In Jewish thought, the family is the last vestige of the Garden of Eden left in the world. It is considered each person's private Sanctuary, the framework within which the couple is able – and obligated - to find the same sublime unity as reigned in Eden long ago. We find an allusion to this in Hebrew, the wedding ceremony is called “kiddushin”, which means sanctification. This ceremony comes to sanctify the bond between man and wife as they set out to establish their new sanctuary-home. Again, we see that, as our Sages taught, “when a husband and wife are meritorious, the Presence of G-d dwells between them.” This, too, points to the sanctity of the successful marriage, the private Sanctuary which each couple either builds for itself, or, Heaven forbid, destroys. It is up to them. Words are of no help in this case; either a couple lives by this principle, or not.

It is not unusual to meet a couple from a totally secular background who have tried observing the Laws of Family Purity, and found their lives immeasurably improved. They are convinced that only a Supreme Being, the “Manufacturer Himself” could have produced the Torah laws which channel human strengths and drives so wisely.

In conclusion, let us ask: Do we now know what a mikveh is, what it does, and how it does it? The answer is “Certainly not!” To quote the words of Sir Isaac Newton: “I do not know how I appear in the eyes of others, but in my own eyes, I seem to be a child who is playing on the seashore. At times, for his amusement, he finds a smoother stone, or a seashell that is especially beautiful, while the endless ocean of the Truth stretches out, yet unseen to his eyes.”

Despite the unknown and the hidden dimensions which cast their veil on the subject of the mikveh, we hope that this book has brought the reader at least to the point where he finds himself standing on the shores of the wondrous ocean.