Mikvaot: Difference between revisions

# A mikveh that was incomplete and wine was added so that the color of all of it changed then even if drawn water is then added it isn’t invalidated because of drawn water. The reason is that while it is a colored mikveh it isn't considered like a mikveh and drawn water doesn’t invalidate it. Afterwards, if more kosher water is added such that the whole mikveh returns to the original color it is fit.<ref>Raavad Mikvaot 7:12 based on Tosefta Mikvaot 5:8 writes that while the water was invalid because of having its color changed it can’t become invalid as drawn water since it isn’t considered water at all. Afterwards once more water is added and its original color returns it is fit. Rama 201:29 codifies the Raavad. </ref> If the  drawn water is added in order to change the mikveh back to the color of water, some say that it is invalid,<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:120:7 understands from Rama that the mikveh which isn't 40 seah and is discolored cannot be made valid with drawn water. Rama only meant that if drawn water is added and the mikveh remains discolored it is valid if later rain water is added.</ref> while others hold that it is kosher if more rainwater is added to complete the requisite 40 seah.<ref>Chelkat Binyamin 201:434 based on [https://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14338&st=&pgnum=368 Chazon Ish (Kama 8:10)] and Gidulei Tahara. In Tziyunim 1401 he disagrees with Igrot Moshe. According to Chazon Ish, it is kosher even if the 3 lugin of drawn water is added and it turns back to the color of water before the mikveh reaches 40 seah it is kosher. Behind this dispute is that Igrot Moshe holds that a 40 seah mikveh of colored water creates hashaka, while Chazon Ish (Kama 8:9) argues that there's no hashaka to colored water.</ref>

# Some poskim hold that a mikveh that is incomplete and invalidated because 3 lug or more of drawn water was added can be fixed as follows: wine is added so that the entire mikveh changes the look of wine, then more water is added until its original color returns. However, many poskim hold that this isn’t solution doesn’t work.<ref>Chelkat Binyamin 201:432 cites a dispute between the Chazon Ish Mikvaot 5:13 and the Maharsham 3:11 whether it is possible to fix a mikveh by changing its color and then returning its color. The Maharsham held that it is possible to fix since once it turns into colored water the invalidation of drawn water doesn’t count and when its color returns it is a kosher mikveh. Bet Shlomo 1:171, Bet Yitzchak 2:41, and others agreed. However, the Chazon Ish held that the only time drawn water doesn’t invalidate a colored mikveh is if it colored the mikveh prior to the drawn water entering. However, once a mikveh is invalid because of drawn water it remains invalid.</ref> Even the lenient opinion can be relied upon if the original invalidation was only rabbinic and not biblical.<ref>Chelkat Binyamin 201:432 writes that one can only use the solution of the Maharsham if the invalidation was rabbinic but if it is biblical it doesn’t work since the entire concept of having the waters change colors is only rabbinic to begin with according to many poskim.</ref>

# If part of the mikveh changed colors that area doesn’t count towards the mikveh, but if there’s 40 seah that is unchanged it is a kosher mikveh, if one dips in the area that didn’t change colors.<ref>Rambam Mikvaot 7:9, Shulchan Aruch 201:26</ref>

# A colored mikveh is invalid even if the color changes after it has 40 seah.<ref>The Mishna Mikvaot 7:3 establishes that if the mikveh is 40 seah and its color changed it is invalid. [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=8785&pgnum=111 Raavad Baalei Hanefesh p. 111] clarifies this point. Shulchan Aruch 201:25 agrees.</ref>