Mikveh
The ritual bath in which a Jewish bride immerses herself before the wedding.
Also: mikvah, ritual bath
A mikveh is a pool of natural water used for ritual immersion in Jewish life. In Orthodox practice, a bride visits the mikveh, usually a few days before the wedding, and immerses with a blessing, in private, with a female attendant. It marks a transition and is a part of the laws of family purity, observed by many Orthodox and some other couples. In some communities, women celebrate with friends, a gathering with food, and some non-Orthodox Jews have adopted the mikveh with new forms of blessing.
Region: Middle East