WHAT ARE SOME OTHER USES FOR A MIKVAH?
Use of the mikvah is delineated in Jewish Law and dates back to the dawn of Jewish history. It covers many elements of Jewish life. The Mikvah is an integral part of conversion to Judaism; mikvah is used, though less widely known, for the immersion of new pots, dishes, and utensils. The mikvah concept is also the focal point of the Taharah, the purification rite of a Jew before the person is laid to rest and the soul ascends on high. The manual pouring of water in a highly specific manner, over the entire body of the deceased, serves this purpose. Mikvah is also used by men on various occasions; the most widely practiced being immersion by a groom on his wedding day and before Yom Kippur. But the most important use of the mikvah is by women as part of the larger framework best known as Taharat Hamishpachah. As sacred as the synagogue may be, the mikvah can be a deeply meaningful spiritual experience in the life of a Jewish woman. As one woman put it, “Sometimes I feel my femininity, an
