Mikve, Babies #57

Rabbi Lipszyc's Story of the week #57. Decidated in Honor of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Mikvah Miracles (told by Leah) One day I got a call from a young woman, we’ll call her Sara, who was married to a man very much her senior.  She had just given birth to a son, and they had decided to start keeping the laws of Family Purity.  Sara told me that the night she called was the night she could go to the mikvah, and could I please take her the first time?  I asked if she knew the laws involved, and had made the required internal inspections to ascertain that she was able to immerse in the mikvah, and she replied that she did not.  I suggested that we meet that afternoon to start learning the laws, she could check herself that evening, and I would gladly take her the following week.  She told me to come to their restaurant, and we could learn there, as it was quiet in the afternoon. Not an hour passed, when I got another call. Let’s call the second woman Diane.  She had been in shul on Shavuos and had been very impressed when the men stayed up learning all night, and then immersed in the ocean (as a mikvah) at the crack of dawn.  She found it to be very spiritually uplifting, and started reading about mikvah.  She loved the idea that a woman could immerse in the mikvah monthly.  “Tonight is the night I can go to the mikvah!  Will you please take me tonight, Leah?”  This was really amazing.  This never happened to me before or since.  Diane had also not prepared properly, so I invited her to joine with Sara and we would learn the applicable laws. “Oh,” said Diane, “I’ll come over and learn the laws.  But I’m still going to go to the mikvah tonight, and next month I’ll do it the right way!”  Hmmmm…. not a very good idea…. We met, and started learning, over bowls of delicious soup, and I gave them the cloths they would need.  I kept explaining to Diane that she really couldn’t go until the following week, but she was adamant.  “You don’t understand,” she said.  “I desperately want another baby.  My only child is already three years old.  Tonight is the only night I can become pregnant!”  “Why is that?” I queried. “Tonight is my father’s yahrtzeit,” she explained.  “I became pregnant with Melanie on my father’s yahrtzeit, and I know this is my last chance to become pregnant again!” “I’m going to take Melanie with me tonight, and go to the mikvah.  And then I’ll go again next week.”  Nothing I said would get her to budge from her stand.  Finally, as she was walking out the door, in desperation I blurted out two things.  First I asked her why she was doing this…  Did she want to do what she wanted, or what Hashem wanted?”  Then (and till today I cannot believe I said this, but I guess I was “fertile Myrtle” so I thought everyone who used the mikvah would be the same,) I said to her “Diane – do it the way Hashem wants, and I promise you – if you don’t become pregnant next week, you will become pregnant next month!”  Oh my goodness!  What on earth had I done?!  Well, Diane left, saying that she was still going to the mikvah that night.  In those days, since it was not halachically permitted to immerse without having made the proper preparations, I called the balanit at the mikvah and told her that she should know that if a lady comes to the mikvah that night with her three year old daughter, she should know that she cannot immerse.  (Nowadays there is a different philosophy.  If a woman would be in that situation, she could immerse without saying a brocha.  Hopefully, she would have a good experience, and would return the following months to keep the mitzvah properly.) Then I immediately contacted the Rebbe, apologizing for what I had done, and asking for a brocho for Diane to become pregnant in the merit of her (hopefully) taking on the mitzvah of Family Purity.  We met two more times, and the following week, the two women went to the mikvah. Well, what do you know?!  As we learn in chassidus, words from the heart enter the heart.”  At the time, I just know that she did indeed become pregnant, and gave birth to another lovely baby, named Talia.  Several years ago, I went to Miami for a chasuna, and met Diane again.  We spoke, and she told me the rest of the story.  Somehow, my words had indeed reached her.  She did not go to the mikvah that night.  Instead, she made her “transition to purity.”  As I said, the following Thursday night, she went.  The following Sunday her husband came home and dropped a bombshell on her.  “I’m leaving!”  Ami said.  He packed a bag and left.  He went to Atlantic City, planning on gambling with a friend.  But when he got there, his friend said that he was going to the Lubavitcher Rebbe for “dollars” and a brocho, and Ami could come along with him.  Ami went.  When his turn came to stand face to face with the Rebbe, the Rebbe gave him a dollar and a brocho, but didn’t let go of the dollar right away.  First he said to Ami “Go home to your wife now.”  B”H Ami went home, and is stil together with Diane. The week Diane went to the mikvah was the “wrong time” for her to bcome pregnant.  I also found out that she was well into her forties at the time.  But the mitzvah she did, and the brocho from the Rebbe resulted in her giving birth to the child she so desired! The story isn’t over.  Diane attended a non-orthodox synagogue.  She was in contact with many women there who were having fertility issues.  She told many women over the years that if they would keep the laws of Family Purity properly, they would also have children, and I believe they did. When Talia was in high school, she had a boyfriend.  They were planning on getting married shortly after graduation, when suddenly and tragically he passed away.  She was heartbroken and distraught.  She felt she needed to leave Miami and go to a totally different environment.  She had heard about a Jewish school in Yerushalayim, and she and Diane travelled there together.  They visited the school, but they refused to admit her because she was a month short of 17 years old.  Diane said “I can’t just hang around here for a month till your birthday! Let’s just find another school!”  They heard that in Tzfat there was a school called Machon Alta.  They went there, and she was welcomed with open arms.  Talia loved Machon Alta and grew in her Yiddishkeit by leaps and bounds.  Soon afterwards Melanie joined her, and the sisters are now B”H fully observant and Chabad.  Diane also grew. Her house is fully kosher and shomer Shabbos.  She desired to start wearing a sheitle to cover her hair as Jewish women do after marriage, and amazingly she won a beautiful wig!  Ami also has grown in his Yiddishkeit.  The story that began with a brocho and a dip in the mikvah ended with a family that totally grew and became Torah observant! To receive Rabbi Lipszyc's Story of the week via Whatsapp add the number 513-456-7595 to your phone contacts, and then send a text to with the message "Join".  Support Rabbi Lipszyc's work by Donating at https://chabadcrimeaorg.clhosting.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/2511910/jewish/Crisis-Relief/lang/en or sending checks to: Chabad of Crimea World Friends, 1601 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11213

1