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Preparing for the Mikveh: Difference between revisions
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→Going to the Mikveh
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* Is it a mitzvah for a woman to go to the mikveh immediately when she is able to become tahora? The gemara Shabbat 121a, Niddah 30a quote a dispute between the tenayim whether there is a mitzvah to go to mikveh immediately when it is possible. Tosfot Niddah 30a s.v. ushma minah tevilah write that Rabbenu Chananel held like the majority opinion in Niddah that going to the mikveh at the first opportunity is a mitzvah. However, Tosfot argue that it couldn't be a mitzvah as we see the practice isn't for a Niddah, Shomeret Yom, or Zavah go to mikveh as soon as is possible. | * Is it a mitzvah for a woman to go to the mikveh immediately when she is able to become tahora? The gemara Shabbat 121a, Niddah 30a quote a dispute between the tenayim whether there is a mitzvah to go to mikveh immediately when it is possible. Tosfot Niddah 30a s.v. ushma minah tevilah write that Rabbenu Chananel held like the majority opinion in Niddah that going to the mikveh at the first opportunity is a mitzvah. However, Tosfot argue that it couldn't be a mitzvah as we see the practice isn't for a Niddah, Shomeret Yom, or Zavah go to mikveh as soon as is possible. | ||
* Application: One possible practical application is a concept the Smag (Lavin no. 111) mentions that if it is a mitzvah then a woman should go to the mikveh when she can become tahora even if her husband isn't in town. | * Application: One possible practical application is a concept the Smag (Lavin no. 111) mentions that if it is a mitzvah then a woman should go to the mikveh when she can become tahora even if her husband isn't in town. | ||
* Halacha: The Maharil (responsa 196), Maharik responsa 35:3, Shach 197:3, Taz 197:2 in explaining the Rama, and Badei Hashulchan 197:10 in explaining Shulchan Aruch all hold like Tosfot that there is no mitzvah for a woman to go to the mikveh immediately when she is able to become tahora. Nonetheless, the Bet Yosef 197:2 adds that everyone agrees that there is a mitzvah for a woman whose husband is around to go to the mikveh at the first opportunity because of the mitzvah of Onah unless her husband doesn't care. Taz 197:2 | * Halacha: The Maharil (responsa 196), Maharik responsa 35:3, Shach 197:3, Taz 197:2 in explaining the Rama, and Badei Hashulchan 197:10 in explaining Shulchan Aruch all hold like Tosfot that there is no mitzvah for a woman to go to the mikveh immediately when she is able to become tahora. Nonetheless, the Bet Yosef 197:2 adds that everyone agrees that there is a mitzvah for a woman whose husband is around to go to the mikveh at the first opportunity because of the mitzvah of Onah unless her husband doesn't care. Taz 197:2 and Taharat Habayit v. 2. 445 agree.</ref> | ||
# Some say that a woman shouldn't go to the mikveh if her husband isn't in town because of a concern of danger.<ref>Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 445 quotes the Shvut Yakov 3:77 that woman wouldn't go to the mikveh if their husbands weren't in town out of a concern for evil spirits and he supports this concern. [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=20829&st=&pgnum=164 Torah Lishma 216] in fact argues that there's no real basis for this concern but since people are worried it is good to be careful.</ref> | |||
===Friday Night=== | |||
# If the woman's Tevilah night is Friday night or Motzei Shabbat are they certainly permitted to go to the mikveh that night. However, if a woman could have gone to mikveh before Friday night or Motzei Shabbat and she didn't intentionally without a real reason, some poskim hold that she may not go to the mikveh on Friday night. Some are lenient even in such a case to let her go to the mikveh on Friday night. <ref> | # If the woman's Tevilah night is Friday night or Motzei Shabbat are they certainly permitted to go to the mikveh that night. However, if a woman could have gone to mikveh before Friday night or Motzei Shabbat and she didn't intentionally without a real reason, some poskim hold that she may not go to the mikveh on Friday night. Some are lenient even in such a case to let her go to the mikveh on Friday night. <ref> | ||
* The Gemara Beitzah 18a states that it is permitted for a Tameh person to go to the mikveh on Shabbat and it doesn't appear as though he is fixing himself since observers will think he is just going to washing himself to cool