[Avodah] New [Chabad] Ritual Bath Opens in Northern Tel Aviv

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 12:18:20PM -0400, Prof. Levine wrote:
> Will someone please explain to me why the halachic standards that the  
> rest of Orthodoxy follows are not good enough for Chabad? Indeed, what 
> are the differences?

Actually, the problem may be the reverse...

L insists on using bor al gabei bor, rather than the standard hashakah.
I don't think it's a matter of din or even halachic preference; rather,
like the straight-armed menoros, something the rebbe said became a
symbol of who they are. The Rebbe Rashab designed a bor-al-gabei-bor,
and now it's a Lub "thing". I only have it on say-so that there is no
actual halachic/hashkafic argument for the preference.

In a BAGB, the otzar is underneath the immersion pool. This keeps the
cold otzar from freezing the person in the miqvah, since cold water will
stay to the bottom. However, it also implies that there is less mixing of
waters than in other designs, making it an inferior design according to
some posqim (based on the Raavad's require "nosei se'ah venoteil se'ah"),
see the Shakh YD 201:63.

IOW, I do not know of an L reason (other than comfort and pride in one's
rebbe) to actually prefer a BAGB. I do know of halachic reasons for a
non-L to prefer going to another one. Although I do not know anyone who
says that BAGB is outright pasul.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             I always give much away,
micha at aishdas.org        and so gather happiness instead of pleasure.
http://www.aishdas.org           -  Rachel Levin Varnhagen
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