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Seven Kavanot for Mikveh Preparation
TO READ WITH YOUR CHILD
FEEL FREE TO ADAPT FOR YOUR OWN NEEDS
CREATED BY MAYYIM HAYYIM LIVING WATERS
To prepare for immersion in the mikveh you prepare your body as well as your spirit.
1. i!p"p#d Hineini. Here I am.
Hold your child in front of the mirror. Take a deep breath and say, “Here you are,”
or “Here we are.”
2. mi¦a%w&p mi¦a%w&p Nekavim nekavim. You made human beings with a special design.
God made sure that all the parts of your body would work as they are supposed to.
Please make sure your child goes to the bathroom before she or he enters the mikveh pool.
3. mi#d÷` m¤l¤v§A B’Tzelem Elohim. I am made in the image of God.
God made your body just right for you. Just as you came into the world naked,
you will enter the mikveh naked.
Prepare your child for a bath. Remove any jewelry, eyeglasses, band-aids, retainers and
anything else so the water can reach to every part of his or her body.
4. `i#d d%xFd'h i¦A %z(z)p*y d(n(y&p i(d÷*` Elohai neshama shenatata bi tehorah hi.
The soul in me is pure.
Each person is born with a pure and shining soul. Now you will take a bath (or
shower)
so that your body will be as pure as your soul.
Wash your child thoroughly including hair and fingernails.
5. m¨lFr oEw#z Tikkun olam. We can build a world of peace and fairness.
We can help make the world a better, more peaceful place.
Let’s think about all the different ways you can help other people.
Wash between your child’s toes and fingers.
9
6. d!i l¥l"d#Y d$n$y%p$d lk Kol haneshama t’halel yah. The breath of every living thing
praises God.
Every time we breathe, we are reminded of God’s wonderful creations.
Comb your child’s wet hair so there are no tangles. Clean your child’s ears, nose, teeth, and
mouth.
7. mi&p$n%f"d%e l'`$x#U&i W'c"w(n M’kadesh Yisrael v’hazmanim. God makes us holy and
makes special moments holy.
Wrap your child in the sheet or towel provided and hold your child in front of the
mirror again. Smile.
Now that your child is prepared in body, mind and spirit, let the mikveh guide know you are ready.
10
Seven Kavanot for Mikveh Preparation
CREATED BY
MAYYIM HAYYIM LIVING WATERS
The Holy One created the world in six days, but made it complete with Shabbat, the seventh
day. The number seven suggests wholeness and represents the creative process. Seven steps
lead into the mikveh.
These seven kavanot—preparatory meditations—are offered in the hope that your immersion
will provide you a sense of shleimut—wholeness and peace.
1. i!p"p#d Hineini. Here I am.
Take a minute and think about the transition mikveh will help you mark today.
Immersion in the mikveh represents a spiritual transformation from one state to
another. In traditional language, your change is from ritually unready (tamei) to
ritually ready (tahor). Prepare yourself by writing in a journal, saying a personal
prayer, or reading something of meaning to you. Breathe deeply. Sigh audibly.
2. d$e§v#n xEc#d Hiddur mitzvah. The unadorned body is beautiful in itself.
Remove all jewelry as well as makeup, paying special attention to the eyes. Remove
nail polish on fingers and toes. (Acrylics may stay on if they have been on for more
than a month.) There is no need for adornment or artifice in the mikveh. There
should be no physical barriers between the body and the living waters.
3. mi¦a&w'p mi¦a&w'p Nekavim nekavim. You fashioned the human being intricate in
design.
Empty your bladder. Our tradition celebrates and blesses the body in every possible
moment and mode.
4. mi#d÷` m¤l¤v§A B’Tzelem Elohim. I am made in the image of God.
Remove all clothing, eyeglasses, contact lenses, dental plates, hearing aids. Each
person enters the mikveh as naked as on the day of his birth, as on the day of her
birth. Without rank or status. Simply a human being. Gloriously a human being.
7
5. `i!d d"xFd#h i¦A "z%z&p'y d%n%y(p i%d÷'` Elohai neshama shenatata bi tehorah hi. The
soul in me is pure.
Shower or bathe with thoughtful attention to the miracle of your body. Pay
attention to every part of yourself. Wash yourself, head to toe; shampoo your hair,
lather your shoulders, back, arms, belly, and genitals. Scrub elbows, knees, and
heels, removing calluses and dead skin. Wash between fingers and toes. Relax and
enjoy. The water of the mikveh will feel even sweeter after this.
