The Mikvah is a pool of water naturally derived from a living source such as a spring, rainwater, melted snow or ice. It must be built of a natural material such as stone, concrete or earthenware.

The importance of a Mikvah is so geat that the Torah actually obligates the establishment of a Mikvah before a synagogue, and informs us that a congregation should even sell a temple or a Torah scroll to acquire funds for a Mikvah, because a society that lacks a Mikvah doesn't have the status of a Jewish community.

The water in the Mikvah is also symbolic. Because water is a fluid, it can be altered; thus, it represents change. One who physically immerses in the Mikvah spiritually immerses his soul and initiates change. Thus, the water in the Mikvah symbolizes spiritual cleansing and rebirth.

The two mikva'ot which are located at Masada, an ancient Jewish community razed by the Romans, are evidence that the mikva'ot of today are identical in appearance to those constructed 1800 years ago. At least 200 gallons of living water must be collected to facilitate the total immersion of a person.