MIKVEH
FOR MEN
The Origins of the Mikveh Ordinance
Ezra the Scribe instituted that men should immerse in a mikveh for purification before Torah study and prayer. Today, the Shulchan Aruch rules that this ordinance is no longer in effect. Nevertheless, the widespread custom is to immerse in a mikveh before Shacharit, in order to add greater purity and refine the soul.
How the Men's Mikveh Was Established
In 2005, as part of a rabbinical ordination program held at the Chabad House, the need arose for a proper men's mikvah for the students who customarily immersed daily. Since there was no suitable facility available, it was decided to establish a new mikvah for men. Construction moved forward despite numerous challenges. Ultimately, with the blessing of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the mikvah was inaugurated on Hoshana Rabbah in 2010 and opened to the general public. The mikvah meets the highest standards of halachic requirements, and its waters are natural rainwater brought especially from the Andes Mountains.