Toveling Utensils in a Men's Mikvah

Sometimes, one may wish to bring utensils with him when attending a men's mikvah. However, the poskim say that a mikvah for toveling utensils has to be kosher for women to tovel in and many times men's mikvahos are only kosher for men to tovel in but are not kosher for women. Therefore, one should only tovel his utensils in a mikvah which has been examined by a qualified Rav that it is kosher for toveling keilim.(12)

The poskim suggest that one who is going to tovel a utensil in a men's mikvah should recite the beracha outside the mikvah, enter the mikvah, and then immediately dip the utensil to avoid any hefsek.(13) The reason for reciting the beracha outside is because one may not recite a beracha in front of improperly clad people.(14) Whether or not one may tovel utensils in a lake or a river should be discussed with a Rav.(15)

Footnotes
(12) Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Refer to Kovetz Halachos Y.D. 1:2003 (Camp Agudah), Chai Ha'Levi 4:58:4. One should not tovel a keli if a filter is on (Chai Ha'Levi ibid 5). (13) Refer to Yabea Omer Y.D. 2:14, Vayivorech Dovid 1:97 in depth, Avnei Yushfei 1:12, Shevet Ha'kehusi 2:145, Bais Boruch 1:pages 435-436, Lev Avraham 17, see Pri Megadim M.Z. 84:2, Mishnah Berurah 84:4 , Vayivtzar Yosef 2:5:3, Tevilas Keilim 9:13:footnote 15. Refer to Hechsheiros 4:47, Tevilas Keilim 9:13:footnote 16. (14) Refer to Chelkes Binyomin 120:29:footnote 91. If a utensil which does not require a beracha is being toveled some are lenient in toveling it in a men's mikvah (Vayivorech Dovid 1:97). (15) Refer to Zichron Betzalel 2:57:27-28.

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Halachically Speaking is a bi-weekly publication compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, a former chaver kollel of Yeshiva Torah Voda'ath and a musmach of Horav Yisroel Belsky, shlit"a. Rabbi Lebovits currently works as a Rabbinical Administrator for Kof-K Kosher Superivison.

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