By Aki Yonekawa, Manager of Rising Tide
As we head into the month of Kislev, I think about the history of mikveh as a nighttime ritual. When I do mikveh education – especially with kids – I like to make a point of differentiating between something that is a secret and something that is private.
We value privacy at the mikveh, but we don’t want it to feel like a secret. Much of the secrecy/privacy of the mikveh is tied up with the common use of the mikveh for niddah after nightfall. This sometimes makes people think that mikveh is secret or even shameful, or that it should be hidden from sight.
On the contrary, I love nighttime. I find it to be magical and powerful, and I think when we shed fears of darkness and night, we can see the full beauty and power of the quiet and stillness and honor what that can bring to nighttime immersions and the idea of immersing in general. This month, may we all find the beauty in night and find the light in ourselves to bring to the darkness.
If you’re interested in scheduling an immersion at Mayyim Hayyim at night or any time of day, please do so here.
Photo credit: Gabrielle Keen