Thursday, September 20, 2012

Immersion Into Holiness ~ Holy of Holies


And so it is, the Holy of Holies. Where I live we do not have a mikvah. I read about Mikvah, many times. One day talking to a friend I decided, I was ready.. I wanted to go to the Mikvah. A Mikvah can be a river or other natural bodies of water.

The waters of a mikvah must gather together naturally. One may not just use tap water. They must come either from an underground spring or from rainwater; which may then be joined with tap water. If spring water is used, then the water can be flowing. However if the source is rainwater, then the water must be stationary. The ocean, halachically, is considered a spring. Thus, even though the water is flowing, it can still be considered a kosher mikvah. Rivers and lakes are more complicated, because the source could be either rain or spring water. If the river dries up during a drought, then its source is rainwater. Since a mikvah which comes from rainwater must not be flowing, therefore such a river would not be kosher. A river which does not dry up could probably be used as a mikvah.
-Mikvah.org-

  So as I was saying, where we live we do not have a Mikvah. I had read about it and decided this somthing I wanted to do. I had planned the night before to go to the mikvah come morning. So when I awoke... I got ready... Washed in the shower, brushed & flossed my teeth, cut my fingernails and cleaned them.. Got dressed. But I didn't just get dressed. For me, I was going to meet my G-d. I dressed nicer then normal, and prepared for my trip to the river (mikvah). I walked aways and had a hard time finding a private spot. For those of you who don't know, you are not suppose to wear anything in the water. No clothes, rings etc... I heard from my friend that he takes his clothes off while in the water, giving him more privacy and allowing him to be more modest. This was a plan, I decided to follow. Through walking through the river looking for a spot, I had my towl around my neck and my flip flops on, of course I was fully dressed at this point.. but through this walking through the river, I fell, soaked my towel, fell a few more times causing me to scrape my knees  and foot bloody, then losing my shoes! So I am standing there soaking wet, watching my sandels float down the river! Ahhh! Talk about tough huh? But hey, it was all for Hashem!
  Finally I found a spot. Got into the water, removed all my stuff and went in. Now underwater, I stayed under as long as I could! I just screamed HASHEM!!!!!!! HASHEM!!! With everything I had in me (of course I screamed meaning in my head.) I came up, and I did it! I finally did it! I got out of the water my whole body was burning it was so cold! This was one if not thee holiest expierence I have ever had in my life! G-d was there, And I left feeling totally sanctified!
  I decided to do this everyday! That is everyday I can. I found a much better spot now, and I have gone a few times since then. Not everytime was a huge expierence, but when I go out to the mikvah, it feels so holy. On my way walking to my spot, I do hitbodedut the whole way, just me and Hashem! It is beautiful! And no one and nothing in this world can take away, the relationship, that I have recieved from doing this. I thought I read somewhere that the Baal Shem Tov said one should not go longer then 3 days without going to the mikvah, I could be wrong it may have been someone else. But I would say for me! I must go everyday, and definitly no longer the 3 days!

I encourage everyone to make this a routine in your daily life! Jew or Non-Jew, it doesn't matter! Remember we are being born into a new life, a new nation, this takes time, we cannot become holy overnight! One foot in front of the other. Do your best, that is all Hashem asks!

May we all merit to be Jews!

Until next time my friends,
Yaakov

NA NACH NACHMA NACHMAN MEUMAN!

1 comment:

  1. That is an awesome story and very inspiring. Very hardcore. Chazak v'ematz.

    ReplyDelete