הטביל בו את המטה: אף על פי שרגליה שוקעו בטיט הכבה טהורה מפני שהמים מקדמין.
מקוה שמימיו מרדדין: כובש אפילו חבילי עצים, אפילו חבילי קנים – כדי שיתפחו המים ויורד וטובל.
מחט שהיא נתונה על מעלות המערה: היה מולך ומביא במים – כיון שעבר עליה הגל טהורה.
One who immersed within it a bed, even though its legs are sunken in the thick mud – it is Tahor, since the waters preceded.
A Mikva whose waters are spread out [shallow]; one may press even bundles of wood, even bundles of reeds – in order that the waters swell – and one descends and immerses.
A needle which is placed on the steps of the cave; one was pushing and pulling in the water – once the waves passes over it, it is Tahor.[i]
Sewing Divinity
- A needle which is placed on the steps of the cave; one was pushing and pulling in the water – once the waves passes over it, it is Tahor.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe wrote[ii] as follows:
And it is appropriate to explain what I [the Rebbe] heard from my father (at length) [explaining] the Mishna (Mikva’os end of Chp. 7) [about] ‘A needle which is placed on the steps of the cave; one was pushing and pulling in the water – once the waves passes over it, it is Tahor.’
There are many descriptive names to the soul, and ‘based on its actions it is called’[1]. Fundamentally, the purpose for its [the soul’s] descent [to this world] is to connect that which exceedingly low with that which is exceedingly high (and therefore the formation of the body of the Adam was different[2] etc. as is explained in the Ĉassidic discussions in Torah Or and elsewhere). This is the action of a needle which sews and connects – that there should be a revelation below as it is above (see Likutei Torah at the end of the discussion titled ויקח קורח). And how does it [the soul] arrive at this level, which is greater than prior to its descent to this world – that is by means of the immersion if the ‘many waters’[iii], which are the bothers during the time of exile (which is explained at length in [the Ĉassidic discourse] titled מים רבים of Parshas Noaĉ in Likutei Torah and elsewhere). And even though this descent[3] is great – a deep pit, a cave, even so it is for the need of the ascent, the steps[4] of the cave. The means of the immersion [of the needle / soul] is by means of מוליך ומביא – pushing and pulling; רצוא ושוב and not existing dependent on one[5], both in one’s service in Torah and Mitzvos, and also in the aspects of the material world. And then there is the proof that he is not subjugated to the nature of his body (along that which is written in Torah Or in the explanation of מים רבים of Parshas Toldos, Chp. 4. See also Rambam הלכות דעות Chp. 1-2 and in the commentaries there) since the wave has passed over him (the word גל is from the term in the verse[iv] כל משבריך וגליך עלי עברו. See also Gem. Yevamos 121a[6]) he is Tahor – similar that which is explained concerning the greatness about the state of Taharah in the discourse in Likutei Torah titled ה’ לי בעוזרי Chp. 5 “And also, that in the soul this concept is also applicable etc.” see there.
And perhaps we can say that specifically those who went into exile – [the Hebrew word for exile גולה, shares the same root as the Hebrew word for a wave] גל – after exile, he was stricken doubly[v] – in accordance with the saying of our sages of blessed memory (Beraishis Rabba end of Chp. 44) that Avraham refined kingdoms. This is easy to understand. Whose reward is a doubled comfort (which is explained in Likutei Torah in the discourse titled שוש אשיש end of Chp. 3, in the discourse נחמו start of Chp. 9, 5670 and 5672) elsewhere).
Nullifying Emotional Branches and Reeds
- A Mikva whose waters are spread out [shallow]; one may press even bundles of wood, even bundles of reeds – in order that the waters swell – and one descends and immerses.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe wrote[vi] as follows:
And to conclude with words of Torah, in continuation for that which was written in my previous letter, what I [the Rebbe] heard from my father teacher whose memory is a blessing, and about the explanation of the Mishna (Mikva’os end of Chp. 7) ‘A needle which is placed etc.’ in accordance with Ĉassidic teachings.
It is possible to say, in my humble opinion, an explanation in the preceding case in ones service [to G‑d] and in accordance with Ĉassidic teachings (and it is appropriate to add comments about this)
- [The phrase] יורד וטובל is superfluous.[7]
- Why do we need to state both examples of ‘bundles of wood’ and ‘bundles of reeds’
- The use of the word ‘bundles’ the second time is superfluous.[8]
We can answer in short: the waters of the Mikva is that which renders Tahor, generally that is the concept of proper meditation, as the Rambam writes at the end of the laws of Mikva’os[vii], ‘Immersion from Tum’ah is generally one of the חוקים.[9] Nevertheless, there is a hint to this… and brings his soul into the waters of knowledge, etc.’ Since טבילה – immersion has the same letters as הביטול – the nullification; as in the nullification which comes as an outcome of the meditation, the “and therefore” of it. See the Siddur at the end of [the Ĉassidic discourse] titled כונתה מקוה. And [the immersion] must be in water that the entire body can rise from. And even with a spring, that is the law.[10] Because if not – if part of the body was not covered by the [‘waters’], then this is proof that the nullification was not a true nullification.[11]
Now, [quoting the Mishna] ‘A Mikva whose waters are spread out [shallow]’; this means there is sufficient water, but nevertheless the entire body is not covered by them. And especially, if he immerses his feet, his head remains uncovered – or the opposite, or if he immerses laying down, his right side is covered and his left remains uncovered – or the opposite.
