The Mikvah of the Arizal - Rabbi Yitzchak Luria - Mystic: Why I Took This Photo

The picture may look a little dreary for some, but that's only because many are not aware of what they are looking at. I guess that's a little like someone involved in mining who seems to only see dirt - and then all of a sudden realises that while it may look like a lot of dirt - when one looks and searches, one finds gold and diamonds all around one! It's about putting aside the outward appearance and instead, focusing on what the treasure in front of us actually is!

Here I was in the holy city of Safed in Israel. Nobody who values this pool of water can be in Safed and not immerse in it... 

Here lies the Mikvah of the Arizal - Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (1534-1572). This is the very place that he would immerse in to purify his body every day. Rabbi Yitzchak Luria was one of the key rabbis involved in transmitting the authentic teachings of kabbalah to us - until today. His teacher was no less than Elijah the Prophet himself. While there will always be pessimists who consider that ridiculous, a sampling of his work is enough for anyone to realise that it is simply not possible for a person of flesh and blood to express himself in such a way - and in so doing, teach the most hidden secrets of Creation and life, unless of course there was someone from a far superior realm guiding him. Indeed - this was Eliyahu (Elijah) the Prophet! We may as well mention that when it came to teaching the Baal Shem Tov - Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem (1698-1760) - the secrets of Torah, it was Achiya HaShiloni - the teacher of Elijah the Prophet - who taught him! 

In the world of Torah, there is nothing strange about what lies hidden from the human eye. Just because a blind man cannot see, does not mean that physical human beings do not exist. There are certainly others who do see them. For those who purify themselves sufficiently, they too may be privy to the experiences of visions in seeing and learning from the Maggidim - the Angels from on High, from the souls of those who have already left this world, as well as from the great Prophets themselves...

The Mikvah is one the most mysterious of creations that God has blessed us with. Herein lies parts of the mysteries of birth. Just as the baby will find itself immersed in the womb, surrounded by water, so too is the Mikvah a womb for the "bigger" body to immerse itself in - in order to return to that womb, and to start life again, so to speak. Water has always carried with it that description, that property of purity. In fact the body itself is composed of some 73% water! Water is life! When feeling exhausted, it is to water that we will turn to refresh ourselves again! It is the most keen component in a healthy lifestyle. Drink water - and lots of it - every day! 8 glasses? Go for 12 - every single day! Our bodies love water, and it is the most basic of all healthy diets in order to keep the body working at its very very best! Without it, dehydration occurs, loss of energy, and simply an inability to do anything. One cannot survive in this physical for too long without re-hydrating ourselves!

Just as water absorbed into the internal part of the body has the effect of purifying one - so too does water when it is applied to the outside of the body. Yet again, after a hard day of work, after a workout, after just about any physical activity - a well earned shower and bath is taken by us all. The warm (or cool) water refreshes us yet again making us feel ready to start life again, or to just relax, feeling just wonderful!

The most mysterious of water is that that is completely natural - untouched by human hands! This is the water from the clouds - rain! It is God's own direct source of purity which He sends to us regularly - without which we would die! Once that water is handled by man, however, it does indeed lose something of its purity. So the Torah instructs us, that in the making of a system of water that will bring the highest levels of purity to us, we must make a Mikvah!

The Mikvah is a completely natural body of water made according to the strict laws as set down in the Shulchan Aruch - the Jewish work of law par excellence. After preparing a hole in the ground, one waits for the rain to fill it up. It is this water that will bring purity in the spiritual sense of the word - to the person who immerses inside it! Modern Mikvaot do not work in this exact way - but rather, they have a pool specially attached to the natural body of water, with an opening that connects the two. As long as the opening is open, then even the man-made pool connects to the holiness from the original water. If it is closed however, it is simply a man-made pool! That water is cleaned out regularly to keep the Mikvah clean and hygienic. The original rain-water however remains in the hole originally prepared.

