Ask a Yoetzet
Golda Koschitzky Hotline
By Dr. Deena Zimmerman
Jewish law requires that a woman’s immersion in the mikveh be supervised by another woman. The main role of the mikveh attendant is to assure that all the woman’s hair has gone under water, since an incomplete immersion would not be halachically valid. The attendant’s presence is also a safety feature to prevent any mishaps in the water. However, there are several halachic solutions available for women who do not feel comfortable with the common arrangement.
The key to preventing cases that involve the police, is communication. Many mikveh attendants are aware of the need to make exceptions and, if they do not know the rules themselves, have supervising rabbis with whom they can consult. If a woman does not succeed in having this conversation directly with the local mikveh attendant, she can contact a yoetzet halacha for assistance in working out alternative solutions.
Yoatzot have worked with many women with reasons for wanting to immerse alone. In fact, such a question from a woman following a mastectomy led to the publication of the article Halakhic Issues Presented by Breast Cancer in Tradition.
Yoatzot halacha, who speak Hebrew and English, can be reached at Nishmat’s Golda Koschitzky Women’s Halachic Hotline. Yoatzot can also be reached through the Ask a Yoetzet service of Nishmat’s Women’s Health and Halacha website, available in English, Hebrew, French, and Spanish.
Yoatzot halacha are also available in many communities in Israel, North America, and England. Click here for a directory of yoatzot halacha outside Israel.
For additional information on this topic, please see the articles and Q&A’s posted on our website:
Q&A’s:
My hair is very short. Why do I need a mikveh attendant?
May I immerse without an attendant?
Will the mikveh attendant see me undressed? and a similar question
What is the primary role of the mikveh attendant?
Special thanks to Yoetzet Halacha Ilana Sober Elzufon for her contribution