Because generally a person has two services; studying and action. There are people who understand with a personally good intellect, but he is unable to stand up to himself, to overcome his desires in practical action. Or the opposite, one who is cold by nature[12] but he is free in his knowledge. And there are those for whom the service of doing goodness, ‘the right draws close’, is easy – and he is unable to withstand a test of avoiding evil ‘the left pushes away’, or the opposite – similar to when it came time to give the Torah, the descendants of Yishmael did not want to accept the prohibition of לא תנאף – do not engage in forbidden relationships, and the descendants of Esav did not want to the accept the prohibition of לא תרצח – do not murder. And since the meditation is not on its own lacking, as the ‘water’ has the correct amount – but nevertheless, his body is not fully covered, he is not nullified. Therefore, we must say[13] that he is missing the component of “accepting the yoke”. Therefore, not only (as per ר”ש and רא”ש) that by means of stones (inanimate, which have no haughtiness etc., and are placed and silent[viii] – ‘acceptance of the yoke[ix]) which must be placed in the water (mixed with the meditation) that enables him to immerse and be rendered Tahor, but also by means placing bundles of wood – which grow, representing the emotions as in the precedence of the service of Love and Fear to G‑dliness. However, doing so must be by means of bundling specifically, because a single emotive attribute will not be victorious against the Evil Inclination. What is required is that ‘all the flocks gather’[x] (as is explained in Likutei Torah in the explanation of the וידעת at the beginning).
Furthermore, since the mind rules the heart, and the meditation in the mind has not worked, therefore one must press on them stones (see ר”ש, רע”ב) on the Love and Fear – to mix into the emotions the ‘acceptance of the yoke’. Because if not, the intellect will bend them also, as is its way.
Accordingly, the word כובש – press used in the Mishna is sweetly [explained] because the pressing is also fundamental[14].
And the Tana is not simply providing a good bit of advice on how to go about that the water should be gathered. This is easy to understand.
And now, there are two methods [of rendering] emotions [subservient] based on their source: א) by means of meditating on G-d’s transcendence of all worlds, the hidden world, ב) by means of meditation on G-d prevalence in all worlds, the revealed world.
And based on what they are א) emotional attributes of תהו, ב) emotional attributes of תיקון.[15]
And this is the difference between a reed (soft like a reed, which is hollow on the interior, and it fundamentally grows by means of the water. See the explanations on the Zohar Parshas Pikudei the discourse titled ולזמנין) and plain wood.
Since there is aspects of one not present in the other, which is explained in many places (see also the discourse titled לעולם יהא רך כקנה תשג”ה) therefore the Mishna utilizes both terms חבילי עצים או חבילי קנים – bundles of wood or bundles of reeds.
And that which will help this service mentioned above, because there is a need for this concept, since one is suspect about himself etc. he must descend – he must tamper [with his nature] and descend from his coarseness – and then the sovereign Mishna assures [the result will be] and immerse – the letters of nullification.
On the Precedence of Water
- One who immersed within it the bed, even though its legs are sunken in the thick mud – it is Tahor, since the waters preceded.
On the occasion of my grandfather’s passing, my father concluded that the first clause in the Mishna had not been explained by the Rebbe. He therefore offered the following explanation:
A מטה – bed shares a root in Hebrew with the concept of מטה – tribe and turning aside. There are some Jews who for whatever reason, life has turned them aside from their path in Torah true Judaism. And they find themselves sunken in the thick mud, the mire of the immoral materialistic world. Not that their hearts and mind are sunken, only their legs are, as they remain connected above.
One might think that such people are not able to immerse and render themselves Tahor, since while they are immersing themselves they simultaneously find their legs sunken in the thick mud.
Nevertheless, the Mishna rules they are Tahor, because the waters preceded. Such people are either born into Jewish homes in which they grew up immersed in the waters of Torah. Or they might be people who only belong to the tribe of those who grew up immersed in Torah. Either way, the Waters preceded, and the entirety of who they are, even the parts currently sunken in the thick mud, are Tahor.
[1] Similar to the names of G-d, which are not personal names, but rather are adjectives describing how G-d is interacting with the world. See Midrashim on Shemos where Moshe asks G-d to relay to him which name he is appearing to the Jewish people with.
[2] Unlike the other creatures who were formed body and soul simultaneously, G-d created the Adam differently: first he formed the body out of the earth and then ‘breathed’ a soul into it. See Midrashim on Beraishis.
[3] The soul’s descent to this world, mirroring the person’s descent into the ‘many waters’ of the Mikva.