Another type of Mikvah is a natural spring. After all, what can be more natural in terms of water than water which flows from a natural spring - with no human intervention at all?! While it is not always easy to get to a natural spring, there are indeed some around, and then there are those who use them! The Mikvah pictured in the image above is indeed from a natural spring. The water has flowed from the snow coming from the mountains - already for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Due to this, the water is absolutely freezing and immersing for even the most minimum of time is an experience one will never forget! Not all Mikvaot are like this however. Modern Mikvaot are warmed up through permissible means. Tradition has it that one who immerses in the Mikvah of the Ari will certainly do Teshuvah (he will repent from all his sins) before he dies - a very meritorious thing to do!

A story is told that when the Arizal died, as is the custom that a Jewish body be immersed in a Mikvah before burial - they took his body for immersion right here... When they placed the body inside, the body began to move on its own, and the Arizal immersed himself, by himself...

The Arizal would immerse in this Mikvah daily - even when he was very sick, suffering from a stomach problem, though his mother had constantly warned him not to immerse due to his bad health. He died at the young age of just 38! This is the very same Mikvah one can immerse in today! Not only the Arizal, but hundreds of thousands of people - some of them the greatest giants of the Torah world in every aspect of Torah - have immersed in that very pool! It is an awesome experience to immerse there - as one contemplates just how many people have stood in that exact spot - the greatest of giants of every generation! It must surely add to the holiness!

It is a Mitzvah for a woman to immerse in a Mikvah once a month i.e. when she has her menstrual cycle. This is the only time she needs to immerse. Men have the custom to immerse in a Mikvah before Rosh HaShanah - the New Year - and the day before Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement. Yet others are careful to immerse once a week on the eve of the Sabbath day. Yet others - especially Chassidim and those who immerse themselves for their studies of kabbalah - will immerse themselves every single day, every morning before the morning prayers (Shacharit). 

There are other important times that a man should immerse as well (contact me for more details.)

In summary: The Mikvah is a pool of natural water. The water purifies a person spiritually from any type of spiritual impurity he may have - as he immerses himself, his entire body without any intervening substance whatsoever (including watches, jewlry or even dirty nails etc.) completely naked in one-go into the "womb" of life, emerging completely purified, to begin his service of serving God again, as if he were a new-born baby. When immersing, his body should be relaxed with his fingers opened slightly so that the water will reach every place of the body. His eyes may be closed gently and he should not hold on to anything inside the pool while immersing.

This picture is the Mikvah that was used by the Arizal himself, and it stands out as a reminder of how important it is for a man to immerse regularly. Those who wish to study the secrets of Torah (Kabbalah) should not do so under any circumstances if they do not immerse in a Mikvah regularly (every single day.) The experience is refreshing, rejuvenating, cleansing and purifying. Anyone doing so regularly will begin to feel like there is a whole different way of life, a newness to everything, and a clarity in one's way of thinking (even!)

Immersing in a Mikvah is for me - one of the most important parts of the day. It somehow gives a charged-start to all of my activities!

You can purchase this picture here, print it out and contemplate some of these thoughts whenever you look at it - or meditate on your own thoughts. If you have never been to a Mikvah before, do it today! If you have, but don't do so regularly - make a new start! And if you do go regularly - you are truly blessed!

By purchasing one of my pictures, or booking a time to learn with me online, or making a donation, you are not just taking a part in supporting a Torah scholar, but you are assisting a Jew to be able to live while giving him the opportunity to continue his own learning in Torah. Be a part of it - today!

The Importance for Jewish Men to Learn all the Laws of Family Purity (Part 2)

If you're joining us for this series, please read Part 1 before continuing.

Today out topic is:

Family Purity - and The Anticipated Menstruation

Remember, we're focusing on why it's so important that all Jewish men familiarise themselves thoroughly with the laws of Family Purity. Many feel it's just not for them to know laws that seem to be for women only. This is not true. Jewish men must become completely familiar with these laws - as much as women. The marriage should be seen as being as important to the man as it is to the woman. If he's not showing his readiness to understand these laws, something will be lacking from the marriage. Knowing these laws means that he'll be able to add something to the marriage - something that might well make the difference between a home filled with peace and a home (unnecessarily) lacking it.

