By Sarah Jarvis
Tzfat is one of the holiest most spiritual places in the world let alone in Israel. It is home to many different traditions and varying ways of life that help make it the unique city it is today. Throughout our weekend in Tzfat we got to partake in various traditions and customs, but the most powerful one for me was our visit to the mikveh.
After what seemed like a little bit of a hike down a steep path we make it to this building that from the outside doesn't look particularly special and are told that the ladies will be going with a woman named Susan and then men will be going with someone different. After we split Susan explains a little what we'll be doing which consisted of a talk, a tour, and some time for us to ask questions. We then head inside…
The “lobby” was a room full of couches and pillows and candles with a complete zen like feel to it. Our speaker, Susan, was an energetic, dynamic, and captivating woman who spoek to us about the mikveh: what is it and what it has meant to Jewish women for centuries. The mikveh is a body of natural water that is used in the Jewish religion to purify oneself. Men can use it anytime but women use it usually after they are married. Susan told us about the long standing tradition as well as her own story and what the mikveh means to her and so many other women. We walked through the spa-like preparation rooms and saw the mikveh itself. This particular one had been around for quite some time but had been modernized to fit the needs of people today. A custom before heading into the mikveh is to properly prepare yourself. Women take time to clean themselves and rid themselves of anything that would disrupt the pure connection of their bodies to the water.
As we walked into the room with the mikveh I began to feel emotional. Susan kept explaining the mitzvah it is to use the mikveh and how it can be used to feel more connected both to one’s husband but also to oneself: to reflect, rejuvenate, and feel a deep self love. We then moved into a quiet room where we were allowed to ask questions. I had a lot of thoughts but really could not articulate any into a question so I sat silently until Susan said we were going to do a meditation that she would be leading. The lights were turned out and soothing music was playing and she started talking and saying how we are each unique and that one day someone will find all of us as unique and beautiful as we truly are and I began to cry. I also noticed a few other sniffles around the room. She went on about letting go of the bad things in our lives and the challenges we face everyday. This meditation could have lasted 2 minutes but it felt like a good forever for me.
When we all opened our eyes all the girls in the room looked like we had just been through some kind of magical experience we all began to hug each other and explain that we all felt this connection of closeness that we couldn't explain. We all left the building and the men were already outside but us women kept embracing and smiling and we couldn't stop talking about our uplifting experience. It's programs like the various ones we had in Tzfat that make me so grateful to be a part of this program.
