On January 8, 2006 fourteen members of Temple Sinai were given a private tour of Mayyim Hayyim, the new mikveh constructed in Newton in 2004.  We learned a little of the history of the mikveh, talked about our preconceptions or experiences immersing in a mikveh and then toured the facility.
 
Mayyim Hayyim was constructed in a Victorian single-family home. The original home contains the entrance, meeting rooms, kitchen and restrooms.  The lobby, four changing rooms and two mikveh pools are in a beautiful addition with high ceilings, natural wood, stone and tile floors.  Many windows bring in natural light and provide a glimpse of the trees and grounds.  The sites beautiful landscaping provides privacy as well as the experience of being in nature.
 
In the time of the Temple both men and women would immerse to purify themselves before offering a sacrifice.  After the destruction of the temple the most common reason to visit the mikveh was for ritual purification after a woman’s menses.  Converts to Judaism must also immerse, whether adults choosing to become Jews or children being adopted.
 
Ritual immersion in a mikveh is the most physical of the Jewish rituals.  In the simplest terms it involves submerging completely in a pool of living water ( i.e. natural rain water) in such a way that the head is completely submerged without the feet touching the floor, followed by the recitation of a blessing or set of blessings.
 
It requires preparation, both physical and spiritual. The physical preparation includes complete cleanliness, removal of all clothing, makeup and jewelry, brushing teeth, and combing hair to ensure that no loose hairs are left in the pool.  The spiritual preparation may include quiet, prayer, meditation or reading.

Ritual purification also requires that a knowledgeable witness confirm that the immersion was completed correctly.  In many traditional mikvaot, that witness was the “Mikveh Lady.”  An older woman would inspect you before you entered the pool and would call out, “Kosher” when the immersion and blessings had been completed properly.  The experience at Mayyim Hayyim is quite different.
 
“Each and every time I am at Mayyim Hayyim for whatever reason I am there, I am in some form of awe and aware that I am in a special and sacred place.  On the three occasions that I have immersed in the mikveh and floated in its warm and inviting living waters, I have had no doubt that God was in this place with me.  Or was it that I was in that place with God?” - Deena Blau
 
As described on their web site, Mayyim Hayyim is an innovative interdenominational learning resource specializing in the Jewish lifecycle and spirituality.
 
In pristine pools of living water:
 
    * Converts mark the beginning of their lives as Jews in beauty and dignity
    * Men and women immerse prior to weddings to prepare spiritually for marriage
    * Jews honor personal milestones with rituals, song, and celebration
    * Men and women in recovery from addiction count their milestones with meaningful Jewish rituals
    * Adoptive families bring children to enter the covenant of Israel
    * Women learn of the mitzvah of monthly ritual immersion, and make it their own
    * Jews begin anew after divorce, chemotherapy, or infertility treatment
 
To learn more, visit www.mayyimhayyim.org

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