6. d)i l¥l"d#Y d%n%y(p%d lk Kol haneshama t’halel yah. The breath of every living thing
praises You.
Clean your ears, blow your nose, brush and floss your teeth, rinse your mouth,
comb your hair. Stand before the mirror. Consider all of your senses. Look into your
own eyes and smile. Think about the words that come from your mouth.
7. m¨lFr oEw!z Tikkun olam. We can stand for justice; we can build a world of peace
and justice.
Clean under your nails—toenails, too. (Nails do not need to be cut.) Consider the
power of your hands and feet to create wholeness in your life, in our world.
Now that you are ready in body, mind and spirit, wrap yourself in the sheet provided and let the
Mikveh Guide know you are ready. The guide is here to help make your immersion as
meaningful as possible, to answer questions, provide guidance, insure privacy, and, where
appropriate, to assure you that your immersion is “fit” or kasher.
As you enter the mikveh do not rush. Walk slowly. Count the seven steps into the water
stopping on each one.
Relax into the embrace of the water, into whatever the next moment may hold for you.
Welcome. In the mikveh, every body is a sacred vessel.
8
Congregational Welcome at a Conversion Ceremony
Typical correspondence regarding upcoming conversion ceremony from the chair of the congregation’s
Outreach Committee:
From: Susan Opdyke
Date: Fri, Oct 2, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Subject: A conversion next week
Hi everyone,
A conversion candidate of Rabbi Pearlman's is going to the mikveh on Tuesday at Noon.
The Beit Din will be at Noon, followed by the immersion. She has agreed to have people
from our committee come to celebrate with her. We can present the gift from the
congregation at that time.
If anyone is interested in joining me at Mayyim Hayyim, your presence would add to the
celebration. If you haven't been there for an event like this, it is really something special.
Arrival at 12:30 would be in plenty of time if you want to be part of this. Even 1:00 may
be good enough.
Rabbi Pearlman does a beautiful service from the atrium while the person is in the pool
(behind closed doors, of course). I don't know if we should bring any food, but I will let
you know.
Please let me know if you would like to come.
Thanks and Shabbat Shalom,
-Susan Opdyke
Chair, Temple Shalom Outreach Committee
URJ Outreach Ambassador
!
Mayyim Hayyim FAQs
(http://www.mayyimhayyim.org/About/FAQs)
About Mayyim Hayyim
Why was Mayyim Hayyim built?
Mayyim Hayyim is the brainchild of a group of Boston-area Jews, including acclaimed author Anita Diamant, who
articulated the need for a mikveh that would serve Jews-by-choice, and others in the liberal community, in a more
welcoming and dignified manner. Interest in mikveh as a way to mark transitional moments - from weaning to
healing after cancer, from high school graduation to ordination - was "in the air." Boston, the city that saw the
creation of the first Jewish federation and first Jewish teachers college, threw its support behind this experiment in
Jewish life.
What is the history of Mayyim Hayyim?
In 2001, Mayyim Hayyim was incorporated as a nonprofit organization, hired Aliza Kline as the organization's
executive director and began to develop plans for building, fund raising, and teaching about the uses of mikveh.
Mayyim Hayyim’s site at 1838 Washington Street in Newton, MA, was purchased in 2002. Located in a Victorian
home built in the 1870s, the building was renovated and an addition built to house the mikveh pools and preparation
rooms. Mayyim Hayyim opened its doors on May 14, 2004.
What does “Mayyim Hayyim” mean?
The name comes from the Hebrew for “living waters” (as specified in Leviticus 11:36). It also expresses a
commitment to change, dynamism, and creativity.
Why do people use the mikveh at Mayyim Hayyim?
Mayyim Hayyim has been created to meet a broad range of needs. In addition to traditional purposes, new uses
include celebrations for milestone events such as a graduation, the end of a period of study, or an important birthday
or anniversary. Immersion in the mikveh can also signify a new start in the aftermath of pain and trauma. Immersion
provides an opportunity to mark the end of formal grieving or the beginning of healing from events such as suffering
a miscarriage, undergoing chemotherapy, completing a year of bereavement, and recovering from divorce, rape or
abuse. The goal is for visitors to the mikveh to emerge refreshed and renewed, ready for life’s next gifts.
