by Rabbi Imanuel Ravad
19 Elul 5780 (8 September 2020)
The Jewish people are in mortal danger, where there is no fear of G-d, as declared our Forefather Abraham (Bereshit 25:11). Peace is promised to us, on the condition that all our people will observe Torah laws (Vaikra 25). It is incumbent on each one of us to endeavor that all our people will keep the Torah laws, as written: "When all our sons will observe Torah, there will be a great peace (Yeshayau 54:13).
In order that we should not forget this most important issue the all day every day and take it more seriously to our hearts and mind, our rabbis put it as the last verse of our morning prayer every morning. An easy and effective way to reach fear of heaven and observance of Torah laws is through men's Mikva Immersion, with the intension to connect with prayers of the heart to G-d! The first to Immerse was Adam the first human-being! This was the first thing he did, on his first Sunday of his life on earth! - he immersed in the Shiloach spring (500 meters from the western wall), For two reasons:
1. In order to repent and ask forgiveness for his sin.
2. Since "sin defiles therefore repentance requires purifying immersion" (Pirkei Derabi Eliezer 20, Or Zarua 1:20). What was proper and good to Adam, is certainly also good and proper for everyone!
Since Immersion leads to:
1. Complete isolation from the disturbing environment.
2. Cessation of the activity of the five senses, which always preoccupy us and may interfere with the concentration of thought.
3. Stopping of breathing, when we are at the gate between life and death and in the face of death every man instinctively communicates to the Creator, in awe and fear and prays in his heart to G-d and asks of Him not only life, but also help to solve life problems.
Since there is no man without problems, as it is G-d Who creates the problems for every human-being, at any time, according to his situation, in order to motivate repentance (Tehilim 90:3). Therefore, every man rises from the mikva with the "HOPE" (tikva) of a new and more glamorous page for his life.
This "HOPE" brings happiness and leads man to sense gratitude to G-d and to remember with greater strength that G-d too has demands of us and that we must first fulfill His requirements in order that Hashem will fulfill our requests with mercy and compassion. At this point we are on the glorious road to repentance.
Therefore, after immersion, every man thinks differently, prays and lives differently and the life of the entire community becomes more serious – one of learning and observing all Torah laws – and the Mitzva of Jewish purity is strictly and properly observed as required – which leads to the feeling of Security, Peacefulness and Happiness!
"Ashreichem Yisrael"! (you are fortunate Yisrael) proclaimed Rabbi Akiva, who lived during the destruction of the "Mikdash".
As long as the "Mikdash" existed, G-d cleaned our sins like snow! As written: "I will throw upon you purifying water and you will be pure…" (Yechezkel 36:25) - and now that the Mikdash is ruined, we should not despair since we still have: "mikva trough which Hashem is purifying us" (Yirmiah 17:13, Yoma 85:).
Therefore, although now-a-days men have no Torah obligation to mikva immersion, nevertheless due to the positive results, it is of great importance! Since the subject is not sensitive, it is easy to speak about and to convince men to immerse; and when men immerse the entire holiness of the life of the family gets the proper observance.
It is preferable to build the men's mikva in the synagogue compound, in order to allow a direct ascent from the prayer of the heart to G-d in the mikva - to the fervor of prayer in the synagogue, without having to pass through the distracting street-views.
The opening words of the Torah - "Bereishit Bara" is a theme of faith in the Creator of the world and the word "Mikva" appears in the tenth verse. Our sages understood that the oral Torah too, must begin:
1. On the subject of faith, since faith is the one that gives the urge and power to observe Torah laws, as well as the issue of Cohanim (men) mikva immersion since it strengthens faith from inner feelings. The Jew declares his faith in the Creator of the world by the verse "Hear, O Israel" [-Shma Yisrael] - "The L-rd our G-d" - "One"! And we must declare this faith at least twice daily, evening and morning and before public reading of the Torah.
The opening sentence of the Talmud is a question of time:
"From when the evening's declaration of faith is said” and instead of quoting a time, the Rabbis answer:
"from the rising of the evening stars" - the Talmud brings the issue of Cohanim’s (priests) mikva immersion before eating "sacred food".
Since Mikva immersion is strengthening the faith from inner feeling which gives the impulse and power to keep the Torah Laws!
Before the "Sinai Revelation", all our people had to mikva immerse. Among other reasons – in order that the revelation will be with faith in Hashem and mikva immersion is strengthening this faith!
During the journey in the desert, men who did not Mikva immerse, the clouds of honor threw them out of the camp and only from them Amalek managed to kill (Shmot 17: 8, Devorim 25:17, pirkey D'rabi Eliezer 44).
The people of Israel left Egypt with 600,000 men, plus women, the elders and childrens, It is a large number of millions of people. The Israel camp was spread over a large area of 12 miles long, how did the water for drinking, bathing and mikva immersing got everywhere? It is stated in the Midrash that in each new parking, each tribe president made with his stick a line from the miraculous well of Miriam to the tribe, these lines became rivers and lakes that were also used as water transportation by boats. As written: "who turns a rock to rivers and lakes" (Tehilim 74:15, 78:16, M.R. Chukat Chap. 19).
Anyone, even in a state of purity, is not permitted to enter the Mikdash without Mikva immersion, immediately before entering! One of the reasons might be in order to remind us: "before whom do we stand? – in the house of G-d" (Yoma 30).
