The Chabad Mikvah in Maryland is refilling its otzer mei geshomim in preparation to change the mikvah’s rainwater reservoirs as per the directive of the Rebbe Rashab.
The Chabad mikvah in Gaithersburg, MD under the leadership of Rabbi Sholom Raichik started refilling their otzer mei geshomim (cistern/ reserve storage tank of rainwater), with fresh clean rainwater.
Be’ezras Hashem soon when the otzer will be filled with rain water, they will empty, clean, and dry the mei geshomim boros in the mikvah, the bor hatachton, and the bor min hatzad and refill it with fresh rainwater from the otzer.
This process is being done as per the directives of the Rebbe Rashab, that the rainwater in the mikvah boros has to be changed every year. The way the Rebbe Rashab managed the original Chabad mikvah in Rostov, Russia over 104 years ago.
As the Chabad Mikvah in Gaithersburg has a separate otzer of mei geshomim, this process will be done without any downtime for the mikvah. This process of changing the rainwater in the boros will be done in less than 20 hours.
Mikvahos without an otzer mei geshomim, have to be shut down and wait for new rainwater, which can take weeks or months to accomplish to refill the mikvah boros with mei geshomim.
The mikvah retained the services of Mikvah International under the leadership of Rabbi Elozor Raichik, to ensure that the refilling of the otzer is done to the highest standard of Halacha, the proper way a mikvah should function.
Rabbi Elozor Raichik and Harav Alexander Shlomo Pollack a world-renowned mikvah expert and author of the Sefer מי שלמה על הלכות מקוואות, traveled to the Chabad mikvah in Gaithersburg to inspect the otzer, roof and special mei geshomim collection gutters and pipes, ensuring that everything has been constructed according to Halacha and is 100% bone dry and clean. Afterward, they sealed the otzer and all adjacent rooms associated with the it to ensure that there will be no tampering and only pure untouched rainwater will be collected.
The mikvah is now waiting for the rain to fill the otzer and then they will be able to refill the mikvah mei geshomin boros with fresh new rainwater.
Besides for the fact that it is a mehudar mikvah, this mikvah is the most beautiful, relaxing mikvah I have ever been to, and Mrs Raichik is wonderful, warm and kind. Worth driving to from far!