“We are very careful about the kashrus of food products, but the kashrus of Mikvahs — which involves aveiros punishable by kareis! — gets pushed to the back of our collective consciousness!”

Just over 10 years have passed since the groundbreaking meeting between Gedolei Ha’dor and Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha. Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Yehuda Leib Steinman, zt”l, Rabbi Avraham Genichovsky, the president of Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha, and the Rabbanim of the organization were discussing various issues when R’ Aharon Leib suddenly turned to those present and asked, “Who is supervising the kashrus of the Mikvahs that you are building? Who is checking that the Mikvahs maintain their kosher status?”

Until that point, Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha had built, renovated, and supervised Mikvahs but did not have an active kashrus supervision department. “A Mikvah that is not kosher is not a Mikvah!” R’ Aharon Leib stated emphatically.

As a direct result of that meeting, Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha’s kashrus supervision department was formed. To date, there are four kashrus supervision teams that travel daily across the length and breadth of Eretz Yisrael to check the halachic status of over 1,000 Mikvahs.

This past year, the kashrus maintenance teams checked and serviced 517 Mikvahs. The team also handled the preparation and replacement of the rainwater and hashakah and zeriah reservoirs in hundreds of other Mikvahs.

Over the years, the kashrus supervision teams have been inundated with inquiries about various halachic issues regarding the kashrus of Mikvahs. Many of the questioners are the Rabbanim of small towns, but also leading Rabbanim and outstanding talmidei chachamim who, despite their erudition, lack practical experience in hilchos Mikvaos.

It has often happened in the course of inspections that the kashrus supervision team discovers that those responsible for the Mikvah are unaware of halachic problems that have cropped up due to various factors, including natural wear and tear or even repairs by local maintenance specialists who were ignorant of the pertinent halachos.

The following is a brief explanation of how a kosher Mikvah works, without going into the myriad details and methods needed to ensure the kashrus of the facility.

A kosher Mikvah is dependent on rainwater that has not been rendered pasul en route to the bor tevilah.

The mikveh structure includes a roof designed to collect rainwater to fill the reservoirs of hashakah and zeriah.

The hashakah reservoir is located parallel to the bor tevilah and is filled with 40 se’ah (approximately 1000 liters) of rainwater. Through a unique hole, situated in the bor hashakah that is at water level, the ordinary water in the bor tevilah touches (hashakah means touching) the kosher rainwater from the bor hashakah, rendering the regular water kosher.

The otzar zeriah is a reservoir in its overall appearance, but has a different function. It also contains forty se’ah of rainwater, but the ordinary water from the Mikvah enters the zeriah cisterns where it mingles (“seeds”) with the rainwater. There is a hole in the reservoir above water level, and the mingled (“seeded”) waters pour into the bor tevilah.

There are Mikvahs where there are large reservoirs of rainwater, and the water in the boros of hashakah and zeriah can be replaced throughout the year.

The kashrus supervision team oversees the proper collection of rainwater during the rainy months. A kosher Mikvah relies on mehudar rainwater that does not have the halachic problems of sheuvim (drawn waters\previously used waters), gimel lugin (a liquid measurement that was used in the times of writing the mishnayos) and impure collection vessels (metal tanks etc.) The teams work in adverse weather conditions to ensure the success of many challenging tasks.

Local repairmen who do not know the halachos can create serious problems when attempting to repair a Mikvah. Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha has come across countless situations of Mikvahs being rendered pasul after undergoing repairs.

Some examples:

A local regional council decided to upgrade the Mikvah and installed an external filter that did not meet halachic requirements.

A local Mikvah attendant installed a water heater through the opening connecting the bor tevilah and bor hashakah and blocked the contact between the kosher rainwater and ordinary water from the bor tevilah.

During a routine inspection of a Mikvah, the kashrus supervision team found tree roots that began to grow out of the reservoir. Roots that draw nourishment from the reservoir are not an irregular phenomenon, but regular inspection is imperative. This time, the team revealed that the hashakah reservoir was lacking more than half the amount of water required al pi halacha.

There are some instances where there is no cooperation with the local Mikvah management, and the Mikvah has serious halachic issues that render the Mikvah unkosher.  If a Mikvah does not have proper kashrus supervision, it is impossible to know its halachic status and therefore, it cannot be relied upon.

Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha is using this platform to increase awareness regarding hotels and vacation resorts that advertise a kosher Mikvah on the premises. It is imperative to verify the identity of the Rabbanim or the Rabbinical board that is supervising the kashrus of the Mikvah. Rabbi Dov Landau shlit”a correctly observed, “We are very careful about the kashrus of food products, but the kashrus of Mikvahs — which involves aveiros punishable by kareis — gets pushed to the back of our collective consciousness!”

Rain in the Desert

Members of the kashrus supervision team of Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha have encountered dozens of situations where urgent action was needed to restore/establish the kashrus of a Mikvah.

A few years ago, Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha constructed a beautiful new Mikvah for the residents of Ne’ot Hakikar, a town in the Dead Sea area where there is practically no rainfall.  The facility was in dire need of rain to acquire a kosher Mikvah status. When representatives of the organization asked Rav Steinman what to do, the Gadol replied, “Wait two days.” To the astonishment of all involved in the construction, heavy rain began to fall and filled the water reserves with exactly 40 se’ah of rainwater!

Operation Snow – 5779

At the beginning of last summer, a team of kashrus supervisors discovered that problems on the roof of the Mikvah in Sdeh Yaakov invalidated the waters in the Mikvah bor, and it was necessary to completely drain the Mikvah. Since there was no way to collect fresh rainwater at that time of year, this led to a massive undertaking to collect snow from the military zone on Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights.  After much halachic discussion and in coordination with the IDF, Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha transported massive amounts of snow in special refrigerated trucks. The snow was placed on the roof of the Mikvah, and as soon as it melted the kashrus of the Mikvah was restored.

At a recent convention during Shovavi”m, Gedolei Ha’Dor met with the Rabbanim of small communities to strengthen their connection with Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha’s kashrus supervision team. Rabbi Gedaliah Honigsberg, a grandson of Maran Sar Ha’Torah, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, read a letter from his grandfather written in honor of the event. 

“In honor of the Rabbanim who have gathered today to strengthen the activities of the Kashrus Supervision Department of Merkaz L’Taharat Ha’Mishpacha:

“It is our duty to acknowledge the mesirus nefesh of the Rabbonim who work around the clock to uphold the kashrus of Mikvahs and who spare no effort or cost to make all necessary repairs, thereby saving others from issurim that are punishable by kareis.

It is known that Gedolei Ha’Dor considered this is an especially great mitzvah, and this was the opinion of my uncle the Chazon Ish, zt”l. Therefore, I am sure that this convention is considered a kinus l’shem Shamayim.”

Hagaon Harav Mordechai Shmuel Edelstein, shlit”a, a nephew of the Rosh Yeshivah Maran Harav Gershon Edelstein, shlit”a, then delivered his uncle’s message:

“It is a great zechus that the communal Rabbanim gather to strengthen the mitzvah of taharas hamishpacha, which is one of the foundations of Klal Yisrael. All who assist in this vital activity of increasing the taharah of our nation will receive measure for measure from the Source of all brachos and will merit a good and happy life with nachas d’kedusha from all their progeny.”  

To inquire about the kashrus of a Mikvah in Israel call: 077-2222200  

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Zecher L’Machatzis Ha’Shekel, that was donated to the Beit Ha’Mikdash,  this year contribute your machatzis ha’shekel towards building a beautiful kosher Mikvah.

The renown Kabbalist, Rabbi Chaim Palagi, states; ” Those who donate a machatzis ha’shekel are assured of their share in the World to Come. No harm will befall them the whole year. All severe decrees on the donor or their family will be annulled. The donor will not feel any financial lack due to his donation of the machatzis ha’shekel. Those who donate a machatzis ha’shekel continuously will merit progeny and longevity.”

The Chofetz Chaim teaches us, “Building a shul is comparable to building the Beis Ha’Mikdash, but building a Mikvah, precedes the building of a shul.”

It is especially meritorious to donate the machatzis ha’shekel towards the construction of a kosher Mikvah.

From Rosh Chodesh Adar, you can donate NIS 22 per family member as your machatzis ha’shekel. Remember to say “Zecher l’machatzis ha’shekel” before your donation!

Click here to donate