Kashrus of a Mikvah Ventel
the Shevet Sofer’s
Landmark Handwritten Teshuvah
on the Kashrus of Mikvaos
An important handwritten teshuvah regarding the kashrus of mikvaos by Rabbi Simcha Bunim Sofer, Av Beis Din of Pressburg and author of ‘Shevet Sofer’.
In this teshuvah, the Shevet Sofer addresses the serious halachic issues that derive from the innovation of the “ventel” in the floor of the mikvah – an invention first introduced a generation earlier, during the era of his father the Ksav Sofer.
The “ventel” was a metal plug inserted into the floor of a mikveh which stirred serious questions regarding the kashrus of the mikveh. The primary halachic issue was that the water in the mikveh was essentially contained by a metal object which is a vessel that absorbs impurity and thus could transform the status of all water in the mikveh into “drawn water” (mayim sheuvim) which is not fit for a kosher mikveh. The second issue was the concern that if the ventel was not properly sealed, the mikveh could have a status of “zochalin” (leaking). The above issues were both discussed at length by the Shevet Sofer’s father, the Ksav Sofer, in his teshuvos (Yoreh Deah Ch. 101) and by the Divrei Chaim in his teshuvos (vol. 1 Yoreh Deah Ch. 45). See an expanded explanation regarding the method of creating a ventel and all the concerns that derive from it in ‘Shu”t Mahari Assad’ (Yoreh Deah Ch. 212).
In this teshuvah, the Shevet Sofer presents the ideal manner of creating a ventel in a way that avoids all halachic issues. He adds that he installed this kind of ventel in the mikveh in Pressburg.
Renowned as the
Shevet Sofer, Rabbi Simcha Bunim Sofer (1843-1907) succeeded his holy ancestors the Chasam Sofer and Ksav Sofer as Rav of Pressburg. He administrated the great Yeshivah in Pressburg where he cultivated thousands of talmidim and Gedolei Torah who spread their brilliance and ardor for Torah and holiness throughout the borders of Hungary. The Shevet Sofer’s spiritual leadership extended throughout Europe, and like his venerable father and grandfather, he was a prolific author whose written legacy includes dozens of volumes of Chiddushei Torah. Some of these survived the inferno as ‘Shu”t Shevet Sofer’, ‘Chiddushei Shevet Sofer al HaShas’, and ‘Shaarei Simchah al HaTorah’.
The present teshuvah was printed in ‘Hamaayan’ (Pressburg, Year 3, Pamphlet 2) which relates that this teshuvah was sent to the Shevet Sofer’s talmid Rabbi Mordechai Friedman, Av Bein Din of Shimani and Berettyóújfalu and author of ‘Techeles Mordechai’. The letter also mentions his talmidim Rabbi Yoel Segal Felner, Av Beis Din of Újhely and the Rav of Steinmanger, Rabbi Mordechai Meir Bennett.)
Pressburg, undated. Personal stationery. Page Size: 22×14 cm.
Condition: Small transparent adhesive reinforcement.
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