[4] The Hebrew word for steps מעלות is also the word for heights
[5] The Rebbe is referring to the verse [Yeĉezkel 1:14] והחיות רצוא ושוב on which Kabala and Ĉassidus [Tanya] explain that service to G-d is not static. Instead, it requires the dual desire to draw close, and the discipline to return to one’s place. Pushing oneself to draw close and pulling light down into this world. Tanya likens this to the service of Love [drawing close] and Fear [moving away] – and states that both are required, or one is like an angel with only one wing, unable to properly ascend.
[6] Where the Gemara discusses the following:
a man was assumed to have drowned in the swamp, and Rav Sheila allowed the wife to remarry. Rav wanted to place Rav Sheira under excommunication, since no one witnessed the drowning. Shmuel instead suggested sending a series of questions to Rav Sheila which would reveal the basis for his ruling:
- They initially sent him the following question: If a person falls into ‘endless’ [where the opposite shore is not visible] water [and doesn’t visibly emerge – is his wife forbidden or permitted. Response: She is forbidden [since he could have emerged unwitnessed on the other side].
- They sent a follow up question: Regarding the swamp of Samkei; is that considered ‘endless’ or not. Response: It is endless.
- Finally, they asked: Why then did you rule as you did. Response: I made a mistake. I thought since the waters were stagnant, it was as if they had an end. But that is not the case, since there are waves, we can say that the waves carried him [and therefore his wife should be forbidden until one can identify his body].
Shmuel then quoted about Rav the verse [Mishlei 12:21] לא יאונה לצדיק כל און – no inadvertent sin shall befall the righteous – as Rashi explains, Rav had been prevented from accidentally excommunicating Rav Sheila who had already recanted the erroneous ruling. And Rav then quoted about Shmuel the verse [Mishlei 11:14] ותשועה ברוב יועץ – salvation lies in much counsel. The salvation Rav experienced was due to the counsel of Shmuel [and by implication not because Rav accepted he deserved the protection of the righteous promised in the verse quoted by Shmuel].
The Gemara thus notes that waves carry a person – in addition to performing the immersion of the needle. Thus, while the soul is immersed in elevating this world, the ‘many waters’ also serve to carry the soul and prevent it from dying. And, as Shmuel continued – even inadvertent transgressions are prevented. And as Rav continued, salvation comes from seeking counsel from the Torah and its sages.
[7] One can read the clause in the Mishna as explaining how to properly gather the waters of a shallow Mikva, whose purpose is obviously so that a person can immerse therein.
[8] The Mishna could have written ‘bundles of wood or reeds.’ In addition to the general question about why Torah uses the phrasing and terminology it does, these questions are particularly pointed when it comes to Mishna, which was written to be as concise and easy to memorize as possible. Adding extra words only made the task more difficult, and thus we are forced to examine the usage of every word and phrase in light of why those words and phrases are absolutely required in order to convey the full scope of meaning intended.
[9] Laws with no attributed reasoning.
[10] Unlike a Mikva made of rainwater, a spring has no minimum amount needed. With one caveat; there must be sufficient spring water so that the entirety of the person / object is immersed.
[11] One cannot be truly nullified if part of the person is held back in reserve.
[12] Not inflamed with passions
[13] Since we cannot conclude that it is a particular aspect of service which is lacking, since the person can immerse and single component. What he lacks is only the ability to immerse all of himself in his entirety. Immersion of the entirety of the person, where all components are equally treated, only comes about with קבלת עול – acceptance of the yoke of Heaven’s sovereignty.
[14] Halaĉically, if the bundles are not compressed, that will not force the water to gather into a single location for immersion. Furthermore, water caught in the bundles, if not compressed, could conceivably be considered ‘drawn water’, which cannot be combined with the remaining water, if the remaining water was not of sufficient volume.
[15] A discussion on the difference between these Kabbalistic concepts is far beyond the scope of this work. For our purposes, we will describe תהו as chaotic as every emotion has the ability to overcome all other aspects. While תיקון is an orderly group of emotions which can harmonize and bend their natures to serve the greater purpose of the individual.
[i] Mishna Mikva’os 7:7
[ii] Letter 179 – כ”ג טבת תש”ה
[iii] Shir HaShirim 8:7. See also other verses which use this term with similar hidden meaning including: Tehillim 93:4, 29:3, Yeĉezkel 1:24, Tehillim 32:6, 107:23, Bamidbar 24:7. See also the Maharash’s famous מאמר starting with מים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות את האהבה.
[iv] Tehillim 42:8
[v] See Yeshaya 40:2 where the prophet comforts the Jewish people for having been double struck by G-d for their sins. The word כפלים – doubled appears only one other time in Tanaĉ [Iyov 11:6] ויגד לך תעלמות חכמה כי כפלים לתושיה – and he will tell you the secrets of wisdom for salvation is doubled.
[vi] Letter 191 – כ”א מנחם אב תש”ה
[vii] מקואות 11:12
[viii] Tehillim 131:1-2
[ix] See Zohar Mishpatim 143-144
[x] Beraishis 29:3 paraphrased