עברית
Women
Does a Divorced Woman Need to Immerse in a Mikvah?
Question
My question is as follows: Since I am divorced, is there a need to immerse like every woman after her menstrual cycle, or is that not obligatory? And if I have not immersed until now and wish to start, how can I know when to go? Should I wait a week and go or on the day I decided to begin? Thank you very much.
Answer
Greetings, Divorced women do not need to immerse in a mikvah, and it is also forbidden for them to immerse in a mikvah as long as they are not married (see responsa of the Riva”sh, section 86, as quoted in the Beit Yosef Yoreh De'ah at the end of section 147). The She'elat Ya'avetz (pages 116-119) states in the name of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef zt”l, that it is strictly prohibited for single women, as well as divorced, widowed, and unmarried women, to immerse in a mikvah in any form, as long as they are not married according to the law and proper way. Although there are rabbis who send single women and the like to immerse for the sake of a segulah (a spiritual remedy) or for the sake of purity, it should be made known that there is no basis for these claims, and it is a transgression to cause complications and difficulties in the matter. The mikvah attendants should be careful and warn against immersing single women and the like.
Best regards, Hillel Meirs
