Mikvaot: Difference between revisions

# If a vessel is punctured on the bottom, according to all opinions if the hole has a diameter of a pomegranate it isn’t a vessel and doesn’t create drawn water. Additionally, all agree that a person can immerse in such a vessel.<ref>Darkei Moshe 201:11 writes that even though the Rabbenu Yerucham, Rash, and perhaps Rosh hold that one may never immerse inside of a vessel even one that is punctured with a hole that has a diameter of two fingerbreadths would agree that one can immerse in a vessel that is punctured with a hole the size of a pomegranate. The proof is from the pool of Shlomo and the Yerushalmi Yoma 2:8.</ref> If can hold even a little bit of water it is a vessel and invalid.<ref>Tosefta Mikvaot 4:4, Shach 201:22</ref>

===A Vessel Floating in the Mikveh===

# A sponge which was filled up with 3 lug of drawn water or a bottle with a small opening and it was filled with 3 lug of water if that sponge or bottle fall into a mikveh which is lacking 40 seah, they don’t invalidate it since the water is inside them isn’t connected to the mikveh. If the water were to be squeezed out of the sponge or spilled out of the bottle it would invalidate the mikveh.<Ref>Mishna Mikvaot 6:4 writes that 3 lug in a sponge or bottle with a small opening doesn’t invalidate it. Rash explains that they only made a rabbinic restriction if the water is exposed but not if it is contained. The Rosh adds that even if the water in the sponge or bottle certainly mixes with the mikveh it doesn’t invalidate it unless all of its water exits. Shulchan Aruch YD 201:16 cites this halacha.</ref>

# If there is a clothing partially in the mikveh and a person squeezes water out of it into the mikveh it is considered drawn water to invalidate a mikveh with 3 lug. Some say that this is only the case if it is completely picked up out of the mikveh, while others say it is even if it is partially out of the water.<ref>Shach 201:46 writes that the Raavad holds that if the clothing is partially in the mikveh then water squeezed out of it isn’t considered drawn since it is still connected to the mikveh, however, the Rokeach holds that even if the clothing isn’t completely picked up nonetheless the water that is squeezed out of the clothing is considered drawn water. He cites the Levush who was strict for the Roke’ach.</ref>

===On the Back of Vessels===

# If water flows over the back of vessels the water is valid as a mikveh, meaning that it is valid when it is 40 seah and stopped.<ref>The Mishna Mikvaot 5:2 writes that water that flowed over vessels according to Rabbi Yosi is like a mikveh. While the Rash explains that it is referring to a punctured vessel, the Rambam and Rosh explain that the water is flowing over an inverted vessel. The reason it is invalid is because there is a rabbinic restriction not to immerse on the back of a vessel lest one come to immerse in a vessel itself. Once they invalidated the water on top of the vessel all the water that flows beyond that point is considered disconnected from the original spring even if the water is one connected stream. Therefore, they treated the water beyond the vessel as a mikveh. Shach 201:34 and Taz 201:23 further elaborate on this explanation. Shulchan Aruch YD 201:12 accepts the Rambam. </ref> However, one may not immerse on top of any type of vessels.<ref>Mishna Mikvaot 5:2, Rambam, Tur and Shulchan Aruch 201:12. The Shach 201:37 explains that really even a earthenware vessel is invalid on the back of the vessel as the Tur didn’t distinguish. That is in opposition to the opinion of the Bet Yosef 198:31 who explains that everyone would hold that the rabbinic restriction against immersing on the back of a vessel is specifically for vessels that are susceptible to tumah even on the backside excluding the earthenware one. In any event after the fact the Shach is lenient after the fact regarding earthenware vessels.</ref>