Mikva tonight | Imamother

amother

Mon, Mar 23 2020, 10:48 am

Supposed to go tonight. I am very nervous about it. I know they are following protocols and all but still.......
DH is ok with me taking a super shower/bath at home, which is what they did in his country where there were no mikvas when he was growing up....
I just don't know, I want to do the right thing but I'm also really scared. Please don't tell me to ask my Rav, we don't have a Rav that we are close with like that. I don't have anyone I could ask.

TIA

Elfrida

Mon, Mar 23 2020, 11:04 am

Taking a shower or bath will make you physically clean. It will not alter your halachic status.

Do all your preparation at home. Go there just to dip. The mikva is chlorinated. You barely need to see anyone else. Ask the mikva lasy not to touch you or check you physically.

amother

Saddlebrown

Mon, Mar 23 2020, 11:08 am

Part of the protocols (as released by JOWMA and other sources that quoted rabbanim ARE to take a bath AND the final shower at home, and to use the Mikvah as a “changing room” only.

ETA: I think I misread.
Do you mean bath shower at home INSTEAD of dunking in The Mikvah or preparing with a bath /shower at home BEFORE you dunk in the Mikvah instead of taking the bath/shower at the Mikvah..

amother

Pewter

Mon, Mar 23 2020, 11:26 am

Oy. Please, I beg you, don't do that.

Taking a bath at home will not making you non-niddah; not according to any single opinion.

Do all prep at at home and go to Mikvah just to quickly dunk.

May Hashem protect you in the zechus of your mesirut nefesh.

amother

Bisque

Mon, Mar 23 2020, 11:33 am

The protocols are VERY strict.

Call your mikvah in advance and make sure they are following them. If they are not, go to a different one that IS following the JOWMA protocols. They are going to an extreme in preventing transmission.

This is a chance to show Mesiras Nefesh for this mikvah, and it won't require an icy dip in a frozen lake. You can do this, OP, and you'll be safe.

There are ZERO recorded transmissions from pools.

pause

Mon, Mar 23 2020, 12:30 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I'm hoping you mean that this is what the men did instead of mikva. For women this is not halachically ok AT ALL. If there's no mikva, a woman is obligated to dip in a natural body of water, such as lake, river, or ocean.

SuperWify

Mon, Mar 23 2020, 11:59 pm

I’ll say under my screen name so you can PM if you need to. I spoke to my rav about going last weekend. He said he spoke with leading doctors and they all agreed you can’t get the virus in the water because the chlorine will kill the germs.
If you want to call him yourself I’ll give you his number. He’s a big posek in Lakewood and answers 100s if these questions daily. You can call on private.

Shower at home, go straight to the Mikva and into the Mikva. Wear gloves until you dip. Come straight home, go into the shower. Be secure in the knowledge Hashem is keeping you and your family safe in the merit of the awesome mitzvah and mesirus nefesh you have displayed.
Good luck! You got this!

amother

Bisque

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 12:00 am

amother [ Pink ] wrote:

Ok, I'm just going to say it. Throw me off of imamother if you want to. I'm not going to mikveh. It is an issue of pikuach nefesh. I cannot endanger my life, the life of my husband and children, or the lives of anyone who watches me or comes after me.

I am certainly not as frum as most people on this site. But I feel strongly that this is the correct decision.

Perhaps it is the correct decision for you, if DH and your Rav agree with you, and assuming you will maintain harchakos indefinitely.

But going to mikvah is actually a relatively safe thing to do, with all of the precautions taken as recommended by medical professionals. A woman who CANNOT maintain harchakos is not doing herself any favors to avoid mikvah.

Our spiritual health is as important as our physical health, and taking this EXTREMELY tiny risk can be vital to maintain spiritual purity.

amother

Papaya

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 1:49 am

This is a very serious decision to be making without Daas Torah.

There are serious averos with serious ramifications that can ch”v come about because of this.

I feel your fear but the fact is that the women’s mikvaos are taking so many precautions. You can call them and ask any questions before you go. If you are not happy with the answers you can call another mikvah. (SuperWify had some good suggestions as well).

We are the last generation of this golus. Our neshamos are the same neshamos as those who left mitzraim. We can also have mesiras nefesh to be pure and holy like they did.

We need to be aware that there is a reason for the mikvaos being open at a time when almost everything else is closed. And they are taking very strict precautions.

This mitzva is central to Yiddishkeit and brings kedusha and bracha.

Much bracha and peace in your decision.

amother

Aqua

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 6:48 am

This thread is an example of why a couple must have a Rav they trust and are comfortable with.
A shower does not change the status of a woman.
Tahara has zero to do with physical cleanliness, chatziza - being clean with no physical barriers is only one factor in becoming tahor.
I’m So sorry for your predicament OP.
If I may make a suggestion, some private homes have a very clean private mikva.
I still prefer the communal one because the Rabbanim are constantly supervising it for kashrut but if your other option is a shower I’d consider that.
And just make sure it’s a woman’s mikva regarding kashrut wise, and bring someone along to say kosher for you. (Even your husband can do it).
(Again, make sure it’s a woman’s mikva. Some are not good enough as women’s mikva which has more stringent halachot, but are still good for men).

Kinor Dovid

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 7:06 am

When the Chofetz Chaim was old and frail baths had just come out and were being installed in many cities.
The Chofetz Chaim traveled from city to city with lots of mesirus nefesh in his frail state to explain unequivocally to each community that although a bath is great for cleanliness and hygiene it is never ever metaher.

A mikva is a chok from the Torah.
Only a mikva has the power to get rid of tumas nidda and recreate the status of kdusha.

Hugs OP!!

amother

Seafoam

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 9:45 am

I went last night in Lakewood. Was a really nice experience. Went in. Said your number so wouldn’t have to touch keypad. Dropped money in a shoebox. Went to room. (Had to call and touch phone so either bring gloves or sanitizing wipes) treated like Friday night Mikva. ML did not check. Took me to Mikvah room. Sanitized handrail Told me to leave robe on handrail and turned her back until I told her I was ready. It was a little harder cuz I didn’t want to touch any walls going down but doable. Overall was a really quick nice experience. Mi Kaamcha yisroel. So grateful to Mikva ladies that I could still do this mitzvah.

amother

cornflower

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 9:46 am

I just called a very special lady in our community (uk) who is involved in all this, and I was strongly advised to go back on the pill. Bh I have enough here for a couple months or even longer. I know it's too late for OP but this lady was saying it for me to calm me down that I won't have to go. Because I asked if they're likely to get forced to close and she said she can't foresee the future but for now they're taking every necessary step to make sure it's free of germs. This is no joke. Get on some good bc guys that don't make you a niddah for a couple months. I can ttc another time, it's not important for now. I'm not sure I want anymore at mo with all this going on anyway 😏

amother

Blonde

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 10:05 am

amother [ Seafoam ] wrote:

Hopefully going tonight.
Did you bring your own towel or robe?

amother

Crimson

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 1:44 pm

I went this week. The mikvah lady was wearing a mask. She also gave me a mask to wear before she enters the room . She had on disposal gloves. She also wiped down the door handle before entering the room. Going to mikvah is doable, just takes longer due to sanitizing constantly. Thanks a million to all women who make mikvah going possible.

agreer

Tue, Mar 24 2020, 6:25 pm

amother [ Pink ] wrote:

Not going is an absolutely fine option. It just means you can't touch your husband till you go.

NO ONE is forcing you or OP or anyone to go. But NO ONE is going to let you touch your husband without going to the mikvah.