Let's take a look at the importance of understanding the laws of the anticipated menstruation – not from the women's point of view – but from the husband's! 

Once a woman has a cycle she must immediately take note of the day and time this occurs. This information is needed in order to prepare her for the possibility of her next cycle. There are different ways of calculating these times (for another article), but let's take it as the norm that the woman must already document that after her cycle and purity (Mikvah immersion) she may already have to prepare for another cycle, should she not fall pregnant. 

What does a husband stand to gain by knowing the laws for these calculations?

The most basic reason for learning these laws is that he can support his wife in working through the calculations together – should she need this. At the start of a marriage (in particular!) a woman – even after a series of Kallah lessons, may feel so overwhelmed with the laws, that she forgets what to do! She can always ask her Kallah teacher to help her go over the material again (or she can read it through in a good book.) But when the stress of the cycle happens, she may panic. Imagine the frustration a woman feels when she turns to her husband (embarrassed!) explaining to him that she has no idea how to calculate her next anticipated cycle! She needs his time… She need him to turn to her and be able to say that he cares about her following these laws – for both of them.

At this point, however, many husbands will attack their wives, complaining that they did not study well enough. Thereafter there will be further disharmony in the relationship (already – at such an early stage in the marriage!) She may feel alienated from her husband and may even (intentionally or unintentionally) make an error – calculating the wrong day. Having a separation day when it is not required can be just as problematic as not having the day when it is required! After all, why the need to lose out on a day of intimacy just because of a miscalculation?! On the other hand, the possible problem of being intimate on a day that is forbidden can make for a disaster!

A man should be comfortable enough with his knowledge of the calculations to be able to guide his wife if she is in need of assistance. He may feel like it's a drag for him to have to learn some laws which he feels are only relevant to his wife (apparently a time waster for him.) In the long run however, his knowledge of these laws, may well make the difference of a strong caring marriage, rather than a marriage (of strife) where the husband lacks the time to assist his wife in fulfilling what may be perhaps the most important laws in the Jewish home.

For those men that feel purity in their Jewish home is important, consider this: Not being proficient in these laws, may well set the stage for a wife who feels so left out and unwanted, that she could choose to simply make things up in order to show externally that she is trying. It won't help much if she's off though – and ultimately may lead to a lackadaisical attitude towards these laws - altogether. In such an instance, both husband and wife then stand the chance of being involved in a variety of Aveirahs. While the husband may well think he is doing the right thing – his wife may one day turn around bitterly explaining how she never understood the laws properly and never actually fulfilled them. One may wonder then (once that moment is realised) – if the husband will be as enthusiastic with his response that it was all up to his wife! 

No man can do without learning about the laws of the anticipated menstruation. To feel that Chatan classes without these laws is good enough to start one's marriage is an irresponsible approach for the Chatan towards his wife and family. Ultimately one's wife may well one day lose out. In turn the husband will lose out too. And in turn, a marriage may even fall apart. 

If you're serious about maintaining the laws of Family Purity in your home, make sure – if you are a man – to become fluent in these laws. A husband should be familiar with these laws well enough to be able to teach them over to someone else if need be. It may well show your spouse just how much you appreciate her efforts in maintaining a truly pure Jewish home and encourage her to stay strong in observing these laws.

ADVANTAGES OF THE HUSBAND KNOWING THE LAWS OF ANITICPATED MENSTRUATION:

1. Shows an attitude of care
2. Will bring Shalom Bayit at a time of extreme frustration
3. Makes the husband aware that his wife is taking this Mitzvah seriously
4. Makes the husband aware of just how important these laws are
5. Makes the husband aware that his wife cares about his spiritual well-being as much as she cares about her own
6. Reduces the chances of mistakes being made (especially at the start of the marriage)

LEARNING THESE LAWS WILL HELP THE HUSBAND KEEP THESE THINGS IN MIND:

1. It takes time to calculate the dates. Give your wife the alone time she may need to sit down and make sure she's doing them correctly
2. Dinner may have to wait an extra five-ten minutes…
3. Don't be irritated if your wife has lost her way in doing the calculations
4. Be there for your wife – if she needs you (and even if "she doesn't"!
5. Never put the entire focus of this Mitzvah on your wife. It's your Mitzvah too

DISADVANTAGES TO LEARNING THESE LAWS

None! You'll be learning Torah. You'll be able to help your wife if she needs it. You'll be paving the way for true Shalom Bayit!

