My Conversion Story Journal

May 8, 2025

Tonight I went to a women's event about the mikvah. Though it seemed more of a pep talk to encourage married women to use the mikvah, I did still learn a few things. There are women that have asked me questions that I didn't know the answer to. I never felt it was my place to ask, because the questions would have to be asked in a way that no one would know who I was asking the questions for. Then there is the possibility that I don't see the person for a while, and it would be just a weird thing to bring up randomly in a conversation. So, I never asked. I do still have questions, but again it is because of other people asking me and not because the situation applies to me.

There was a woman who was no longer menstruating and was divorced. She never used the mikvah even after having kids. She wondered if she was able to use it just once as a spiritual cleansing. I told her that from what I understood she could and that she should talk to one of the rabbis to see if she can do that.

I learned tonight that the one last trip was encouraged because it still brought blessings upon your children for generations.

I still have questions, but not because any of them actually apply to me. I don't even know if there was a real point in me going to the event to hear the speaker about the mikvah. I don't know that I will ever actually use one. I'm not currently married or even dating anyone. Who knows if I ever will even after my conversion is complete?

I have heard that the mikvah has special healing powers. That women get more out of it than just being able to have sex with their husband. It's so much more of a spiritual cleansing. There is one question that I would like to know the answer to more out of curiosity and concern. I think about all of the women who lost their husbands during war. Once you become a widow, does that mean you no longer get to go to the mikvah?

I just can't imagine these women who are going to the mikvah to be observant and bring blessings on their families only to lose their husbands and the one mitzvah that meant so much to them. It hurts my heart to think of the amount of loss, both physically and spiritually.

I don't know that I need answers to any of my questions. I am only learning for the sake of others right now. Though that isn't a bad thing to do.

I always thought that there was so much more to the mikvah than what I heard tonight. That it was so much more than just going so you can be intimate with your spouse. Although that was a part of it, it was more than that. If women go to bring blessings on their children, then is it only if they went before they had their children or while pregnant with their children? Seems like a waste of a lot of years after that.

I don't know. Maybe the mikvah is just for being intimate with your spouse when you're young enough to have children. Or maybe I just don't understand the purpose of the mikvah yet. But then again, I'm not even sure I'll ever need to.