himself off. The Trumat Hadeshen 255 explains that nowadays the Ashkenazic minhag isn't to bathe in cold water on Shabbat at all and therefore, someone who goes to the mikveh does appear to be fixing themselves (metaken) and so it is an issue to go to the mikveh on Friday night. However, this only applies if the woman going to the mikveh is going when it isn't her first chance to go. If it is her first opportunity then for the mitzvah of pru urevu it is permitted for her to go on Friday night. | * The Gemara Beitzah 18a states that it is permitted for a Tameh person to go to the mikveh on Shabbat and it doesn't appear as though he is fixing himself since observers will think he is just going to washing himself to cool himself off. The Trumat Hadeshen 255 based on the Mordechai explains that nowadays the Ashkenazic minhag isn't to bathe in cold water on Shabbat at all and therefore, someone who goes to the mikveh does appear to be fixing themselves (metaken) and so it is an issue to go to the mikveh on Friday night. However, this only applies if the woman going to the mikveh is going when it isn't her first chance to go. If it is her first opportunity then for the mitzvah of pru urevu it is permitted for her to go on Friday night. | ||
* Bet Yosef 197:2 argues that it should be permitted just like it was in the days of the gemara and doesn't even quote the Trumat Hadeshen. The Darkei Moshe 197:3 concludes that if the woman couldn't have got to the mikveh for any halachic stringency until Friday night she can go then. Even this stringency he writes only applies in a place where this is the minhag. | * Bet Yosef 197:2 argues that it should be permitted just like it was in the days of the gemara and doesn't even quote the Trumat Hadeshen. The Darkei Moshe 197:3 concludes that if the woman couldn't have got to the mikveh for any halachic stringency until Friday night she can go then. Even this stringency he writes only applies in a place where this is the minhag. | ||
* The Taz 197:4 holds that anytime a woman couldn't go to the mikveh before the 7th day because it was impossible she can't go on Friday night. If, however, her husband wasn't in town until Friday afternoon and she didn't go to the mikveh, she can not now go on Friday night as it was possible for her to go earlier. Bach 197:3 similarly is strict even if there's no minhag. | * The Taz 197:4 holds that anytime a woman couldn't go to the mikveh before the 7th day because it was impossible she can't go on Friday night. If, however, her husband wasn't in town until Friday afternoon and she didn't go to the mikveh, she can not now go on Friday night as it was possible for her to go earlier. Bach 197:3 similarly is strict even if there's no minhag. | ||
* The Rama 197:2 rules that unless there is a minhag otherwise if a woman didn't go to the mikveh since her husband wasn't in town she is allowed to go to the mikveh on Friday night. Bach 197:3 in understanding the Trumat Hadeshen and the Shach 197:3 agree. The Badei Hashulchan 197:29 quotes that the achronim agreed that our minhag today is to allow women to go to the mikveh Friday night if it was pushed off for any reason, based on the Rama and Shach. Additionally, even if it was pushed for no reason, the Badei Hashulchan writes one could be lenient to go to the mikveh Friday night even though some argue. | * The Rama 197:2 rules that unless there is a minhag otherwise if a woman didn't go to the mikveh since her husband wasn't in town she is allowed to go to the mikveh on Friday night. Bach 197:3 in understanding the Trumat Hadeshen and the Shach 197:3 agree. The Badei Hashulchan 197:29 quotes that the achronim agreed that our minhag today is to allow women to go to the mikveh Friday night if it was pushed off for any reason, based on the Rama and Shach. Additionally, even if it was pushed for no reason, the Badei Hashulchan writes one could be lenient to go to the mikveh Friday night even though some argue. | ||