** If you are getting married soon or looking to refresh your knowledge of these laws, contact Rav Eliyahu for Chatan Lessons or Shoshanah for Kallah Lessons, or email Rav Eliyahu or Shoshanah directly. 

The Importance for Jewish Men to Learn all the Laws of Family Purity (Part 1)

The laws of Family Purity – Taharat HaMishpacha – are complex. But Family Purity is really the most basic foundation of a Jewish home. Without it, the entire purity of the Jewish home is lacking. With it – the possibility for a home filled with all things Jewish i.e. Kashrut, Shabbat and all the other Torah laws.

It seems however that many men are under the impression that these laws don't apply to them! I suppose it's something like thinking that the laws of Tefillin don't apply to women (so why should they bother learning them?!) Would any woman involve herself in learning the laws of Tzitzit or Mezuzah – for example?! And even if for some reason they felt the need to, would they go into the depth that men should go into in order to know exactly how to fulfil these Halachot properly?!

Sadly – one can even find men sitting in Yeshiva complaining that the laws of Niddah (Family Purity) are just not their thing. Personally, I keep wondering what happened to Tractate Niddah – one of the Gemaras of the Talmud – dealing with these laws in their entirety. Sadly – again – many men shy away from learning this tractate – thinking that perhaps it is better for women to learn it.

Yet, in a strange twist of events, after marrying, men find that they are actually a half of the marriage – a half of the main family (at least at the time of the wedding!) What goes through their minds when it comes to considering the important laws of Taharat HaMishpaha then?! Could it be that they feel that their wives will surely have taken a Kallah course – a series of Shiurim (lessons) to help them know what the laws are? Of course (they think,) when it comes to putting them all into practice, the full responsibility of following these laws will rest strictly upon them!

Anyone who truly values what these laws are about will understand that this is just not the right approach to take. Every Chatan (groom) should be prepared to take a course in learning about these laws – and thoroughly! Every Chatan should be as acquainted with these laws as his Kallah is. 

Some may wonder why. Why should a Chatan ever learn these laws altogether?! And even if he should learn some of them (just in case!) why learn the laws of Chatzitzot (intervening substances that cause a problem when a woman immerses in a Mikvah)? Why learn the laws of Chafifah (the laws regarding the washing and preparation for immersion in the Mikvah)? Why the need to know the laws concerning the time for the anticipated menstruation? Surely these laws relate exclusively to the woman?! It's up to her to know how to fulfil these laws. He surely won't be present when his wife is preparing to immerse. He also won't be present moments before the immersion to check if his wife has any intervening substances. And quite frankly – why should he care when her next anticipated menstruation will be?! Let her keep her own tabs on things, and just let him know when it's important to know (whatever it is he's supposed to know!)

Though it's true that some Mitzvot are "man based" and others "woman based" it should be clear that every husband take an active part in supporting his wife to be able to her fulfil her Mitzvot properly too. It's one of those things that might actually aid in creating real Shalom Bayit (peace in the home!) But there's more to it.

In the coming posts, we're going to examine the importance of these laws – especially from the husband's point of view. We'll see just what a difference it can make in knowing the laws which are seemingly unrelated to the husband.


If you are getting married soon or looking to refresh your knowledge of these laws, contact Rav Eliyahu for Chatan Lessons or Shoshanah for Kallah Lessons, or email Rav Eliyahu or Shoshanah directly. 

