Mikvah

Mayyim Hayyim is a resource for learning, spiritual discovery and creativity, as well as a mikveh (ritual bath) rooted in ancient tradition, reinvented to serve the Jewish community of today. They make mikveh accessible for people of all genders and ages and invite us to explore the ritual on our own terms. Below, the team at Mayyim Hayyim answers questions about how you can explore mikveh as part of your own spiritual practice. To learn more, visit https://www.mayyimhayyim.org/.

A mikveh is a gathering of water used for ritual immersions, by Jews, to mark moments of personal transition, and for those converting to Judaism. The ritual of immersion in a mikveh is one of Judaism’s oldest practices and provides space for healing, transformation and rejuvenation. 

Water plays a major role in the sacred narrative of the Jewish people. For example, the passage of the Hebrews through the waters of the Red Sea marked their transformation from a tribe of slaves to a free people. 

Mikveh symbolically enacts changes in personal status for individuals. The most common and best-known purposes of ritual immersion include niddah, a time of physical separation between partners during a menstrual cycle, and conversion to Judaism, which is finalized by immersion in a mikveh. 

Historically, Jews have elected to immerse at other times as well, such as in preparation for Shabbat and during the ninth month of pregnancy. Today, Jews immerse for a variety of reasons, such as: to celebrate milestone events like bar and bat mitzvah, graduation, or significant birthday and anniversaries; to signify a new start in the aftermath of pain and trauma; to mark the end of a period of grief; and to heal after miscarriage, chemotherapy, or assault. 

The mission of the Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network, an initiative of Mayyim Hayyim, is to inspire, strengthen and support communities that embrace an open, inclusive and welcoming approach to ritual immersion as a way to mark life transitions. 

We believe that providing for the spiritual needs of the entire spectrum of Jewish people will help create a more vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive community for everyone. 

Our goal is to foster a network so comprehensive that no one will have to travel far to access a Rising Tide mikveh experience. Find a local mikveh at: https://risingtideopenwaters.org/members/

The formal ritual is simple and brief. Once in the water, the person ducks under to fully submerge for a moment, then recites a short blessing (Mayyim Hayyim provides traditional and creative texts). The person then immerses one or two more times, according to their custom, recites a blessing, and leaves the water.

Mikveh Guides help transform the ordinary into the holy. Mayyim Hayyim offers an online course called Seven Steps where people learn best practices for making guests feel welcomed, safe, and supported, and where they gain skills for becoming a mikveh ambassador in their local community. Drawing from rabbinic sources, current psychology and the experiences of contemporary mikveh attendants, this eight-week training offers the knowledge and skills to facilitate immersions with dignity, respect, and modesty. Sign up for the Rising Tide Newsletter for updates about our next global cohort: http://eepurl.com/gw89VH