Mikveh Mechanics

Our first class will deal with flowing water (as from a spring) and stationary water (as in a mikve).

Both are acceptable for immersion. Therefore both must be carefully defined.

When, exactly, is flowing water acceptable?

What defines stationary water?

A source sheet in both WORD format and pdf is available through the links. In class we will translate and explain these sources.

Today we finish the topic of water in motion (זוחלין) and stationary water (אשבורן) and begin to learn the rules governing the method of filling a man-made mikve with water.

Source sheets are available through the links as usual.

המשכה – Flowing water is invalid if it is spilled or poured into a mikve; but not if it flows
indirectly into the mikve.

Using snow or ice to fill a mikve.

Miva’ot are typically built with two pools, one with rain water and one with pumped water. The two pools are connected by means of hashaka (a pipe with ⌀ > 5 cm).

Immersion takes place in the pool with pumped water, which can be regularly drained, cleaned, and refilled.

Should the pool of rain water be next to the immersion pool with the two connected by hashaka?

Or should the pool of rain water be underneath the immersion pool with a hole in the floor of the immersion pool to connect it with the rain water?