What makes a mikveh “kosher” and how does Mayyim Hayyim meet those standards?
Mayyim Hayyim is a “kosher” or “proper” mikveh, built and maintained under rabbinic supervision. Each of our
two mikva'ot actually consists of two permanent pools, watertight pits built into the ground. The first, smaller pool is
located outside and called the "bor haotzar" (collection pool); it is filled with at least 40 “se’ah” or 200 gallons of
“living water” (water not drawn by human hands). At Mayyim Hayyim, rain water fulfills this purpose; our "borot"
(pl) each contain at least 500 gallons of rain/living water. The small pools are connected to the larger indoor
immersion pool that shares a wall with the "bor" - following the "hashakah" or "connection" design for a kosher
mikveh. The immersion pool is filled with heated and treated tap water. The introduction of a small amount of
“living water” from the outside "bor" is what makes the indoor pool a kosher mikveh.
Do I need to be Jewish to come to Mayyim Hayyim?
Mayyim Hayyim welcomes everyone to participate in its educational programs, view the art gallery, and tour the
mikveh area. Likewise, all people of any religious background are invited to accompany a friend or family member
for an immersion. Ritual immersions, however, are limited to those who are Jewish or who are immersing to convert
to Judaism.
Using Mayyim Hayyim
What does the mikveh look like?
Mayyim Hayyim’s two mikva'ot are beautifully tiled with natural stone. They look like deep hot tubs, with the
mandated seven steps leading into the water. A handrail is provided for safety, and one of the mikva'ot also offers an
aquatic lift for handicap accessibility. Natural light pours through dormer windows, providing a glimpse of the
outside while carefully preserving modesty. After sundown, lights can be lowered to enhance a sense of peace and
rest.
Mayyim Hayyim FAQs from Website
Gathering the Waters International Mikveh Conference, October 10-12, 2010
Page 1 of 2
Is the mikveh clean?
Mayyim Hayyim’s pools are scrupulously clean. Mayyim Hayyim has a filter/disinfectant system in the basement,
through which the water to the two mikvaot flows. There is a supply pipe and return pipe—much like a supply and
return duct for air. The water is treated with Bromine, a safe and effective disinfectant. PH levels are checked daily.
What is the water temperature?
The water is a comfortable 85 degrees.
How big is the mikveh?
The immersion pool holds 1200 gallons and is large enough for a 6 foot-tall person to fully immerse with hands
outstretched (six feet wide). The pools have a shallow end and a deeper end for safe, comfortable immersion. When
standing in the pool, the water level is approximately at chest height for an average size adult. The deck is large
enough for others to be present; if for example, a baby is being immersed for conversion--held in the water by
parents--family and friends can witness the ceremony.
Is it ever unsafe to immerse in a mikveh?
Immersion should not take place if one has any open cuts, sores or communicable diseases (e.g. bronchitis). Any
specific questions can be addressed to your physician, your rabbi, the Mikveh Guide or the Mikveh Center Director
(617-244-1836 x 210).
Can I go in when I am menstruating?
Mayyim Hayyim recommends postponing immersion until the completion of the menstrual cycle. However,
according to Halachah (Jewish Law), a mikveh is "lo mekubal tumah"–-that is, it does not become "ritually impure."
Therefore, a menstruating woman does not render the mikveh ritually impure for other users.
What does immersion actually involve?
The formal ritual is simple and brief. Once in the water, the person ducks under to submerge for a moment or two,
then recites a short blessing (Mayyim Hayyim provides traditional and creative texts). The person then immerses
one or two more times, according to his/her custom, recites a blessing, and leaves the water.
What are the rules for entering the mikveh?
You must be clean before entering the mikveh. Mayyim Hayyim provides a private room where you can undress,
remove all jewelry, wash, shampoo, brush your teeth, and remove all obstacles (physical and symbolic) between
your body and the water.
What if I have a body piercing that is not easily removed?
In general, the goal is to remove anything that separates you from the water. However, according to Jewish law, if
you are unable to remove a particular piece of jewelry, you are permitted to immerse with it, after rotating it around
under the water. Likewise, acrylic nails that have been on for more than 30 days are considered a part of your body
and do not have to be removed for immersion.
Will anyone see me naked?
