About This Ritual
I created these kavanot after searching for Jewish mikveh resources specific to donor embryo transfer and finding almost nothing. This is a path that brings its own emotional and spiritual landscape. There’s gratitude for the donors who are making this possible, grief over genetic connection, and hope layered with the particular uncertainties of this journey.
Donor embryo sits in a unique space in the fertility world. It’s not IVF with your own eggs, it’s not traditional adoption, and the existing mikveh rituals – while beautiful – didn’t quite speak to this specific experience of receiving the gift of potential life from someone else’s journey to parenthood.
These blessings guide you through three ritual immersions, each with its own kavanah: releasing what you had hoped for, opening yourself to what may come, and expressing gratitude for reaching this moment. The structure follows traditional mikveh practice while honoring the complexity of building family through donor embryo.
How to Use This Ritual
These kavanot are designed for mikveh visits timed with your fertility treatment cycle.
You can use them exactly as written, or adapt the kavanot to reflect your own feelings and hopes. The bracketed section in the first kavanah (“[add other thoughts/feelings as needed]”) invites you to name what you specifically need to release.
Water and Waiting: Mikveh Blessings for Donor Embryo for those walking this path with a partner
Kavanah for letting go as you enter the waters
As I enter these healing waters, I leave behind me the loss of specific hopes and dreams, the guilt over jealousy, the pain of disappointment, [add other thoughts/feelings as needed].
As I enter these healing waters, I leave behind me the loss of specific hopes and dreams, the guilt over jealousy, the pain of disappointment, [add other thoughts/feelings as needed].
I come here to the waters in prayer and hope of conceiving a child through donor embryo.
Take your first immersion
Blessing for Immersion
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קְדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל הַטְּבִילָה
Barukh Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam asher kid-shanu b’mitzvo-tav v’tzi-vanu al ha-tevilah
Blessed are You, Adonai, Ruler of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with the mitzvot and commanded us concerning immersion
Kavanah of opening yourself up to opportunities.
As I reenter these waters, I invite myself to receive the gift of potential life from the donors of the embryo that they no longer need on their journey to parenthood. I open myself to the joy of possibility, the readiness and wisdom of my body to know what it can handle, the hopes for a future family with [partner’s name], the courage to trust in this path we’ve chosen together, and the strength to hold hope alongside uncertainty.
As I reenter these waters, I invite myself to receive the gift of potential life from the donors of the embryo that they no longer need on their journey to parenthood. I open myself to the joy of possibility, the readiness and wisdom of my body to know what it can handle, the hopes for a future family with [partner’s name], the courage to trust in this path we’ve chosen together, and the strength to hold hope alongside uncertainty.
Take your second immersion
Shema
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃
Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Ekhad
Hear, O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One
Kavanah of gratitude for what may come
As I immerse myself for this final time today, I am grateful for the opportunity to feel wholeness in my body, for the donors that generously give so much of themselves, for my supportive partner on this journey, for the medical team guiding us, for this sacred moment of preparation, and for the faith that carries me forward into whatever comes next.
As I immerse myself for this final time today, I am grateful for the opportunity to feel wholeness in my body, for the donors that generously give so much of themselves, for my supportive partner on this journey, for the medical team guiding us, for this sacred moment of preparation, and for the faith that carries me forward into whatever comes next.
Take your third immersion
Shehekheyanu
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Barukh Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam she-hekhe-yanu, ve-ki-y’manu, ve-higi-yanu la-z’man ha-zeh
Blessed are You, Adonai, Ruler of the Universe, Who has kept us alive and sustained us, and enabled us to reach this day