"Repent a day before your death ..." (Avot 2: 10) and since no one knows the day of his death, we must repent every day and since repentance needs mikva immersion (and for other reasons) there are those who immerse daily before morning prayer. The Rambam (Maimonides) declared that he never missed his mikva immersion! (Rabbeinu Yonah, Brachot 13, Ri"f). In most synagogues of the Hasidim and others, those who did not immerse before the Morning Prayer cannot serve as a cantor and / or can't be called to the reading of the Torah and/or other honors. Most Admorim and great rabbis usually do not shake hands with those who did not immerse in the mikva that day. It is interesting that many of them are able to recognize, from the facial radiance of a person, whether he has been immersed in the mikva today or not. Important for everyone and most important for educators to read the Commentary "Maor Vashamesh" on Vayikra 21:
Other obligations and customs of men's mikva immersion:
1. Yom Kippur eve, "immersions for the sake of repentance" (שו"ע או"ח, מג"א)
2. Groom on the day of his wedding, also a custom to fast until the "Chupa", a prayer to "Binyan Adey-Ad".
3. Before the Brit-Mila - circumcision, the father, the Mohel and the Sandak.
4. Before the mitzvot which required bodily activities:
A. Shofar blowing
B. Chanuka candle lighting.
C. Kosher slaughtering.
D. Scribe before writing Torah, Tefilin and Mezuzot. Some immerse also before writing each of the name of "Shem-Hashem".
E. There are those who also immerse before personal prayer for special problems and requests.
It is also customary, at least to wash the hands (Netilat-Yadayim) before each of the prayers and therefore in all synagogues there is a water faucet and a tumbler for Netilat-Yadayim near the entrance.
Unfortunately today we are the only country in the world threatened with total annihilation, by a country with which we share no border. They have no particular reason to destroy us, as 70 years ago they were actually a very important ally of the State of Israel.
At the Passover Seder we declare yearly: "In every generation, people rise to destroy us and Hashem rescues us from them!" However the price of our rescue can be high or low, depending on the repentance of all our people. An example of differences in the price of rescue: 2300 years passed between Haman – the Wicked and the German oppressor, both of whom tried to destroy the entire Jewish people around the world. However Thanks to Mordechai the Righteous, when our entire nation repented and no one was Harmed, as it is written: "Observed and accepted upon themselves" (Megilat Esther 9:27). On the other hand - the price of rescue from the German oppressor cost us with the Holocaust That was unparalleled in human history and destroyed a third of our people! Since the establishment of the state we went through 7 wars. Statistically the price of the wars and the killings during 72 years is about one person killed per day, G-d forbid. We are still the only country in the world today that threatened with annihilation, G-d forbid. "The Whip of the Arab Oil": Rivers and oil lakes are underground and they burst out where the Creator decides. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, almost everywhere there are Arabs, there is oil, which gives the Arabs the wealth and power to fight against the State of Israel (before the establishment of the state, most Arab countries were poor and failing). Today the "Arab Oil" serves as a "Whip of Hashem" who clearly hints us that we must repent and bring our whole nation back to repentance.
Assimilation and Intermarriage: In the desert journey, in the Shittim, before our people entered the land of Israel, 25% made contact with the daughters of Moav. Immediately an epidemic broke out, 24,000 people died on the first day and all the other sinners died during two months, until our people crossed the Jordan and G-d declared that without Pinchas who stopped the issue, G-d thought to annihilate the entire Jewish People, G-d forbid (Bamidbar 25:11). Unfortunately today Many Jewish communities around the world are being wiped off of the Jewish horizon due to assimilation and intermarriage. In the last 10 years, in the USA our people have lost about 2 million brothers. In Eretz Israel too, there is assimilation, since most of our people do not vote for parties whose main agenda is the observance of Torah laws.
The Talmud states that until the final redemption it is important for Jews to live around the world (Pesachim 87, Rashi). Therefore it is clear that the state of assimilation and intermarriage around the world is a problem of every Yid, even to all the Yidden who are living in Israel, since we are all in the same boat (Current rate of intermarriage, as reported at recent international rabbinical conferences: USA 75%, Europe 85%, Sweden 95%, Bulgaria 98%). It is incumbent on each one of us to see to it that all the Jews of the world keep Torah laws!
We have letters describing the many practical results from places around the world, as you can see in the article of "Results". It is therefore the duty of each and every one not to be satisfied by reading this page, but also to act with the necessary seriousness; as anyone can!
Lately the "Corona" plague is threatening everyone with sickness and death. Today it is clear to all that Hashem demands from each of us to repent and bring our entire nation to repentance.
In this merit may Hashem wipe off this plague from our people and from the entire world.
To educate more than 10,000,000 brothers, costs millions and cannot be achieved with symbolic Dollar donations. It is appropriate for each one to consider that in order to achieve real and serious results, each one must endeavor to donate or raise each year an amount at least equal to his family's yearly mikva expenses. Every donation will be sincerely acknowledged and gratefully blessed.
To receive our book "The Guide to the Rescue of our Jewish People" (containing about 80 articles, including signatures and recommendations of the great Rabbinical leadership of our generation in Israel and the Diaspora) and for contributions to cover costs of translating and distributing this material in Israel and around the world:
USA: IRS Tax-deductible donations: #11-3380463,"Survival-Mikva-Tikva" Imanuel Ravad
USA: 1360 – 44th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11219.
Direct bank deposits: Signature Bank, 6321 New Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, Survival/Mikva Tikva. Account #026013576 – 1503052217.
ISRAEL: 20 Shmaya Street, Bnei Brak 5132703 ravad@mikvatikva.org Tel: 972-3-9074787 www.mikvatikva.org www.hatsalatamenu.org
Please send this article to all your Jewish electronic mail lists, also if you can make copies and distribute them for the benefit of our Jewish people.
Wishing you "Shana Tova", "Ktiva Vachatima Tova"
Respectfully,
Imanuel Ravad
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