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Going to the Mikveh: Difference between revisions

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# 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>
# 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>
# Many defend the practice of going to a mikveh on Friday night even though it is lukewarm.<ref>Chacham Tzvi 11 holds that it is forbidden to go to the mikveh Friday night if the mikveh is heated but it is permitted if it is just heated enough to remove the chill. Nodeh Beyehuda OC 2:24-5 holds that it is permitted to go into a mikveh even if it is lukewarm. Lastly, the Korban Netanel (Bameh Madlikin 22:100) believes it is permitted even if the warm is warm. Nonetheless, the Mishna Brurah 326:17 proves that there is a prohibition to bathe in lukewarm warm on Shabbat. Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 460-6 agrees.  
# Many defend the practice of going to a mikveh on Friday night even though it is lukewarm.<ref>Chacham Tzvi 11 holds that it is forbidden to go to the mikveh Friday night if the mikveh is heated but it is permitted if it is just heated enough to remove the chill. Nodeh Beyehuda OC 2:24-5 holds that it is permitted to go into a mikveh even if it is lukewarm. Lastly, the Korban Netanel (Bameh Madlikin 22:100) believes it is permitted even if the warm is warm. Nonetheless, the Mishna Brurah 326:17 proves that there is a prohibition to bathe in lukewarm warm on Shabbat. Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 460-6 agrees.  
* The Mishna Brurah 326:7 writes that there is what to rely on to go to a lukewarm mikveh on Friday night. Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata (ch. 14 fnt. 14) cites the Divrei Chayim who says that the minhag is that the women go in a warm mikveh on Friday night. However, Rav Yosef Henkin ([http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=2274&st=&pgnum=155 Edut L'Yisrael p. 154] holds that the water should only be lukewarm and not hot.</ref> Sephardim should try to avoid going to a warm or lukewarm mikveh at night and instead go during Ben Hashemashot.<ref>Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 452 suggests going to the mikveh during ben hashemashot so as to avoid the prohibition of bathing in hot water on Shabbat. He cites the Bnei Binyamin p. 104 as saying that it was the minhag yerushalayim to go to the mikveh during ben hashemashot. He explains that since it is only a derabbanan prohibition to go to the mikveh during the day it is permitted during ben hashemashot. He concludes that if it isn't possible to go during ben hashemashot she may go at night and not delay her night of tevilah.</ref>  
* The Mishna Brurah 326:7 writes that there is what to rely on to go to a lukewarm mikveh on Friday night. Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata (ch. 14 fnt. 4) cites the Divrei Chayim who says that the minhag is that the women go in a warm mikveh on Friday night. However, Rav Yosef Henkin ([http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=2274&st=&pgnum=155 Edut L'Yisrael p. 154]) holds that the water should only be lukewarm and not hot.</ref> Sephardim should try to avoid going to a warm or lukewarm mikveh at night and instead go during Ben Hashemashot.<ref>Taharat Habayit v. 2 p. 452 suggests going to the mikveh during ben hashemashot so as to avoid the prohibition of bathing in hot water on Shabbat. He cites the Bnei Binyamin p. 104 as saying that it was the minhag yerushalayim to go to the mikveh during ben hashemashot. He explains that since it is only a derabbanan prohibition to go to the mikveh during the day it is permitted during ben hashemashot. He concludes that if it isn't possible to go during ben hashemashot she may go at night and not delay her night of tevilah.</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>
# 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>