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1. Shticky Guy
   THE SHTICKIEST POSTER IN THE ©®

   At a כלי מקוה one dip is enough, although some have the מנהג to dip in 3 times. At a mens מקוה there seems to be many customs. Is one dip there sufficient? Seems not. Most people dip at least 3 times, many dip 6 or 7 times and a lot just go up and down an indeterminate number of times.

   So what's the הלכה? Is. there an ענין to dip as many times as possible? Is 12 really better than 3? What does it make you - more טהור? And what do the ones - I'm sure you've seen them - that go up and down like rockets causing tsunami-like waves to a crash into me or whoever else is unfortunate enough to be there, what do they achieve?

   So is there any etiquette or מנהג or does anything go. Where can I find it brought down? Which ספרים discuss it?

   Posted 1 year ago #

2. Csar
   Joseph

   7

   Posted 1 year ago #

3. Sam2
   The Even-Keeled and Erudite Shmuely Wollenberger from Las Vegas

   I'm sure it's discussed in the Kabbalah Sefarim about different Inyanim for different things, but only once is necessary.

   Posted 1 year ago #

4. apushatayid
   Member

   As often as is needed to get wet.

   Posted 1 year ago #

5. Yosi7
   Member

   0 are needed nowadays because men are all tumah lemes. Only needed for women. But constomary for men to as well.

   Posted 1 year ago #

6. oomis
   Member

   One tevilah after the bracha has been made (for women) is the halacha. Most women do 3 in some configuration (1 before the bracha 2 after, 2 before 1 after, 3 after etc. Many do 7 or 8. From what I have heard, women married to Sephardim typically have this latter minhag.

   Posted 1 year ago #

7. HaLeiVi
   Plays the aeolian harp by air

   Once is enough. However, there are certain Kavanos that work with other numbers: 3, 5, 7, 15, 72.

   Posted 1 year ago #

8. coffee addict
   Once killed a Troll with his bare hands

   7 (kineged the 7 sfiros, days of week and ushpizin (Avraham Yitzchak Yaakov Moshe Aaron Yosef and Dovid)

   for yom tov I do 3 (Sukkos Chessed Avraham, Pesach Gevura Yitzchak, Shavuos Tiferes Yaakov)

   Posted 1 year ago #

9. Shticky Guy
   THE SHTICKIEST POSTER IN THE ©®

   However, there are certain Kavanos that work with
   other numbers: 3, 5, 7, 15, 72...

   7 (kineged the 7 sfiros, days of
   week and ushpizin (Avraham
   Yitzchak Yaakov Moshe Aaron
   Yosef and Dovid)
   for yom tov I do 3 (Sukkos
   Chessed Avraham, Pesach Gevura
   Yitzchak, Shavuos Tiferes Yaakov)

   Nah, I'm talking many, many more than that. Some guys are there forever. They seem to be doing 600,000 for פסח and סוכות kineged the יוצאי מצרים, and 1,200,000 for שבועות kineged the 2 crowns that each Yid got, and 4,900,000 for שבת to escape from the work at home on Fridays!!! ☺

   And in my OP I mentioned the tsunami-maker but I forgot to mention the submarine periscope. Have you seen them? They sink down under the water and then suddenly a hand breaks the surface briefly before disappearing again. This is then repeated countless times with the "periscope" being raised and lowered rapidly for a few mins until the mission is accomplished and it is decided that there is no longer any need for stealth and the clandestine operation ends with the ascent of the crew of 1, wooshing as it rises, to the surprise of those gathered at the surface.

   What other bizarre routines have you encountered?

   Posted 1 year ago #

10. yekke2
    Member

    I try on erev yom tov to go 613 dips. Especially Erev Yom Kippur, when the mikveh is so 'clean', my receding hair problem goes unnoticed until i next have a shower. The only drawback is that i cannot always choose the hair colour!!!

    Posted 1 year ago #

11. DovidApt
    Member

    Shtiky and yekke, Im ROFL! Ive seen both and could not have described it better! Thanks for a great laugh!

    Posted 1 year ago #

12. The Chassidishe Gatesheader
    Member

    I never go to a mikveh since I have extremely sensitive ears (had tens of ear infections when I was young) and was instructed by my ENT docs then, never to allow my ears to go underwater at all.

    Anyway, yes, there are some chassidishe minhagim regarding doing 100 or more tevilos... that's usually why every now and then someone is found lifeless in a mikveh.

    Posted 1 year ago #

13. 147
    -105

    ONCE, because often my ears become water blocked, so by dunking once, I reduce chances of water blockage in my ears.

    Posted 1 year ago #

14. HaLeiVi
    Plays the aeolian harp by air

    I once saw that the Baal Shem Tov took Achrayos that one Tevila wouldn't harm a person.

    Shticky, so is that on tevila for every Uv'shachhhhhhhb'cha, Uvishachbich'...?

    Posted 1 year ago #

15. BTGuy
    Member

    In the Chasidish mikvah I go to before Shabbos, the first time I went, someone told to dip 3 times. Once for purity, once for kedusha, and once for Shabbos. Anyone know if anything is behind that?

