Mikva – More than Jacuzzi
The Mikva is much more than a luxurious bath or a Jacuzzi that is filled with regular water. It has magic spiritual powers – there is nothing like it!
Family Purity, Part 6
Praying under the Mikva waters is phenomenal! What a woman can accomplish with her prayers while she is in the Mikva, she cannot accomplish at any other time. No outside interferences, no impurities mix with these prayers. No negative spiritual forces can damage her supplications here. They have no permission to dominate under the Mikva waters. Therefore, all prayers that a woman prays while immersed tear ascend straight to the Heavenly Throne!
A woman who immerses is on the same spiritual level as the great righteous people. All her prayers and all her preparations before her immersion, the merit of counting the Seven Clean Days, and the concessions she made for her husband are all activated in a woman’s behalf when she immerses.
Rebbe Nachman teaches that through immersion in a Mikva, suffering is nullified, and help comes. A woman who understands what Mikva actually means waits anxiously for the night of immersion in order to activate all the aid she can for herself, for her household, and for all the entire Jewish nation. There are women who go only because of the unique qualities of the Mikva (not because of the need to purify from Nida). They can ask their Rabbi for permission to go, even when they don’t need to purify, only because of the mikva’s special benefits, as long as they don’t make the benediction on the immersion itself.
Women who immerse to purify from Nida are obligated to recite a unique blessing with Hashem’s name. This is an obligation that a man can never merit, for only women have this command from the Torah to immerse.
The Spirit of G-d hovers on the waters
The Mikva is not like a bath or Jacuzzi that is filled with regular water. It’s an elevated vessel – there is nothing like it! There are so many laws and statutes required to render a Mikva kosher, so it can purify from all spiritual impurities. When we wanted to build a Mikva in the Yeshiva, we had to learn so many laws, intricacies and specifics. We brought in expert Rabbis to check it and advise us in order that the Mikva be Kosher as the Torah says. Once there is an operational and appropriate Mikva, then the waters within have the power to purify from terrible impurities. The waters’ source is from the upper waters from before Creation, which are referred to in Bereishis, “And the spirit of G-d hovers on the face of the waters.” On these waters hover and dwell the Divine Spirit.
When a woman is under the Mikva waters, all of the impure spirits leave her. And when she rises above, she imbibes the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of G-d, which hovers over the face of the waters.
From the Waters of Knowledge
The Mikva waters flow from the “Waters of Knowledge” that will be in the Days to Come, as it is written (Isaiah 27:3), “For the land will be full of the knowledge of Hashem, like waters cover the sea.” Therefore, the Mikva can nullify rage, because rage comes from a lack of knowledge, from stupidity, as King Solomon writes, “Rage will dwell in the bosom of idiots.” Through a woman immersing in a Mikva with the intent of invoking the knowledge of Days to Come, she will merit to receive this knowledge as well as nullify rage!
Rebbe Nachman says (Kitzur Likutei Moharan I: 56.14), “Mikva immersion saves from all troubles and purifies from all the impurities and all the sins. For the Mikva brings knowledge and loving kindness from a very high place. (And one who immerses) merits ease of income, healing, life, lengthening of days, and to awaken a person to the Blessed One. It also nullifies feuds, rage, and brings peace, mercy and great knowledge.”
Mitigating harsh judgments
In Sefer HaMidot, Rebbe Nachman writes, “Through sitting in the Mikva under the water until a person can’t hold their breath any longer – this action mitigates harsh judgments.” When a woman suspects that, Heaven forbid, a harsh judgment (like a difficult problem or ailment) hovers upon her or her household, or upon anyone, she should go to the Mikva and stay under the water as long as she possibly can, until she really can’t last without breathing, and then surface. This mitigates judgments, and all the more so when she prays simultaneously.
Mitigating judgments means complete salvation! We see a hint to this supernatural cure from the quote, “Save me, Hashem, for the water comes up to my soul” (Psalm 69:2):
“Save me, Hashem,” refers to mitigating the judgment. “For the water,” refers to the Mikva waters. “Come up to my soul,” refers to until my breathing and spirit cease.
To be continued.
3/08/2010
Mikvah and the man – is this just for women? The benefits of praying under the mikveh and mitigating harsh judgements is this somehting that only a woman can have – or can a man by going to the mikveh gain the same benefit?
Thanks
3/08/2010
The benefits of praying under the mikveh and mitigating harsh judgements is this somehting that only a woman can have – or can a man by going to the mikveh gain the same benefit?
Thanks