The Mitzvah for a Man to Immerse in a Mikvah

THE MITZVAH FOR A MAN
TO IMMERSE IN A MIKVAH

The Lubavitcher Rebbe answers someone regarding the Mitzvah of a man having to immerse in a Mikvah:

"You ask about the matter of men immersing in the Mikvah. The greatness of this is described in a number of places, in particular with regards to prayer (i.e. that it is of great benefit to immerse in a Mikvah before prayer every single day before Shacharit). See Likutei Torah by the Alter Rebbe - author of the Tanya, Posek (authority) in the hidden matters of Torah, and author of the Shulchan Aruch (HaRav), authority in the revealed matters of Torah - Parshat Ki Tavo 34b, as described in a number of holy books, that the Baal Shem Tov merited great revelations of G-dliness beyond the norm because he immersed himself daily in the Mikvah. See also what the Mittler Rebbe, the son of the Alter Rebbe says about this in his discourses about the Mikvah. And (also see) from a number of holy books concerning these matters as collected in the book Taharat Yom Tov, Section 10, page 365 onwards. "

--- Igros Kodesh. Volume 22, letter 8546

Though every G-d fearing Jew is well aware of the Mitzvah of women to immerse in a Mikvah at a certain point each month, many of these same G-d fearing people do not consider it of value for men to immerse in a Mikvah on a daily basis. Though in a strict legal (Halachic) sense, there is no Mitzvah to have to do so, the Rebbe points out clearly that one who does go to a Mikvah certainly purifies himself to degrees such that it is told about the Baal Shem Tov, that he reached his holy levels and revelations of various kinds - because he immersed in a Mikvah on a daily basis.

May this thought inspire us even further into furthering our growth in Torah and service to G-d on many other levels -
including the immersing in a Mikvah on a daily basis.

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HELPING WOMEN IMMERSE IN A MIKVAH...

We take the Mitzvah of immersing in a Mikvah for both men and women seriously.

For this reason, we run a Mikvah-Project "Purity with Dignity" that aims at raising funds to help women immerse in a Mikvah at no cost to themselves, should they be unable to afford the regularly monthly cost. If you wish to help, see "The Mikvah Project - 'Purity with Dignity'" and make your donation TODAY!

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AND
HELPING MEN!

In addition to providing and helping women, we are currently working on building a men's Mikvah together with a Torah Learning Centre teaching the values you are reading more about on this blog, as well as at Torah Online.

Should you wish to learn more about our projects, or take part in helping to fund any particular area, from the Mikvah, the Centre itself or providing books, please be in touch with Rav Eliyahu directly and find out more about our online and offline Torah projects.

The Mikvah - Purifying Waters of Life

THE PURIFYING WATERS

OF THE MIKVAH

Imagine the world before creation… the Spirit of G-d hovered over the face of the waters. A topsy turvy world flooded with water, the source of life. G-d brings light into the world… and darkness. He separates the waters and the dry land is seen. It is here where creation takes place. Life comes into the world. Even the dry earth is filled with a sense of life – or else it would be non-existent. The plants grow, the animals move, and man speaks.

None will survive without the waters, the very essence of all creation. Inside those waters rest a stillness, a purity of G-dliness. Without these waters, life ends. But the waters have been separated, and it seems we mostly associate them with the fluid that enters our body – that it is only here where life exists. Yet, in truth, we look upon that same fluid as the very element to bring comfort to ourselves, whether it be through taking a bath, a shower, a swim in the pool or in the sea itself.

Not for nothing do these waters bring life to the soul inside the body – and to the body itself as it becomes refreshed and rejuvenated through being in contact with them. It is from them that all life began. 

And G-d separated these waters into four main channels – and a river flowed out from Eden. That place of absolute purity, of absolute goodness and kindness, that place of heaven on earth. And through these waters, the rest of the world has some contact with the original waters originating in Eden itself.

When those waters gather of their own accord without any human intervention, into a specific sized vessel inside the ground itself, they become known as a Mikvah – a place used for the “purification” of every married Jewish woman once a month. She enters these waters after experiencing a “loss” of life some 12 days before. It is by no means a physical purity which she seeks, nor did she do anything consciously wrong to need these holy waters. Through the mystical process related directly to the concept of conception, and having lost the opportunity (often by no choice of her own) of conceiving a child, a spiritual “impurity” rests upon her. She must remove this through re-entering the womb of life itself. She enters the waters in the ground, covering her naked body completely – not even one hair of her head remains above the water, and then renews herself (through the mystical process of the Mikvah) as a baby leaving the womb filled with water around it. But more, she unites with the original water that lies in the Garden of Eden itself.