* Going to the mikveh on Motzei Shabbat is a separate issue. Based on Rashi's reading of the gemara Niddah 67a it is less than ideal to do the preparations for the mikveh at night on Saturday night and then go to the mikveh as he holds that the preparations should be done by day. To be concerned for the opinion of Rashi, the Maharil (responsa chadashot 96) writes that a woman should go to the mikveh on Motzei Shabbat unless that was her first opportunity. The Rama 197:2 codifies this opinion but adds that it only applies where there is a minhag to be strict about this. Badei Hashulchan 197:38 writes that the consensus of the achronim is to be lenient to allow women to go to the mikveh on Saturday night even if they intentionally pushed off mikveh earlier. </ref> | * Going to the mikveh on Motzei Shabbat is a separate issue. Based on Rashi's reading of the gemara Niddah 67a it is less than ideal to do the preparations for the mikveh at night on Saturday night and then go to the mikveh as he holds that the preparations should be done by day. To be concerned for the opinion of Rashi, the Maharil (responsa chadashot 96) writes that a woman should go to the mikveh on Motzei Shabbat unless that was her first opportunity. The Rama 197:2 codifies this opinion but adds that it only applies where there is a minhag to be strict about this. Badei Hashulchan 197:38 writes that the consensus of the achronim is to be lenient to allow women to go to the mikveh on Saturday night even if they intentionally pushed off mikveh earlier. | ||
* Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 452 writes that the Sephardic minhag is like the Bet Yosef who permits going to the mikveh on Friday night even if her tevilah night was earlier. </ref> | |||
## If a woman wasn't able to go to the mikveh before Friday night for some reason that made it impossible for her she is certainly allowed to go to the mikveh on Friday night.<ref>Rama 197:2, Taz 197:3 like the Trumat Hadeshen unlike the Bach</ref> | ## If a woman wasn't able to go to the mikveh before Friday night for some reason that made it impossible for her she is certainly allowed to go to the mikveh on Friday night.<ref>Rama 197:2, Taz 197:3 like the Trumat Hadeshen unlike the Bach</ref> | ||
# A woman may only go to the mikveh on Friday night if her husband is in town.<ref>Rama 197:2. Badei Hashulchan 197:23 explains that when her husband is in town it is permitted to go because of the mitzvah of pru urevu but if not then it is forbidden as it appears like she's fixing her status of tumah (metaken). This is based on the Trumat Hadeshen 255. | # If a woman is going to the mikveh Friday night she should be careful not to squeeze out her hair.<ref>Because of the concern of squeezing water out of hair the [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=8785&st=&pgnum=98 Raavad (Baalei Hanefesh Shaar Hatevilah)] writes that a woman shouldn't go to the mikveh on Friday night. However, the Bet Yosef 199:6 argues that we shouldn't follow the Raavad against the majority of rishonim. This is also the ruling of Shulchan Aruch YD 199:5. Nonetheless, Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 452 adds that one must be careful not to squeeze out the hair on Shabbat. | ||
* According to the gemara Shabbat 128a squeezing water out of hair isn't considered sechita (squeezing) that is prohibited on Shabbat. The Rambam Shabbat 9:11 codifies this. The Maggid Mishna Shabbat 9:11 and Bet Yosef 330:1 explain that even though there's no biblical prohibition there still is a rabbinic one. Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 452 shows that the minority opinion of the Sefer HaEshkol is that there is no rabbinic prohibition either. In any event, the Maadenei Yom Tov (Mikvaot no. 37 fnt. 10) explains that the rabbis didn't prohibit going to the mikveh on Friday night because of this concern of squeezing out hair because of the mitzvah of pru urevu.</ref> | |||
# A woman recite a bracha on going to the mikveh on Friday night as she would any other night.<Ref>Biur Halacha 323:7 s.v. yimalenu asks how it is permitted to recite the bracha for going to the mikveh on Friday night if it will be clear that the woman is going to the mikveh for a mitzvah and not for just cooling off, which is a problem of appearing like fixing oneself (see Gemara Beitzah 18a). He answers that perhaps since in the action of going into the mikveh itself she doesn't appear to be doing a mitzvah it is permitted to recite the bracha beforehand (Sephardim) or afterwards (Ashkenazim). Nonetheless, he concludes that this is a dispute between Tosfot Yevamot 46b and Rambam. Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 458 quotes the Kol Gadol 15 who answers that the woman should recite the bracha quietly so that no one can tell she's reciting a bracha.</ref> | |||
# The practice is that the mikveh is heated on Friday night.<ref>Chacham Tzvi 11 holds that it is forbidden to go to the mikveh Friday night if it is warm. Nodeh Beyehuda OC 2:24-5 argues that going in lukewarm water is permitted. </ref> If this is the case, Sephardim should try to go during Ben Hashemashot.<ref>Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 452</ref> | |||
# A woman may only go to the mikveh on Friday night if her husband is in town.<ref>Rama 197:2. Badei Hashulchan 197:23 explains that when her husband is in town it is permitted to go because of the mitzvah of pru urevu but if not then it is forbidden as it appears like she's fixing her status of tumah (metaken). This is based on the Trumat Hadeshen 255. See Madenei Yom Tov (Mikvaot no. 37 fnt. 10).</ref> | |||
===Tevilah by Day=== | ===Tevilah by Day=== | ||
