Just Curious

Posted by Ruchama at 08:44 PM on October 30, 2005 | TrackBack

Hello, all. Sorry about the long hiatus.

Last week, when I called the mikvah to schedule an appointment and heard the recording listing its hours, I noticed something: the mikvah is open on Shabbat but closed on Yom Tov. This peculiarity doesn't affect me, since I don't live within walking distance, but it strikes me as strange. Shouldn't the same leniencies and restrictions apply, whether it's Shabbat or Yom Tov? Is tevilah allowed on Shabbat simply because it is the preferred time for men to fulfil their conjugal obligations to their wives? I'd always assumed that Yom Tov was similar to Shabbat in that regard, but perhaps I was wrong.

If anyone understands this phenomenon, please explain.

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Comments

On October 30, 2005 at 10:15 PM, Raquel said:

I think it's just that the mikva didn't or couldn't open on Yom Tov. Maybe they couldn't find someone. If Mikvah night falls on Yom Tov, the same rules apply as Shabbos. The only hard think is when it falls on the second day of Yom Tov, in which case you just need to stay clean during the 26 hours of Yom Tov. I had to do that once it it was not a pleasent experience
I guess I'm lucky I don't live than community where there is a Shabbos but not Yom Tov mikvah.

On October 31, 2005 at 11:58 AM, Desde said:

I would also guess it was because they didn't have anyone willing to cover YomTov hours at the mikvah, not for any halachic reason.

My mikvah is open on YomTov. I know because they send out a calendar with the schedule so you know which mikvah lady is on duty when over YomTov and can call her directly to give her plenty of notice to schedule around meals and shul-going, etc.

(And, not that I've tried it, Raquel, but I would think the hardest time is when mikvah night falls on the third day of Shabbos/YomTov ie Friday night of a Thursday-Friday(-Shabbos) YomTov or Sunday night of a (Shabbos-)Sunday-Monday YomTov!)

On October 31, 2005 at 12:49 PM, SARA said:

Maybe it's because the attendant lives far away? You might want to ask rather than presume.

On October 31, 2005 at 01:39 PM, Ruchama said:

Thanks for the info., everyone. I guess this is atypical.

Sara: No sense in my asking. I can't use the mikvah on Yom Tov, anyway.

On October 31, 2005 at 05:20 PM, Raquel said:

Desde,
I disagree, it is harder on second day Yom Tov when you are staying at your in-laws...

On October 31, 2005 at 08:43 PM, desde said:

Oh, well, that goes without saying. It's always harder if you're a guest in someone else's house, and in-laws just compounds that, YomTov or not.

On November 2, 2005 at 09:33 PM, rachelb said:

where I am the mikvah is open both on Shabbos and on Yom Tov, and luckily is in walking distance. I typically have to go motsei Shabbos, but in the hardest time ever to have to go is on motsei Shabbos, first night Pesach when the seder is already starting late. We had only been married several months at that point and I had to somehow explain to my in-laws that we would be late coming over... OY! the one benefit was that since all prep had to occur before Shabbos, it was a faster trip. Our mikvah lady lives upstairs from the mikvah so she also had to start her seder a little late, but luckily she was willing to open up for me!

On November 3, 2005 at 09:49 AM, sara said:

If i'm going to the mikvah, I don't go away or eat out. I don't think it's fair to us.

On November 3, 2005 at 10:12 AM, desde said:

Sara, I agree... in theory. In practice, especially when we're dealing with Yontif and in-laws, it's not so easy to get out of sharing those meals. Especially if that's the only reason you would want to!

On November 5, 2005 at 07:25 PM, sara said:

Listen, it's easy for me to say these things, having no (frum) family. There must be some way to work it out, though, maybe your husband can help if it happens again.

Feigning tiredness and leaving early or coming late...maybe we could start a thread on this!

On November 5, 2005 at 09:32 PM, rachelb said:

If the whole night is becomming sort of a date night, though, there are only limited hours that restaurants are open, also it takes time to get places.. and of course, then there is that moment when you realize that you have a friend's wedding to attend...while I realize it is only one night a month, unfortunately, having a cycle that makes it a Saturday night, sometimes it is inevitable that there are events that you can't so easily get out of. Many community and family events occur Sat. night, especially after the clock changes and you can actually do something after Shabbos goes out. When it's yontif, and my in-laws are five houses away, there is really no getting out of it, but luckily that's few and far between.

On November 6, 2005 at 03:52 PM, sara said:

at least you have a week to try to get a mikvah lady to open at your convenience!

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