Mikveh
Mikvehs are an indispensable part of Jewish religious rituals. The word „mikveh“ means meeting. A mikveh is a ritual bath. It is interesting that this bath had to contain at least 762 liters of water and it has to be possible for people to di pinto water their whole body. Mikveh was supposed to have a natural source of water, for example, spring but it is known that also mikvehs were filled due to rainwater.
A ritual bath was used very often: by Jewish priests, women (after giving birth, menstruation, or before the wedding). Men of the Jewish community who were pious usually také a bath before Saturday, the day of rest.
Although the mikveh has especially a ritual function, it is possible to say it played its role also as a space of hygiene.
The oldest mentions of the existence of a mikveh in Boskovice are from the 17th century, but the house where the baths were (street U Koupadel) comes from the 19th century.
The only accessible mikveh is in the cellar of the house U Templu no. 3/5 opposite the Synagogue Major.
I takto může vypadat dodnes dochovaná mikve. Jedná se o snímek z archeologického výzkumu zachycující stav v jakém byl přívodní kanálek na vodu do rituální lázně.
A photo taken during a field research - a small canel that got water into a mikveh.
A well-preserved Mikveh was found in the immediate neighborhood of The Maior Synagogue.
Also, a ritual bath was preserved but it was not temping to have a bath in it.