# It is forbidden for a woman to go to the mikveh by day whether it is her seventh day of Shiva Nekiyim or even the eighth day or later.<ref> | # It is forbidden for a woman to go to the mikveh by day whether it is her seventh day of Shiva Nekiyim or even the eighth day or later.<ref> | ||
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# In cases where it is impossible to go to the mikveh during the night such as because of danger, a woman may go to the mikveh during the day on the eighth day of her Shiva Nekiyim but not her seventh day.<ref>Gemara Niddah 67b, Shulchan Aruch 197:4</ref> | # In cases where it is impossible to go to the mikveh during the night such as because of danger, a woman may go to the mikveh during the day on the eighth day of her Shiva Nekiyim but not her seventh day.<ref>Gemara Niddah 67b, Shulchan Aruch 197:4</ref> | ||
# After the fact, even though it is forbidden, if nonetheless a woman went to the mikveh during the day on the seventh or eighth day it is effective. Some say that it isn't effective if she went on the seventh by day.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 197:5</ref> Even in such a case she should not tell her husband that she went to the mikveh and either way it is forbidden for them to be together until the night.<ref>Rama YD 197:5, Badei Hashulchan 197:67</ref> | # After the fact, even though it is forbidden, if nonetheless a woman went to the mikveh during the day on the seventh or eighth day it is effective. Some say that it isn't effective if she went on the seventh by day.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 197:5</ref> Even in such a case she should not tell her husband that she went to the mikveh and either way it is forbidden for them to be together until the night.<ref>Rama YD 197:5, Badei Hashulchan 197:67</ref> | ||
==Preparing for the Mikveh== | ==Preparing for the Mikveh== | ||
# Before going to the mikveh a woman must wash her armpit and concealed areas with water and comb her hair so that the hairs aren't stuck together. Additionally, a woman should wash her whole body and hair in hot water.<ref>The gemara Bava Kama 72a records that Ezra Hasofer established ten institutions and one of them was that a woman should wash herself before going to the mikveh. Tosfot Niddah 66b s.v. im cites a dispute between Rabbenu Tam and Rabbenu Shemarya in the name of Rashi about what this institution included. Rabbenu Shemarya held that it included washing the entire body, while Rabbenu Tam held it only included the hair. Tosfot concludes that one should be strict for Rabbenu Shemarya and also such is the practice. The Rosh (Mikvaot no. 37) holds like Rabbenu Tam but says it is a proper practice to wash the entire body. The Rambam (Mikvaot 2:16) also holds that the institution was to wash one's hair before going to the mikveh. The Shach 199:2 concludes that the agreement of the poskim was like Rabbenu Tam nonetheless the proper practice is to wash the entire body.</ref> | # Before going to the mikveh a woman must wash her armpit and concealed areas with water and comb her hair so that the hairs aren't stuck together. Additionally, a woman should wash her whole body and hair in hot water.<ref>The gemara Bava Kama 72a records that Ezra Hasofer established ten institutions and one of them was that a woman should wash herself before going to the mikveh. Tosfot Niddah 66b s.v. im cites a dispute between Rabbenu Tam and Rabbenu Shemarya in the name of Rashi about what this institution included. Rabbenu Shemarya held that it included washing the entire body, while Rabbenu Tam held it only included the hair. Tosfot concludes that one should be strict for Rabbenu Shemarya and also such is the practice. The Rosh (Mikvaot no. 37) holds like Rabbenu Tam but says it is a proper practice to wash the entire body. The Rambam (Mikvaot 2:16) also holds that the institution was to wash one's hair before going to the mikveh. The Shach 199:2 concludes that the agreement of the poskim was like Rabbenu Tam nonetheless the proper practice is to wash the entire body.</ref> | ||
