Immersed in Sanctity: Seniors Visit the Baltimore Mikvah

As teenagers, the laws of niddah, or family purity, often feel like a foreign concept. Beth Tfiloh’s senior class visited the Mikvah of Baltimore (the ritual bath) and learned more in depth about what the laws entail. Personally, I’ve always appreciated the laws of niddah as being observed by holy and respected female mentors in my life, but I never expected the spirituality and meaning behind the mitzvah to feel so prominent. After a brief ten-minute tour of the building and a profound discussion with Beth Tfiloh Director of Education Mrs. Zipora Schorr and High School Science Department Chair/Judaics teacher Mrs. Racheli Daniel, I have a better understanding of the complexities and details of the mitzvah.

We toured the beautiful women’s mikvah building, including the preparation areas and actual mikvah rooms. The trip revealed many surprises, including the ongoing upkeep of the building and the volunteers’ dedication to doing their job to help the women of the community.

This trip exposed the seniors to a practice that they may never had heard of, while also de-bunking any myths about misogyny and the laws of niddah,” explains Mrs. Schorr. In fact, the laws of niddah and the mikvah process actually empower women and demonstrate the control we have over our bodies. This mitzvah allows us to feel closer to our spiritual being and more connected to God. While the laws are hard and extremely detailed, I am excited to learn more about the process in order to better understand the mitzvah.