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Preparing for the Mikveh: Difference between revisions
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* The Shach 198:37 requires that the hands be wet with mikveh water like the Rama YD 120:2 requires for Tevilat Kelim. Lastly, the Taz 198:27 explains that there is a machloket between the Rambam and Rashba whether if the hands were wet in advance if the grasp isn’t so tight. According to the Rambam the tevilah is effective either way and according to the Rashba it is only effective if the grasp wasn’t so tight. | * The Shach 198:37 requires that the hands be wet with mikveh water like the Rama YD 120:2 requires for Tevilat Kelim. Lastly, the Taz 198:27 explains that there is a machloket between the Rambam and Rashba whether if the hands were wet in advance if the grasp isn’t so tight. According to the Rambam the tevilah is effective either way and according to the Rashba it is only effective if the grasp wasn’t so tight. | ||
* The Shach 120:36 writes that having someone else hold on to a woman when she’s in the mikveh is only effective after the fact. The Sidrei Tahara 198:57 agrees but for another reason. Therefore, he concludes that a woman who needs support in the mikveh should have someone hold her one hand above the water and then hold her with another hand below the water, and finally adjust the hand above the water to another position below the water. This satisfies the opinion of the Taz and Rama.</ref> | * The Shach 120:36 writes that having someone else hold on to a woman when she’s in the mikveh is only effective after the fact. The Sidrei Tahara 198:57 agrees but for another reason. Therefore, he concludes that a woman who needs support in the mikveh should have someone hold her one hand above the water and then hold her with another hand below the water, and finally adjust the hand above the water to another position below the water. This satisfies the opinion of the Taz and Rama.</ref> | ||
# A woman should not have to pick up her feet when she's in the mikveh if the floor of the mikveh is clean.<ref>The Rosh (Mikvaot no. 21) writes that since the water touches the feet before it touches the floor there is automatically a layer of water surrounding the feet and so she doesn't have to pick up her feet when she is tovel. The Raavad (cited by Bet Yosef 198:28) and Rashba (Torat Habayit Hakatzar 31b) agree. Shulchan Aruch 198:30 codifies this halacha.</ref> | |||
====Medical Circumstances==== | ====Medical Circumstances==== | ||
# If an item is left for a long time and won't be removed earlier some poskim hold that it isn't considered that she's wants it removed now.<ref>Pitchei Teshuva 198:1 quoting the Zichron Yosef. The Orot Hatahara p. 336 quotes this and the several opinions that follow and sides with Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.</ref> Poskim mention different times as to how long this has to be. Some say a half a year<Ref>Avnei Nezer YD 253:3</ref>, some say say 30 days<ref>Shaarei Tevilah 34:4 quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach</ref>, some say 1 week<ref>Shaarei Tevilah 34:4 quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach for an extenuating circumstance, Chelkat Yoav YD 30</ref>, and some say that it doesn't depend on any fixed amount of time but as long as there is some definitive time that it'll remain there.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:97</ref> A rav should be consulted about any such case. | # If an item is left for a long time and won't be removed earlier some poskim hold that it isn't considered that she's wants it removed now.<ref>Pitchei Teshuva 198:1 quoting the Zichron Yosef. The Orot Hatahara p. 336 quotes this and the several opinions that follow and sides with Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.</ref> Poskim mention different times as to how long this has to be. Some say a half a year<Ref>Avnei Nezer YD 253:3</ref>, some say say 30 days<ref>Shaarei Tevilah 34:4 quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach</ref>, some say 1 week<ref>Shaarei Tevilah 34:4 quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach for an extenuating circumstance, Chelkat Yoav YD 30</ref>, and some say that it doesn't depend on any fixed amount of time but as long as there is some definitive time that it'll remain there.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:97</ref> A rav should be consulted about any such case. | ||
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# Artificial nails should be removed before tevilah. After the fact if she went to the mikveh with the artificial nails some poskim hold that the tevilah is effective.<ref>Chut Shani 198:23, The Laws of Niddah v. 2 p. 293</ref> | # Artificial nails should be removed before tevilah. After the fact if she went to the mikveh with the artificial nails some poskim hold that the tevilah is effective.<ref>Chut Shani 198:23, The Laws of Niddah v. 2 p. 293</ref> | ||
==Requirements of the Mikveh== | |||
# The mikveh must have 40 seah of water at a minimum. Additionally, the woman must be able to completely go into the mikveh at once and 40 seah isn't enough the mikveh needs to have enough water to cover her entire body at once.<ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 201:1</ref> | |||
# A mikveh with mud on the floor should be avoided if there's another mikveh available.<ref>Pitchei Teshuva 198:20 quoting the Nodeh Beyehuda</ref> If there is no other mikveh available a woman may go to that mikveh but must pick up her feet when being tovel.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 198:33 writes that a woman shouldn't be tovel in a mikveh with mud on the body because according to some opinions, such as Rashi and Raavad, the tevilah will be ineffective. The Shach 198:47 explains that really this is only an issue with three types of thick mud, but most mud isn't a chatzitza after the fact. Nonetheless, even regarding regular mud the Pitchei Teshuva 198:20 points out from the Shach 198:40 one must pick up their feet if there's mud on the bottom of the mikveh.</ref> | |||
# The water should be filled high enough so that when the woman stands it in the water reaches up to three [[tefachim]] above her navel.<ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 198:36</ref> If this is impossible, one could be tovel in a shallow mikveh by lying down on the bottom of the mikveh, however, if another mikveh is available one should go there.<ref>Sidrei Tahara 198:75</ref> | |||
# A woman may not be tovel on top of a vessel.<ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 198:31</ref> If the floor of the mikveh is made of slats of wood there is a major discussion if it is kosher mikveh, but many poskim defend such a mikveh since it was the practice of many communities to have such a mikveh.<ref>Shach 198:45, Taz 198:31</ref> | |||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
{{Reflist|2}} | {{Reflist|2}} | ||
[[Category: Women]] | [[Category: Women]] | ||