    Posted 1 year ago #

16. R.T.
    Member

    I have seen it brought down to tovel 4 times to metaken the Shem HaVaYa (one dip in each direction) and that is how I am noheg. Others dip twice, one to release the 'weekday clothes' and the 2nd for entering Shabbos/Yom Tov.

    It seems to me that dipping far too many times in a (public) mikveh could border on an Issur D'Oraisa if other people are waiting.

    Posted 1 year ago #

17. Health
    Member

    Shtick -"Have you seen them? They sink down under the water and then suddenly a hand breaks the surface briefly before disappearing again."

    You must mean finger, not hand. They move the finger about ten or 20 times and then they come up for air. This way they can do 72 or 100 times real quick.

    Posted 1 year ago #

18. Health
    Member

    The Chassidishe Gatesheader -"I never go to a mikveh since I have extremely sensitive ears (had tens of ear infections when I was young) and was instructed by my ENT docs then, never to allow my ears to go underwater at all."

    I'd ask a Shaila if I were you. It might be a Chiyuv Erev Yom Kippur and possibly erev yom tov. They have ear plugs that can keep water out or putting in mineral oil. This might not be considered a Chatziza. You can also use alcohol, mineral oil, or vinegar afterwards to remove water that got in.
    Btw, how do you shower? Doesn't water get in?

    Posted 1 year ago #

19. ItcheSrulik
    Formerly college sheigetz. Now ger.

    Someone once told me to do 3 times just like hadachos on meat.

    Lubavitchers do 7.

    Yosi: Mikvah helps for all other tumos. It isn't relevant lehalacha for everyone, but even those who have no halakhic reason to do it still like to be tahor.

    coffee addict: There are 10 sefiros, not 7.

    Shticky Guy: LOL! Some people do 310 (R' Nachman brings this one down) for a gematria not spoken about in mixed company. I'm sure that for any large gematria there is someone who does it and he will always get there right before you.

    BTGuy: I heard that one too but I don't know the source. Ramchal says that any number is good on erev shabbos as long as you dip the first time to remove tumos of the week and the last to accept shabbos bekdusha uv'tahara.

    Posted 1 year ago #

20. Feif Un
    Proud Modern Orthodox

    When I was younger I once went to the mikvah on Erev Yom Kippur. There was one guy there who was just sitting in the water. He was a rather large guy, and everyone was waiting for him to get out. Someone asked him to hurry up, and he said, "But it's so nice and warm in here, it's like a spa. Can;t you give me a few more minutes?"

    Posted 1 year ago #

21. Sam2
    The Even-Keeled and Erudite Shmuely Wollenberger from Las Vegas

    Health: There is no Chiyuv on Erev Yom Tov. Erev Yom Kippur is more of an issue, but one with an ear problem probably constitutes a Choleh for this and can be Yotzei with a shower (Shifchas 9 Kabim). He should make sure that the water in the shower touches every single part of his body though, including inside of joints (like armpits) and the bottom of his feet.

    Posted 1 year ago #

22. sefardi tahor
    Member

    the ben ish chai says 7 and has a reason for each one , see it for your self

    Posted 1 year ago #

23. sefardi tahor
    Member

    "R.T. - It seems to me that dipping far too many times in a (public) mikveh could border on an Issur D'Oraisa if other people are waiting. "

    What issur d'oraisa is there that you are refering to?

    Posted 1 year ago #

24. Csar
    Joseph

    Most mikvas are big enough that multiple people are in them simultaneously.

    (The Ari's mikvah in Tzfas isn't, though.)

    Posted 1 year ago #

25. R.T.
    Member

    sefardi tahor - Thank you for asking. Staying too long in a mikveh prevents others from entering -- could constitute geneiva or gezeila. Stealing isn't simply a matter of money or physical objects, it could entail IMHO stealing time, space, credit or honor due to a person. The mikveh I attend holds 4 adults at any given time.

    Posted 1 year ago #

26. useurbarin
    Member

    I asked this to a Rav in Israel a few months ago. He said I should dip 5 times. Once to remove the tumah, one two be mekabel the tahara, and once for nefesh, ruach, and neshama.

    Posted 1 year ago #

27. ItcheSrulik
    Formerly college sheigetz. Now ger.

    sefardi tahor: It is very common for kavanos to deal with only 7 of the 10 sefiros. Maybe those who know more about these things could explain how they are divided.

    Posted 1 year ago #

28. Shticky Guy
    THE SHTICKIEST POSTER IN THE ©®

    Next in the series: after the tsunami maker and the submarine comes... the statue! These are the guys you see standing still at the side or corner and when you go past ten or even twenty minutes later they're still there and don't appear to have moved a muscle. Sometimes the מקוה is crowded but will they move over or even get out? Not likely! It's their relaxation/התבודדות time. You can't blame a statue for having a heart of stone ...

    Posted 12 months ago #

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