Torah Portion: Metzora
“ורחץ את בשרו במים…” (ויקרא יד ט)
It is a positive commandment that we immerse in the waters of a mikvah and then we will become purified from whatever type of tum’ah we were contaminated, as it is written, he shall immerse his flesh in water (Vayikra 14:9). And although Scripture does not specify the amount of water, our Sages received the tradition that the person is required to immerse in the quantity of water that one’s entire body could enter at once. Our Sages gave this amount as forty Se’ah. This is the quantity of water for a mikvah.
Among the roots of this mitzvah is that immersion is a message to the person who became contaminated, that he needs to clean his soul of all sin, just as the nature of water cleanses all items that are washed in it.
This commandment of immersion applies in all places and at all times, to both men and women, for it is a mitzvah upon them to immerse in water when they wish to become purified from their contamination.
