Q: When does one say the blessing of the immersion (ברכת הטבילה) according to the Mehaber?

According to the Mehaber , she blesses before the act (עובר לעשייתן) . At the moment she removes her clothing and stands in her חלוק (shift) , she says « אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על הטבילה » , then removes the חלוק and immerses . If she did not bless at that moment, she blesses after she has entered the water up to her neck ; and if the water is clear (צלולים) , she stirs it with her foot (עוכרתן ברגליה) — so as not to see her body — and blesses. The exact moment of the ברכה is learned from the balanit, the moret kalla and the Rav.

Q: What do the Rama and the מנהג say, and why bless after the טבילה?

The Rama brings a י״א (יש אומרים) : there are those who say she blesses only after the טבילה — the view of the Tur in the name of the בעל הלכות גדולות (בה״ג) , Rashi and the Ramban — וכן נוהגים (and such is the custom). In practice : after the טבילה , while she is still in the water , she covers herself with her garment or her חלוק (מכסית עצמה) and blesses. The reason : before the טבילה she is still a niddah, and one avoids blessing uncovered ; by blessing afterward, covered, in the water, both the timing and the modesty are resolved. This is the widespread custom, to be followed according to the balanit's conduct and the Rav's ruling.

Q: What is the halachic crux of the siman: עובר לעשייתן versus לבו רואה את הערוה?

The whole siman turns on a tension . On one hand, the principle of עובר לעשייתן requires blessing before performing the mitzvah — hence the position of the Mehaber (to bless in the חלוק, or in the water up to the neck). On the other hand, one does not bless uncovered , because of לבו רואה את הערוה (the heart that sees the nakedness) — hence the position of the בה״ג : to bless after , covered , still in the water. The כיסוי (covering, or stirring the water with the foot when it is clear) resolves the modesty in both practices. The choice of practice (Sephardi : before, in the חלוק ; Ashkenazi : after, covered) is a matter of custom, and each case is settled with the Rav.

Q: Practically, when does one bless at the mikveh, and what if she forgot to bless?

At the mikveh , the Ashkenazi (and Chabad) custom is to bless after the first immersion , while she is covered and still in the water , then to immerse again ; the Sephardi custom is to bless before , in the חלוק (according to the Mehaber). In both cases, the modesty of the ברכה is preserved by the כיסוי (covering) or by the stirred water . If she forgot to bless at the proper moment, the conduct (to bless in the water, up to the neck, covered, or per another guideline) is determined according to the custom, under the guidance of the balanit and the ruling of the Rav . The moret kalla accompanies the kalla for the exact procedure.

Question 1

When does one say the blessing of the immersion (ברכת הטבילה) according to the Mehaber?

Accepted Answer

According to the Mehaber, she blesses before the act (עובר לעשייתן). At the moment she removes her clothing and stands in her חלוק (shift), she says « אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על הטבילה », then removes the חלוק and immerses. If she did not bless at that moment, she blesses after she has entered the water up to her neck ; and if the water is clear (צלולים), she stirs it with her foot (עוכרתן ברגליה) — so as not to see her body — and blesses. The exact moment of the ברכה is learned from the balanit, the moret kalla and the Rav.

Question 2

What do the Rama and the מנהג say, and why bless after the טבילה?

Accepted Answer

The Rama brings a י״א (יש אומרים) : there are those who say she blesses only after the טבילה — the view of the Tur in the name of the בעל הלכות גדולות (בה״ג), Rashi and the Ramban — וכן נוהגים (and such is the custom). In practice : after the טבילה, while she is still in the water, she covers herself with her garment or her חלוק (מכסית עצמה) and blesses. The reason : before the טבילה she is still a niddah, and one avoids blessing uncovered ; by blessing afterward, covered, in the water, both the timing and the modesty are resolved. This is the widespread custom, to be followed according to the balanit's conduct and the Rav's ruling.

Question 3

What is the halachic crux of the siman: עובר לעשייתן versus לבו רואה את הערוה?

Accepted Answer

The whole siman turns on a tension. On one hand, the principle of עובר לעשייתן requires blessing before performing the mitzvah — hence the position of the Mehaber (to bless in the חלוק, or in the water up to the neck). On the other hand, one does not bless uncovered, because of לבו רואה את הערוה (the heart that sees the nakedness) — hence the position of the בה״ג : to bless after, covered, still in the water. The כיסוי (covering, or stirring the water with the foot when it is clear) resolves the modesty in both practices. The choice of practice (Sephardi : before, in the חלוק ; Ashkenazi : after, covered) is a matter of custom, and each case is settled with the Rav.

Question 4

Practically, when does one bless at the mikveh, and what if she forgot to bless?

Accepted Answer

At the mikveh, the Ashkenazi (and Chabad) custom is to bless after the first immersion, while she is covered and still in the water, then to immerse again ; the Sephardi custom is to bless before, in the חלוק (according to the Mehaber). In both cases, the modesty of the ברכה is preserved by the כיסוי (covering) or by the stirred water. If she forgot to bless at the proper moment, the conduct (to bless in the water, up to the neck, covered, or per another guideline) is determined according to the custom, under the guidance of the balanit and the ruling of the Rav. The moret kalla accompanies the kalla for the exact procedure.

Siman 200 — When to Say the Blessing of the Immersion (Birkat haTevilah): Before or After the Tevilah, and the Custom of Blessing Covered in the Water

The 4 levels of study

רמת המתחיל

Basics — Beginner & Intermediate

רמת הלמדן

Lamdan — Talmid Chacham

חזרה וסיכום

Synthesis — Review

דעת הרב

Level 4 — Daat HaRav (Chabad) & Halacha lema'asse

Frequently asked questions — Siman 200