Question:
Shalom,
In Vayikra Ch. 15 verse 16-17 we read the following:
"A man from whom there is a discharge of semen, shall immerse all his flesh in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.
And any garment or any leather [object] which has semen on it, shall be immersed in water, and shall remain unclean until evening."
I have had the "custom" of immersing my clothing, garments, bed sheets and blankets in the swimming pool many times following a nocturnal emission, based on these verses, but never asked a rabbi about that. Afterward I would throw all of the above into the washing machine following the "immersion". Is there any benefit to doing this practice, or not?
Thank you for your time.
Answer:
Hello,
Your intentions are great, but on a practical level, I don’t think it is going to make much of a difference. The requirement to immerse oneself and the clothes that got dirty is specifically in a kosher mikva, and a swimming pool is not considered a kosher mikva for this. Additionally, the laws of ritual purity do not apply that much nowadays, due to the fact that we are all “temei meis”, ( have come in contact, or have been in the same building as a dead person), and the tuma doesn’t leave the person without the special water of the red heifer. G-d willing, Moshiach will come soon, and these halachos will once again be applicable, but until then there is no need for you to immerse your clothing in a mikva.
Best wishes