That depends. When individuals immerse for conversion, or niddah it is traditional for a Mikveh Guide to act as
witness to make certain that every strand of hair is under water. Mikveh Guides hold a sheet above their eyes, only
lowering it down at the moment of immersion. However, you may choose to immerse in private, with a Guide
waiting at the door for safety and support. If you are immersing for conversion, please discuss this first with your
sponsoring clergy, who may require a witness.
Can I go in with another person?
Traditionally, mikveh is an individual, personal ritual. In fact one of Mayyim Hayyim’s guiding principles is
"tzniyut", which means modesty. At Mayyim Hayyim, you enter the mikveh area directly from the changing room.
However, the pools are large enough for two adults to immerse and, for example, two parents may participate in the
conversion of a child. Parents wear bathing suits and only the child is naked. While Mayyim Hayyim was designed
for individual use, there are other mikva'ot designed specifically for the use of men, which are large enough for 10
or more to immerse simultaneously.
Mayyim Hayyim FAQs from Website
Gathering the Waters International Mikveh Conference, October 10-12, 2010
Page 2 of 2
Immersed – Music for Mayyim Hayyim Lyrics
(Available online: www.mayyimhayyim.org)
Hineni, Here I Am
By Peter and Ellen Allard, ©80-Z Music, Inc.
1-888-SING-IT-1, office@peterandellen.com, www.peterandellen.com
Chorus:
Hineni, here I am (3x)
Yes, I am here and I am one
Yes I am one with the One in the water.
V. 3: Kiss of water round me
Touched by rain and snow
I am yearning to be one with God
And so….Chorus
V. 1: Present in the moment
Ancient ritual
I am yearning to be one with God
And so….Chorus
Bridge:
Waters warm
Floating free
One in unity.
V. 2: Steps of transformation
To the depths I go
I am yearning to be one with God
And so….Chorus
V. 4: Rising purified
Body, mind, & soul
I am yearning to be one with God
And so….Chorus
Come Into the Water
By Debbie Friedman, © 2007 Debbie Friedman
www.debbiefriedman.com
Come into the water
Wash away the old and let there be a new
beginning
Every drop is pure
Every drop is birth
Every drop is You
Water everywhere
Water everywhere
Come into the water
Wash away your pain let there be a new
beginning
Every drop is pure
Every drop is birth
Every drop is You
Water everywhere
Water everywhere
Come into the water
Let us be a part of one another, both a new
beginning
Every drop is pure
Every drop is birth
Every drop is You
Water everywhere
Water everywhere
Every drop is pure
Every drop is birth
Every drop is You
Water everywhere
a song on the water
By Cantor Jeff Klepper, © 2007 Jeff Klepper
Jeff@Kolbseder.com, www.jeffklepper.com and www.kolbseder.com
like a song on the water
like the waves on the sea
like a prayer to the heavens, cover me
like the breath of a lover
like the shade of a tree
like the rain falling softly, cover me
Immersed – Music for Mayyim Hayyim Lyrics
Gathering the Waters International Mikveh Conference
Page 1 of 4
ilu finu malei shira kayam...
(if our mouths were full of song as the sea...)
with my song to the water
with my song to the sea
Iwill thank you for the goodness given me
with my prayer to the heavens
for a world that’s yet to be
I will thank you for the blessings given me
I will thank you for the blessings given me
ilu finu malei shira kayam...
cover me with the rainfall
with the water’s melody
with your blessing and compassion cover me
cover me with the rainfall
with the water's harmony
with your blessing and compassion cover me
with your blessing and compassion cover me
ilu finu malei shira kayam...
