Why the Soviets Feared the Mikvah

Left: 1,600-year-old mikvah recently discovered in Italy | Right: Modern new mikvah in Moscow, Russia

One of the most powerful chapters in modern Jewish history unfolded in the shadows of the Soviet Union, during decades of Communist repression. Judaism was not merely discouraged—it was systematically targeted for eradication.

Among the many institutions under attack, the mikvah—the ritual bath—stood at the center.

What could be so threatening about a mikvah?

The regime understood something profound: without the mikvah, Jewish family life—and ultimately Jewish continuity—would not survive. That understanding is precisely why they fought so fiercely to destroy it.

And yet—against all odds—it endured.

Members of the Chabad community who remained behind, guided by the Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson and later the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, risked everything to preserve Jewish life. Mikvaot were built in secret, hidden from authorities who knew exactly what was at stake.

But the truest heroism belonged to the women.

Despite constant surveillance, they continued to immerse. Quietly and carefully, they traveled at staggered times to avoid attention. Winters were brutal—freezing temperatures, minimal heat, unreliable water. Discovery could mean interrogation, loss of livelihood—or worse.

And still, they persevered.

In one striking episode, after a mikvah was discovered, authorities threatened to destroy it. In response, Jewish women declared they would lie down at its entrance—physically blocking the bulldozers with their own bodies.

Their courage was extraordinary.

But the regime was relentless. Under cover of night, agents broke in, destroyed the mikvah, filled it with rubble, and sealed it beneath cement—erasing it as if it had never existed.

And yet—they failed.

Because while a building can be destroyed, a people’s commitment cannot.

From Hidden Cellars to Open Sanctuaries

Today, the contrast is almost unimaginable.

In cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg—and even in Siberia—beautiful, modern mikvaot stand openly: bright, dignified, and welcoming. The very places where women once risked everything now celebrate this mitzvah publicly.

Those quiet, often undocumented acts of courage are a large part of why Jewish life continues to flourish there, and around the world, today.

Water at the Beginning

The story of the mikvah, however, begins much earlier.

At a pivotal moment prior to the story of Exodus, baby Moses is placed into the waters of the Nile to hide from the Egyptians—watched over by his sister, Miriam. Batya, Pharaoh’s daughter, comes to bathe, discovers the child, and saves him.

The Talmud teaches that her immersion was not merely physical, but spiritual—her conversion from idolatry to Judaism.

Miriam’s connection to water continues in the desert. In her merit, a miraculous well sustained the Jewish people for forty years—water that provided not only physical survival, but also served as a mikvah for the Jewish women.

The Foundation of Jewish Life

Jewish law teaches something remarkable:

A community must build a mikvah even before building a synagogue or acquiring Torah scrolls.

Because the essence of Judaism begins with the family.

This week’s Torah portion, Tazria–Metzora, highlights the mitzvah of mikvah immersion:

“And if she becomes clean… she shall count for herself seven days, and after this, she may be cleansed.”

Historically, the mikvah served many ritual purity functions for both men and women, especially during Temple times. Today, however, the primary biblical commandment remains for women following menstruation or childbirth, and for converts to Judaism.

Renewal, Not Routine

The cycle of mikvah use profoundly shapes the rhythm of Jewish marital life. Each month, following a period of separation and spiritual preparation—at the conclusion of seven clean days after menstruation—a woman immerses in the mikvah, allowing the couple to reunite physically in a renewed and elevated bond. This cyclical renewal fosters emotional intimacy, appreciation, and spiritual connection.

This rhythm does not create distance—it creates renewal. It deepens emotional connection, strengthens communication, and prevents a relationship from becoming stagnant.

Modern research by therapists, marriage counselors, and medical professionals have shown that periods of refraining from physical intimacy within marriage can strengthen emotional bonds, improve communication, and contribute to greater relationship satisfaction and long-term marital stability. Yet, as Maimonides taught, the reasons for family purity transcend logic:

“Defilement is not mud or filth to be removed with water… It is a divine statute… dependent on the heart's intent.”

Judaism does not view intimacy as mundane; it elevates it as sacred.

Even when conception is not possible, the act itself retains its holiness. Kabbalah teaches that the circumstances under which a soul enters the world affect not only a child's physical health but their moral and spiritual essence. Remarkably, Jewish tradition holds that even a woman who never had the opportunity to use the mikvah during her fertile years can still immerse once after menopause—bringing spiritual blessing to her family and her home.

While natural bodies of water can technically serve as a mikvah, Jewish law contains many intricate regulations about what makes a mikvah valid. As a result, purpose-built mikvahs are preferred—and in recent decades, thousands have been constructed around the world. From Nigeria to New Zealand, the UAE to Westchester County, mikvahs today range from humble, functional spaces to spa-like sanctuaries, beautifully designed to reflect the sanctity of the experience. See here for more about the modern-day mikvah experience.

In the Merit of Women

The Talmud teaches that the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt “in the merit of the righteous women.”

When hope seemed lost, it was the women who carried faith forward.

In the Soviet Union, once again—it was women who ensured the future.

According to the Arizal, the master Kabbalist, the souls of the final generation before the coming of Moshiach are reincarnations of that very generation. Just as redemption came then through the strength and faith of women, so too it will come again—in the merit of the righteous women of our time.