It is not something to be taken lightly, for every Jewish woman must spend much time and money in being able to fulfil this Mitzvah – this commandment. It is a most precious one, that ultimately brings into the world holy Jewish souls. Souls that will enter bodies – to bring goodness and kindness to this world.

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THE MIKVAH PROJECT

"PURITY WITH DIGNITY"

One of our projects that we work on is all about helping women (who are struggling financially) to immerse in a Mikvah at no cost to themselves. (See http://torahonline.weebly.com/mikvah-project.html for more information.)

I have received a variety of emails from people expressing their disgust at this project as well as our others. I have been told that there is no such a need - and that in fact the administators of Mikvahs should pay for everything on their own. It is their Mitzvah and they should do it for nothing. The following email was recently received, and I felt it important to quote in order to highlight just what people really think, and the urgency for our project to become well known - and for others to know how much assistance we truly need:

"I am fairly new to Israel - as an unmarried woman, I do not go to the mikvah.

I am shocked to hear that women have to pay to go do a mitzvah. How this this [sic] be allowed to happen?

I understand that mikavot need to be maintained - surely this could be derived from charging fees for men who have no obligation to do this but do it out of their own free will.

It is absolutely horrendous that a person is prevented from doing a galactic directive because of finances. And this in Israel!!"

Sadly, I was unable to convince the above person of the importance of this Mitzvah and the real need that we have in helping women and the Mikvaot pay for the huge fees they must pay. If that wasn't good enough, there was no way I would succeed in convincing this person that Mitzvah or not - the Mikvah administration must pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for their own upkeep - and if nobody would pay to use the Mikvah - there simply wouldn't be a Mikvah.

After being in touch with an administrator for a particular Mikvah to enquire about the real costs, I received the following reply:

"You asked about the costs per person using the Mikva.   We have not done an accurate assessment of this.   We only know that we have a shortfall!   Whenever there are repairs or exceptional costs, there needs to be a fund raising activity.   The fee charged per visit is nominal and certainly does not cover the total costs.   It would be an interesting exercise to do but as of now, any estimate would simply be a rough one.   I know you wrote, that your donation is for the purposes of helping women immersing and not for repairs and maintenance.   We will honour your request however, I am sure you would appreciate the immaculate condition in which the Mikva is maintained and most importantly, how much this is appreciated by the ladies.   International guests have remarked how well kept this facility is, with all the personal requirements a lady needs being available and included in the fee charged."

Based on these two points - and the holiness of the Mikvah - we appeal to everyone who can, to make a donation to help us. Since receiving this last reply, we have expanded our project to include helping the Mikvah administration as well, although all monies brought in, will go first to the women to help them. Once these amounts have been covered, the surplus will be given to help for the upkeep and building of the Mikvah.

Our project is now running successfuly in both Israel and South Africa.

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As an overview - there are indeed real costs that are involved in the building of a kosher Mikvah. Most people never see them. But they are there. They include:

1. The costs involved in hiring a competent Halachic Rabbinical authority to oversee the project from beginning to end - and to watch over constantly to see that the Mikvah is kosher at all times. Did you know that the laws for a Mikvah are some of the most comprehensive laws of the Torah?! In order to be competent in these laws, it is not sufficient just to read through them quickly and know what to do, rather one must go through the process of "shimush" - serving another competent rabbi in order to learn just what is involved. There is no way possible to learn about building a kosher Mikvah without doing this. This can take *years* of learning. Most people never think about paying the rabbi for his efforts. It is something - they feel - that should be done as a Mitzvah!

2. The costs of the water: While it is true that rain water is what makes the Mikvah kosher, there is much more to the water issue, including bringing in water through other (halchically acceptable) means. In addition, women who prepare themselves at the Mikvah will run at least one full bath of water every time they go. There is a real cost to this - although many think that water is free!

