The Chabad Mikvah in Gaithersburg, MD, under the leadership of Rabbi Sholom Raichik, replaced the Mei Geshomim in the Mikvah Boros with fresh clean rainwater from the Otzer Mei Geshomim. This was done in accordance with the directive of the Rebbe Rashab.
This past winter, the Mikvah started refilling the reserve Otzer with fresh Mei Geshomim, in preparation to change the Mikvah’s Mei Geshomim Boros.
After the Otzer filled to capacity with new, fresh rainwater, they emptied, washed, cleaned, and sanitized the Mei Geshomim Boros in the Mikvah; the Bor Hatachton, and the Bor Min Hatzad. The Boros were dried using electric heaters and fans. They then refilled them with fresh rainwater from the Otzer.
As the Chabad Mikvah in Gaithersburg MD, has a separate Otzer of Mei Geshomim, this process was done without any downtime for the Mikvah. The Mikvah was fully opened that night to serve its clientele.
Mikvhos without an Otzer Mei Geshomim have to be shut down and wait for new rainwater, which can take weeks or months to accomplish.
“This process of changing the Mei Geshomim in the Boros is being done as per the directives and guidelines of the Rebbe Rashab, that the rainwater in the Mikvah Boros has to be changed every year. This is the way the Rebbe Rashab managed the original Chabad Mikvah in Rostov, Russia over 104 years ago,” Rabbi Raichik told COLlive.
The Following Chabad Rabbonim, renowned Mikvah experts, concur with this approach, that the Mei Geshomim has to be changed yearly, in order to categorize your Mikvah, as per the directives and guidelines of the Rebbe Rashab:
Harav Eli Landau (son of Harav Yaakov Landau a”h, Chief Rabbi of Bnai Brak, who supervised the building of the original Chabad Mikvah in Rostov, Russia)
Harav Berel Levine, Head Librarian of The Rebbe’s Library, author of סדר תיקוני מקוואות לפי תקנת רבותינו נשיאינו and many Halachik Seforim.
Harav Yosef Yitzchok Feigelstock, Rov of Kehilas Chabad Lubavitch, Argentina. See: קונטרס תורת טבלין חלק ג
Vaad Rabbonie Chabad of Eretz Yisroel.
As done previously, the Mikvah Retained the Services of Mikvah International under the leadership of Elozor Raichik, to ensure that changing the Mei Geshomim in the Boros is done to the highest standard of Halacha למהדרין מן המהדרין, the proper way a Mikvah should function.
Elozor Raichik of Mikvah International and Harav Alexander Shlomo Pollack a world-renowned Mikvah Expert (author of the Sefer מי שלמה על הלכות מקוואות), traveled to the Chabad Mikvah in Gaithersburg, MD. They Inspected and ensured that the seals they previously placed on the Otzer and all adjacent rooms associated with the Otzer where intact and not tampered with.
Then they climbed into the Boros and ensured the Boros were 100% bone dry.
When they were satisfied everything was in proper Halachik order. The Otzer plugs were removed and fresh Mei Geshomim flowed into the Mikvah Boros. The stored Mei Geshomim in the Otzer was 100% crystal clear. The actual Mei Geshomim filling took approximately 90 minutes.
“The reserve Otzer is now refilling with Fresh Mei Geshomim, and Bezr”Ha, next year the Mikvah will be repeating this process and replacing the Mei Geshomim in the Mikvah Boros, To ensure the Mikvah conforms to the directives and guidelines of the Rebbe Rashab,” Rabbi Raichik told COLlive.