Mayim
By Danny Maseng
© 2007 Danny Maseng
DMaseng@aol.com
www.dannymaseng.com
Water, water Holy spring, holy spring
From your ocean blessings bring
Blessings bring
Blessed is the dew
Blessed is the new day
Blessed is the maker of the rain
Ush’avtem mayim Mimay’nei hayeshuah
Ush’avtem mayim Mimay’nei hayeshuah
Mayim, mayim Mayim b’sasson
Ush’avtem Mayim b’sasson
Ma’ayan ganim b’er hamayim Hamayim
K’yonim al afikei hamayim Hamayim
Sh’roshi nimlah talUk’vutzotai r’sissei laila
Salmotai k’re’ach hal’vanon
Take me to the to the river and release me
So I may find you at the coming of the dawn
These Waters…
Words and Music by Josh Nelson
© 2007 Josh Nelson Music (BMI)
888-613-JOSH
www.joshnelsonproject.com
This hope, this birth
This life, this new creation
These words, these blessings
Are there beneath the surface
These eyes are dark
These lips are silent in their way
These hands are cool
Surrounded by this ocean
This rain, this sky
This threshold of separation
This time, this moment
Is a door to new beginnings
Breathe in, before…
Breathe out, the crossing over
These ears are quiet
But for the heart that’s beating
The source of life is holy
If you make it so
The source of life is holy
If you make it so
And these waters, they are living
They are breathing all around
The Shechinah does dwell within
The waters on this ground
And these waters, they are living
They are breathing all around
The Shechinah does dwell within
These waters on this ground
Immersed – Music for Mayyim Hayyim Lyrics
Gathering the Waters International Mikveh Conference
Page 2 of 4
Water to Water
By Cantor Benjie Ellen Schiller
© 2007 Benjie Ellen Schiller
Water to water
Father to son
Mother to daughter
Rivers will run
Blessings of light
Blessings of love
Weeping these tears
Drops in the fountain
Finding my courage
Climbing this mountain
Sisters and brothers
See the reflection
Water to water
Pain my beginning
Peace be my end
Water to water
Rush to the sea
Holding this promise
Feeling so free
Blessings of heart
Blessings of bone
Mother to son
Father to daughter
Water to water
Season to season
Here for the asking
Water to water
Pain my beginning
Peace be my end
Step by Step
By Julie Silver
© 2007 Julie A. Silver
www.juliesilver.com
I am ready to begin
I am standing alone
I am naked and clean, I know what it means
To be on my way home
I am seven steps away
In this holy space
You purify my soul, and I become whole
I feel Your embrace
And step by step
I walk into the water
Step by step
Let the water make me whole
Step by step
I go deep into the water
The water of creation
Step by step by step by step
I know a change is in the air
And possibility
Everything is finally clear, how I got myself
right here
And now I see
And step by step
I walk into the water
Step by step
Let the water make me whole
Step by step
I go deep into the water
The water of creation
Step by step by step by step
Like a little baby, I'm moving' slowly, so slowly
But I get there
Yes, I get there
It's a brand new day
And I'm awakening
Here's a brighter dawn, when I remember those
who've gone
Gone before me
And step by step
I walk into the water
Step by step
Let the water make me whole
Step by step
I go deep into the water
The water of creation
Step by step by step by step
Immersed – Music for Mayyim Hayyim Lyrics
Gathering the Waters International Mikveh Conference
Page 3 of 4
NISHMAT KOL CHAI
Lyrics by Anita Diamant and Peri Smilow
© 2007 Peri Smilow 2005 (BMI)
signofthed@aol.com
www.FreedomMusicProject.com
Verse 1:
If my mouth was filled with song
Like the ocean tide is strong
If my tongue could but give praise
Like the roaring of the waves
Verse 2:
If my ears were tuned to hear
The Heavenly music of the spheres
If my heart could rise and reach
Like the crashing on the beach (Chorus)
Chorus:
It would never, ever be enough
There could never, ever be enough
We will never ever say enough
To thank you, amen.
(last time – We thank you – amen)
Bridge:
So let us praise and let us shout
Breathing in and singing out
Hear the joyful noise of voices
Joined in song
For the gifts that came before us
And for all those yet to come
We thank you,
Amen. (return to Verse 1)
Kavanah
By Peri Smilow
© 2007 Peri Smilow 2005 (BMI)
Based on the kavanot of Mayyim Hayyim
1.
Hineini b'tzelem Elohim
N'kavim, n'kavim
nishmati t'hora hi
2.
Baruch Atah Adonai
Wonderous source of healing
Baruch Atah Adonai
We thank you and praise your name
3.
Oh God this body is all that I have
May I be blessed to sing Your song
Ilu Finu
By Craig Taubman
© 2007 Craig Taubman
1-818-760-1077 or 1-800-6CRAIG8
info@craignco.com
www.craignco.com
Ilu finu male shira kayam, ulshonenu rina kahamon galav
If our mouths were filled with song as the sea, our tongues with exultation as the masses of its waves
!
Immersed – Music for Mayyim Hayyim Lyrics
Gathering the Waters International Mikveh Conference
Page 4 of 4