3. The cost of the Balanit - the "Mikvah-lady". Once again, many women (and men) feel that this is a job that should be done as Mitzvah - for free. The fact that the Balanit has to put in tremendous effort to carryout various checks during the evening and spend a late night involved in strenuous work does not seem to feature into the equation of compensating another for their work.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Microsoft would give us software for free too, even though they may put in effort in developing a program to run on a computer?! Attending to the purity of a Jewish woman far superceedes the cost of a window on one's computer. For that matter, perhaps doctors and lawyers should also grant their services at no charge, since they do the favour of helping those in need, whether it's medical or legal and *that* is also a Mitzvah!

4. The cost of the actual building: Did you know this can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars just to set up the Mikvah? The Mikvah requires premises to be located on (property!) It also needs to be prepared halachically and beautifully. What an embarrasment it would be for a woman to immerse in a filthy Mikvah - inside a building filled with mold and creatures crawling around it. It costs much money just to prepare the basic design of the Mikvah.

5. The upkeep costs: Hundreds of thousands of dollars will be continually invested into the Mikvah in order to keep it running correctly. Pipes may break, walls may crack, heating elements stop working etc. Anyone who has recently called a plumber to fix their tap (let alone their million dollar Mikvah) will know just how expensive it can be just for a tap. Imagine the repulsion we would have, to walk into a bathroom to find a non-woking toilet?! A non-working Mikvah has the same effect upon the soul.

6. Banking fees: Today, adding money to one's bank account can cost one - as can withdrawing the amount. Let alone the real cost of interest. Because many Mikvaot do not have ready funds available - they must borrow from banks, being forced to pay back thousands of dollars - just on interest. This is done at the expense of the administrators of the Mikvah. Don't they deserve the right to run their "pool of purity" as much as any working person deserves to be paid honestly for ther job?!

These are just a few of the basic costs involved.

Our project is aimed at helping women who cannot afford the monthly cost. It is also now growing in order to help the Mikvaot who are struggling financially.

We need your help. While we thank you for all your support, your true thanks comes and will come from G-d Almighty Himself. For by joining us in this project, we all work together in fulfilling G-d's will, and ultimately bringing in beautiful Jewish souls into this world. Souls who contribute to the world with acts of goodness and kindness.

MITZVAH: Mikvah Project - "Purity with Dignity"

MIKVAH PROJECT
"PURITY WITH DIGNITY"

A few months ago, we set up an innovative Mitzvah project - the Mikvah Project - "Purity with Dignity".

It's all about encouraging women (and men obviously) to follow the laws of Family Purity, and aiding those who already do to be able to immerse in a Mikvah at no cost.

With the prices of everything always on the rise, being able to fulfill certain Mitzvot involving financial costs becomes even more challenging.

While many (to this day) still think that immersing in a Mikvah is free of charge, (having been told this by many women via email), this is in fact not true. Mikvah costs including building and maintenance, water etc., excluding the costs for the Mikvah lady amount to hundreds of thousands of Rands (Dollars). To cover these costs, women must pay to be able to use the Mikvah each month.

Our project has launched successfully in Israel with us having already helped tens of women each month, and even paid off the debts of two who owed substantial sums for having immersed for much time without paying.

We are happy to say that we now have one Mikvah in South Africa who has joined us in this project, and we are excited to be able to work with them, aiding women who cannot afford Mikvah costs, to be able to immerse at no charge, no debt - "Purity with Dignity"

If you would like to contribute to this very holy Mitzvah, please be in touch with Rav Eliyahu: rebeliyahu@gmail.com

Or see http://torahonline.weebly.com/mikvah-project.html 

Family Purity: The Mikvah Project

FAMILY PURITY

FOUNDATION OF A JEWISH HOME

While there are in fact 613 commandments in the Torah, there are probably three main areas that hold a Jewish home in balance.

These three main areas are:

1. Kashrut – Eating Kosher food only.
2. Shabbat – Observing the holiness of the 7^th day of the week by refraining from certain things and by actively doing others.
3. Niddah – Family Purity – Those laws concerned with the time periods when husband and wife can be together, when they must separate, and how they conduct themselves with each other during all these periods – including those times they spend completely alone with each other only.

