Going to the Mikveh: Difference between revisions
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* Even though the pesukim for Zav (Vayikra 19:13) and Zavah (Vayikra 19:28) clearly indicate that they need to go to a mayan or mikveh, respectively for a Niddah the pasuk (Vayikra 15:19) doesn't indicate anything about needing to go to the mikveh. The Ramban (Chidushim Shabbat 13b s.v. biymey) actually argues that according to the peshat the purification process of the niddah is partially included in the zavah's purification process and the pasuk means that they both need to go to the mikveh. However, the other rishonim offer different derivations for this halacha. | * Even though the pesukim for Zav (Vayikra 19:13) and Zavah (Vayikra 19:28) clearly indicate that they need to go to a mayan or mikveh, respectively for a Niddah the pasuk (Vayikra 15:19) doesn't indicate anything about needing to go to the mikveh. The Ramban (Chidushim Shabbat 13b s.v. biymey) actually argues that according to the peshat the purification process of the niddah is partially included in the zavah's purification process and the pasuk means that they both need to go to the mikveh. However, the other rishonim offer different derivations for this halacha. | ||
* Tosfot Yevamot 47b s.v. bemayim discusses the source for the halacha that a Niddah needs to go to a mikveh in order to be tahora. Rav Yehudai Goan explained that the Niddah's tevilah is learned as a fortiori from the fact that the utensils she touches need tevilah. The Ri says that it is the pasuk וְהַדָּוָה בְּנִדָּתָהּ (Vayikra 15:33) as interpreted by the Gemara Shabbat 64b a Niddah remains tameh until she goes to the mikveh in the proper time. Rashba (Torat Habayit 4a) and Baal Haturim (Vayikra 15:19) agree. The Rabbenu Tam derives this halacha from במי נדה יתחטא (Bamidbar 31:23) as understood by the Gemara Avoda Zara 75b. </ref> | * Tosfot Yevamot 47b s.v. bemayim discusses the source for the halacha that a Niddah needs to go to a mikveh in order to be tahora. Rav Yehudai Goan explained that the Niddah's tevilah is learned as a fortiori from the fact that the utensils she touches need tevilah. The Ri says that it is the pasuk וְהַדָּוָה בְּנִדָּתָהּ (Vayikra 15:33) as interpreted by the Gemara Shabbat 64b a Niddah remains tameh until she goes to the mikveh in the proper time. Rashba (Torat Habayit 4a) and Baal Haturim (Vayikra 15:19) agree. The Rabbenu Tam derives this halacha from במי נדה יתחטא (Bamidbar 31:23) as understood by the Gemara Avoda Zara 75b. </ref> | ||
# If her husband is in town it is a mitzvah for a woman to be tovel on the night when she is able to be tovel and not delay it to another night.< | |||
* 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. | === As soon as 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. | # If her husband is in town it is a mitzvah for a woman to be tovel on the night when she is able to be tovel and not delay it to another night.<ref>Shulchan Aruch YD 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> | *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. | ||
# It is forbidden for a woman to go to mikveh seven days after seeing blood before she counted her shiva nekiyim.< | *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 and Taharat Habayit v. 2. 445 agree.</ref> | |||
# It is forbidden for a woman to go to mikveh seven days after seeing blood before she counted her shiva nekiyim.<ref>The Rivash (responsa 425) and Ramban (Chidushim Shabbat 13b s.v. biymey) write that even though on a Torah level a niddah can go to mikveh 7 days after seeing blood the rabbis enacted that all woman are treated like a zavah and need shiva nekiyim (Niddah 65a). Therefore, even though in the days when taharot were relevant a woman could go to mikveh after the 7 niddah days and again after the shiva nekiyim, today the rabbis prohibited women from going to the mikveh 7 days after seeing blood because of niddah before the shiva nekiyim since that will lead people to sin (by being lenient about the shiva nekiyim and going to mikveh afterwards). </ref> | |||
=== When husband isn't in town === | |||
# 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> | # 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> | ||
# Initially a woman should have kavana for tevilat niddah to purify herself. After the fact if she fell into the mikveh and didn't have intention for tevilah she is pure.< | |||
=== Intent to purify === | |||
# Initially, a woman should have kavana for tevilat niddah to purify herself. After the fact if she fell into the mikveh and didn't have intention for tevilah she is pure.<ref>The Gemara Chullin 31a records a machloket Rav and Rabbi Yochanan whether tevilat niddah needs kavana. Rambam (Mikvaot 1:8) holds that it doesn't need kavana and Rashba (Chullin 31b, cited by Bet Yosef) argues that it should. Shulchan Aruch YD 120:48 rules like Rambam. Rama 198:48 writes that initially one should be concerned for the Rashba.</ref> | |||
=== Privacy === | |||
# As a matter of [[modesty]] (tzeniyut) a woman should be very careful that no one should know that she went to the mikveh.<ref>Rama YD 198:48, Aruch Hashulchan 198:91</ref> | |||
===Friday Night=== | ===Friday Night=== | ||
# If the woman's Tevilah night is Friday night or Motzei Shabbat she is 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 she is 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> | ||
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===Showering or Bathing=== | ===Showering or Bathing=== | ||
# There is an Ashkenazic minhag not to take a shower or bath after going to the mikveh until the next night.<ref>Rama YD 201:75. Igrot Moshe YD 2:96 explains that really since the idea of taking a shower making a person tameh is only a new tumah and not invalidating the last one it shouldn't be relevant to niddah. In any event, he argues that the cutoff to when there is an issue to take a shower immediately after going to the mikveh is the halachic day.</ref> If she is fastidious and can't wait a whole day without showering after the mikveh he may do so.<Ref>Igrot Moshe YD 2:96 concludes that since the Rashbat's opinion is a minority one and it is only a minhag for a woman who can't stand waiting a day without showering may do so. </ref> | # There is an Ashkenazic minhag not to take a shower or bath after going to the mikveh until the next night.<ref>Rama YD 201:75. Igrot Moshe YD 2:96 explains that really since the idea of taking a shower making a person tameh is only a new tumah and not invalidating the last one it shouldn't be relevant to niddah. In any event, he argues that the cutoff to when there is an issue to take a shower immediately after going to the mikveh is the halachic day.</ref> If she is fastidious and can't wait a whole day without showering after the mikveh he may do so.<Ref>Igrot Moshe YD 2:96 concludes that since the Rashbat's opinion is a minority one and it is only a minhag for a woman who can't stand waiting a day without showering may do so. </ref> | ||
===What the Woman Sees when She Emerges=== | |||
===What the Woman Sees when | |||
# A woman should make sure that the first thing she sees after coming out of the mikveh is something tahor and not a non-Jew or something tameh. If she did encounter something tameh first if she is a yareh shamayim she would repeat her tevilah.<ref>Rama YD 198:48, Aruch Hashulchan 198:91</ref> | # A woman should make sure that the first thing she sees after coming out of the mikveh is something tahor and not a non-Jew or something tameh. If she did encounter something tameh first if she is a yareh shamayim she would repeat her tevilah.<ref>Rama YD 198:48, Aruch Hashulchan 198:91</ref> | ||
===Telling her Husband that she is Pure=== | ===Telling her Husband that she is Pure=== | ||
