our mikvah is being built in the former library room on the main level of the Roseneath building. The rainwater will be collected from the roof and directed down a pipe to the cistern and connected to the immersion pool. Adjacent to the mikvah will be the rest of the facilities.

Here I introduce two subjects that I will develop in the future but need to mention now. (1) The mikvah is a replacement for the most natural source sources of natural water, a river, lake, or ocean. (2)In the Torah we are taught to immerse inmayyim chayyim, living, natural waters, in order to achieve ritual purity. It is NOT an issue of being dirty. The person must shower before entering the mikvah. Immersion is performed for the sake of attaining a higher state of holiness.The Torah teaches us that one immerses in mayyim chayyim in order to change, and/or elevate our personal status.

A few details about constructing a mikvah: A mikvah must be built in such a way that it is not a vessel. It cannot be a ready-made jacuzzi or hot tub. It is made on the spot, for this specific purpose, of natural materials. It must be water tight, without leakage. The bor or cistern, which actually holds the rainwater, must contain over 191 gallons. It is connected to the immersion pool, mikvah, which may be filled with tap water, but is connected to the bor by a pipe which is opened when the mikvah is used, thus connecting the two bodies of water and making the mikvah theextension of the bor. The water will flow from the roof in an unimpeded manner into the cistern. When not in use, the pipe to the bor is blocked and the water of the mikvah is circulated to be kept warm and purified. These are the major issues of building a mikvah. There are several variations. I have described and we are building the most commonly used design.

To here I have addressed the first issue: what is a mikvah? People immerse in its waters for various reasons, which I will address in the following weeks.

I now focus on perhaps the most crucial matter that extends far beyond mikvah, to Judaism as a whole. The following is only said for historical and religious context, and with greatest respect. In the 1800's, in the birth of Reform Judaism, done in order to fit in with modern European society, the position was adopted that all the rituals contained in the Torah and Rabbinic writings were outdated and therefore did not need to be observed. Judaism was reformed in the Protestant image. In doing so it stripped away the physicality of Judaism, the sights, sounds, smells, touches, a religion of the senses, and created "Germans of the Mosaic persuasion." Conservative Judaism was born in Europe, in Germany, as a reaction to that radical reformation. In contradistinction, Conservative Judaism always maintained in the essence of our religious philosophy, as the foundation of the movement, that mitzvot, the commandments of action, which involved our whole person and concretized our beliefs, were essential and core Judaism. While details might be altered, the essence was maintained. For example, women are counted in the minyan. The minyan, quorum for public prayer is maintained. Extra piyyutim, religious poems that had been added might be removed, the traditional structure of the siddur and prayer is continued.

Our synagogue is a Conservative synagogue. We represent the belief that the Torah is sacred and eternal. We believe that the mitzvot contained in it (which are not connected to sacrifices, which ended with the destruction of the Temple,) are a continuing and everlasting part of our Judaism. Judaism continued in development and metamorphosis after the Temple's destruction into the Rabbinic Judaism, which we observe through the creation of the halachic, Jewish legal system.

This religion of ours, our Judaism, is not a dried shriveled book on a shelf, out of reach and turning to dust! Our Judaism is a living, active everyday faith. Judaism is heard through its music, its language. Our faith is physical through the objects we use. Shabbat, Yom Tov, Chag is not a concept. It is a dynamic. We light candles. We recite Kiddush with a special cup. We make hamotzi with challah, with its own cover, on its on tray. We read from the scroll of a Torah and not a book. It has its yad, mantle, tzitz - breastplate. On Rosh HaShanah we use a shofar and not a trumpet. We hold a siddur or machzor and not a hymnal.We wear a kipah, talit, tefillin, and put a mezzuzah on our doors. We close Shabbat with Havdallah, using its own Kiddush cup, candle, and spice box. I didn't exhaust the list!

Judaism is not lived in the abstract.

It is lived in the concrete, that which we see, we touch, we hold, we smell, we hear.

The physical life of Judaism, the objects, the action deeds, make Judaism real.

Because it is real we have something to transmit to our children.

 

We say:

Here it is.

Hold it. Touch it. Taste it. Hear it. Embrace it. Believe in it. It is ours!

Make it yours!

 

Judaism is a faith in action.

It is not ephemeral.

It is not invisible.

It makes demands.

It is front and center.

I hear it.

I see it.

I touch it.

We hold it close to us, to our hearts with our very hands.

And mikvah is just like that. It is a mitzvah contained in the Torah, which was expanded and developed by the Rabbis in our system of Halacha, Jewish law. It is a true and authentic part of the physical reality of Judaism, which Conservative Judaism has always maintained, even if we did not speak much about it in the past. The waters of mikvah envelop us, embrace all our senses , and elevate us to a higher spiritual realm. The physical reality of the mikvah transforms us, in the act of conversion, in restoring wholeness after illness, in renewing the love of husband and wife, in purifying the bond of bride and groom before marriage, in preparation for repentance for the High Holy Days.

Here I pause, hoping to have placed before you the essential information about a mikvah and presented the case of the use of the mikvah in the context that our Judaism has always had tremendous physicality in the symbols and deeds of a living faith. Perhaps that is why over all its history, others have been drawn to the mayyim chayyim, the living waters of Judaism.