tevilah

Tevilah is a ritual immersion in water in Judaism. The term comes from Hebrew and denotes the act of achieving ritual purity (taharah) through immersion. The central setting for tevilah is the mikveh, a pool designed for ritual use, which holds a prescribed amount of water drawn from natural sources or rainwater. For a tevilah to be valid, the individual must be completely submerged, with the water contacting all parts of the body.

Purposes and contexts of tevilah include several distinct uses. In the laws of family purity, women observe immersion after a period of ritual impurity associated with menstruation (niddah) before resuming certain marital relations. Converts to Judaism typically undergo tevilah as part of the conversion process, usually in the presence of a rabbinic court. Tevilat keilim refers to the ritual immersion of utensils and objects that will be used for holy purposes or kitchen use in certain traditions. Some communities also practice tevilah for other purification purposes or spiritual states.

Variations by denomination exist in observance and interpretation. Orthodox Judaism generally requires tevilah in several contexts, including women’s niddah, converts, and, in some cases, utensils. Conservative Judaism uses mikvahs and tevilah as well, with procedures and standards that differ in detail. Reform and other movements may treat tevilah more flexibly, often emphasizing personal autonomy and symbolic meaning over universal practice.

See also: mikveh, taharah, niddah, conversion to Judaism, tevilat keilim.