Second Temple Period Innovation or Anachronistic Interpretation?

The “’Otzar” in Ancient Ritual Baths

Yonatan AdlerAriel University Center

of Samaria

The bath must contain a minimum volume of water which would allow for the full immersion of an adult, a volume measured in rabbinic metrological terms as forty se’ah, probably equivalent to about half of a cubic meter.

This minimum volume of water must derive from either rain or spring-water channeled directly into the mikveh, as drawn-water would render the bath unfit for ritual use.

1.

2.

Over 850 Ancient Mikva’ot

Throughout the Country

“’Otzar”Immersion

Pool Connecting Pipe

Method # 1

“’Otzar”Immersion

Pool Connecting Pipe

Method # 2

History of Research

“’Otzar” Connecting Pipe

Immersion Pool

“’Otzar”

Immersion Pool

Connecting Pipe

Immersion Pool

“Otzar”Connecting Channel

Jericho, Hasmonean Period (Pools F176-F182)

“’Otzar”

Immersion Pool

Jericho, Herodian Period (Pools A[M]537-A[M]538)

Immersion Pool “Otzar”Connecting

Pipe

Herodium

Immersion Pool

“Otzar”

Connecting Pipe

JerusalemArea T-4 of the Jewish Quarter

Excavations

MIQWA’OT (JEWISH RITUAL IMMERSION BATHS)

IN ERETZ-ISRAEL

IN THE SECOND TEMPLE AND THE MISHNAH AND TALMUD

PERIODS

THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE ‘DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY’

TO THE SENATE OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY, JERUSALEMBY RONNY REICH

1990

Miqwa’ot without an ’Otzar (265)

Miqwa’ot with an ’Otzar (17)

Miqwa’ot With a Questionable ’Otzar (18)

The “’Otzar” in Textual Sources

They may purify mikva’ot, whether a higher [pool] from a lower [pool], or a distant [pool] from one which is nearby. How so? One brings a pipe of earthenware or of lead and places his hand beneath it until it is filled with water [from one pool], and he has drawn it along and brought [this water] into contact [with the water of the other pool]; even if it touches by a hair’s breadth – it suffices.

(Mishnah, Mikva’ot 6:8)

If there were forty se’ah in the upper [pool] and nothing in the lower, one may draw water [in vessels, carry them] on the shoulder, and pour [the drawn-water] into the upper pool until forty se’ah [of water] flows down into the lower [pool].

(Mishnah, Mikva’ot 6:8)

Rabbi Moses Schreiber (Sofer) Pressburg-Bratislava

Responsum dated December 14, 1813

A Re-examination of the Archaeological

Data in Context

Immersion Pool

“Otzar”

Connecting Pipe

JerusalemArea T-4 of the Jewish Quarter

Excavations7 m3

Immersion Pool

“Otzar”Connecting Channel

Jericho, Hasmonean Period (Pools F176-F182)

22 m3

What was the Function of the So-Called

“’Otzar” Installations?

Immersion Pool

“Otzar”Connecting PipeImmersion

Pool

Immersion Pool

Connecting Pipe

“Otzar”Immersion

Pool

“Otzar”

Immersion Pool

Gamla Synagogue Complex

Immersion Pool

Gamla Synagogue Complex

“Otzar”Settling Tank

Immersion Pool

Connecting Channel

“Otzar”Water Reservoir

Concluding Remarks

Rabbi David Münzberg inspecting the mikveh in the southern casemate wall of Masada (February 11, 1964)