Jewish Sexuality dot Com

The Baal Shem Tov revealed to his students that it was due to his mikvah immersions that he attained his transcendental levels of holiness. And even though it is also said that he attained his exalted stature due to his fervent praying, both explanations are true, for it is precisely the purification of the mikvah that brought an awesome holiness to his prayers.
Since it is the beginning of Shovavim when we are engaging in tshuva and spiritual purification from sexual sins, it is a fitting time to remember the powerful purifying powers of a mikvah. In doing so, we will draw from the fountains of insights found in the wonderful book, “Waters of Eden,” written by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, may his memory be for a blessing.
 

Introduction

by Tzvi Fishman

As we have previously written in the essay, “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf,” that while repentance is always accepted before G-d, the 10 days of t'shuva between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and the period of “Shovavim” (the 6 straight weeks starting with parshat Shemot) are especially propitious times to atone for sexual transgressions. To help readers, we have translated a powerful penitential prayer composed by the renowned Torah scholar, Rabbi Aharon Rota, of blessed memory, author of the classic works, “Taharat HaKodesh” and “Shomer Emunim.”

This prayer and the learning that precedes it are designed to cleanse a person of sexual transgressions, known as blemishes to the Brit. These transgressions, including the spilling of semen in vain (masturbation), pre-marital sex, sexual relations with non-Jews, relations with a woman in her “niddah” menstrual period, adultery, improper relations with one’s wife, including premature ejaculation, forbidden incestuous relations, and the like, all of these are also known as blemishes to the “Yesod.”

Among the many things which we learn in the Torah portion of “Vayetze” is the importance of guarding our sexual lives. The Zohar teaches that the ladder which Yaacov Avinu saw in his dream represented the sefirah of “Yesod” which is associated with the site of the brit milah and our sexual lives. This is what led Yaacov to exclaim, “How awesome is this place!” upon awakening from his dream. But to properly explain this crucial understanding, a short introduction is needed for people who may be unfamiliar with the language of the Kabbalah.