Preserve the memory of your loved one with a plaque on our Yahrzeit Wall. Learn More ->

Search
Close this search box.

Prelude to Mikveh

woman with long hair underwater

Mikvah

Naked and alone I approach the Mikvah
no speck of dirt or trailing hair
between my body and the warm flowing waters.
I pull knees to chest head curled down
a fetal position
the shape of the human heart
Water touches my every cell

The borders of my body become indistinguishable
from molecules of sacred water
As one together, yet cradled and
enveloped by a profound embrace

Hashem that is water
Water that is Hashem
Nourished in his womb
that is her womb
that is the womb of the people Yisrael

Three times I curl around myself
immerse my body into the waters
Once within Hashem, Echad, The Place
Twice within the womb of Shechina
Thrice within the soul of my people Yisrael

Stepping out I cherish the feeling of pressure
the water’s indelible imprint on my skin
The comfort of being completely enveloped and sustained
The joy of feeling at one within myself
held within Hashem

Hashem who is
is יהוה
is was
is is
is always will be
is breath
is ah-ahaaaaaa
is
Emet

Ritualwell content is available for free thanks to the generous support of readers like you! Please help us continue to offer meaningful content with a donation today. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

Join the Ritualwell community to read and discuss examples of hope expressed in writing through song, story, humor and metaphor that will stir you to think about where hope lives within you.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Get the latest from Ritualwell

Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.

The Reconstructionist Network