If a Jewish home is in need of peace, it is of utmost necessity that as a basis, these three areas are observed in the best possible way. This does not detract from the husband praying 3 times daily, wearing Tefillin and Tzizit (all day,) not speaking inappropriate things etc.

However, in order to fulfil these Mitzvot money is required. Not to mention the rare cost of purchasing a Sukkah, the yearly cost of a beautiful Esrog and Lulav, the regular cost of purchasing new Tzitzit, the cost of Tefillin and Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin for those wishing to follow the Chassidic custom of wearing two pairs of Tefillin, the cost of food(!) and the additional costs for Shabbat, there is one most special Mitzvah which costs money once a month.

In fact, without this Mitzvah being performed properly, one can literally say goodbye to the holiness that surrounds a Jew throughout his life. The Alter Rebbe in Tanya explains that through the observance of the laws of Niddah correctly, one merits to draw down beautiful souls. Of course, he also mentions in the name of the holy Arizal that these same holy souls can enter bodies even when things were not observed correctly. However, there is a garment that surrounds the soul which interacts with it continuously. When the laws of Niddah are fulfilled as they should be, this layer is pure and as a result, the way that a Jew thinks throughout his/her life is so much clearer. The ability for such a person to connect with G-d becomes easier.

We could think of this layer as a literal thick or think garment that protects (surrounds) the soul (much like a garment can protect the body during summer or winter depending on its thickness.) A thick garment during the summer is about as good as a thin garment during the winter. In order to live correctly, one needs the correct garment for the season.

In this world, the season for the soul is summer. It needs a thin garment that allows it to still feel the presence of G-d. The more gross and thick this garment is (dependant on the parents fulfilment of the laws of Niddah right up until the very moment of conception – and onwards) the more difficult it becomes for the soul to recognise G-d in the world and to feel drawn to fulfilling the Mitzvot. The garment is formed particularly at that time when the couple are completely alone and together.

Before being together, a Jewish woman must immerse in a kosher Mikveh – a body of a specified minimum amount of natural rain water. There are many laws to the kosher Mikvah which can be learned about through a variety of books. Nevertheless, much like a driver does not need to know how his car works, but simply steps on the gas and goes (leaving the mechanics to the mechanics!) so too does a Jewish woman immerse in a kosher Mikvah whether she knows the mechanics of it or not.

The cost involved in constructing such a pool of water is enormous! While many families today may be able to afford Jacuzzis and the like, it is unlikely that the average woman will purchase her own Mikvah (although there are indeed a few who do!)

Instead, one communal Mikvah is constructed in each area where Jewish people live, and when women use this Mikvah, they contribute a nominal sum which helps in the construction fees and upkeep.

Although nominal, it can be quite expensive to the average woman to have to pay. Costs for every day items today are high, let alone the “extra” amounts we must pay to fulfil Mitzvot.

Imagine however, that a Jewish woman would love to be able to fulfil this Mitzvah, but lacks the funds. As a result, she may choose not to follow through with all the Niddah laws (Rachmana Litzlan,) and as a result be unable to take part in the process of drawing down a soul from above in a way of holiness. As a result, the soul drawn down into this world lacks the necessary sensitivity to experience the G-dliness – gained by those brought down into the world in ways of holiness.

For just a few dollars (together with women observing all the laws of Niddah), a Jewish woman is able to bring even further goodness into the world by simply immersing in a Mikvah – a beautiful and welcoming experience which most often makes a woman feel special for the unique role she plays in the Jewish family – nothing less than bringing holy Jewish souls into the world who illuminate it with goodness and kindness.

We have begun a “Mikvah Project”. The aim is simple: We provide additional funds to Mikvah centres, so that those who cannot afford the monthly expense, can immerse absolutely free!

For more information about this special project

see The Mikvah Project on our main web page.

For more information about the laws of Family Purity
or to schedule a learning session,
please contact Reb Eliyahu at
rebeliyahu@gmail.com

To purchase Rabbi Fishel Jacobs' book “Family Purity”, click HERE.