Mikvah Series: Conception, Construction, Controversy #4​​​​​​​

Rif, Brachot, 13b

"There are those that say that when it was said that they nullified the immersion it was only for words of Torah but for prayer immersion is required, but not immersion specifically, even washing with 9 kabin [is suffficient]. Rabbi Hai Gaon ZTL wrote that since there's no "Gemara" on this matter, one should accept the custom of all Jews that all Baalei Keri do not pray until they wash even if they do not have water"

Talmidei Rabbenu Yona on the Rif, Ibid

"Because words of Torah are not susceptible to impurity: There are those commentators that say that this equally applies to reading the Shema or any other reading [of words of Torah], regarding all matters we say that the words of Torah are not susceptible to impurity, but this is not correct because certainly they only stated it regarding the reading of the Shema alone but all other words of Torah are forbidden [to read in a state of impurity], because we say that the verse "For he has scorned the word of the L-rd.." applies to the one who recites words of Torah in the filthy alleyways."

Shulchan Aruch Harav, OC 88:a

"... this Takana did not spread throughout the majority of the Jewish people and was later nullified entirely due to the concern of inhibiting Torah study and procreation and they, therefore, established the matter on the [base of the] law"

Rabmam, Hilchos Tefilah 4:6

(6) The custom is general in Spain and in Shinar (Iraq) that one who has had a seminal emission does not recite prayers till he has washed all his body in water, out of respect to the exhortation, "Prepare to meet thy God." This only applies to a healthy person or one who is sick and has cohabited. But a sick man who has had an involuntary emission is exempt from the duty of bathing for prayer. The custom does not apply to his case, nor to the case of one who suffers from a flux or of a woman in her period of separation who had a seminal emission. They dry themselves, wash their hands and recite the prayers.

Talmidei Rabbenu Yona on the Rif, Ibid

"... even so he should not miss the prayer because of this, because certainly, although prayers are more acceptable with immersion according to everyone, still one should not lose his prayer because of it, and so the Rambam wrote that all the heads of the academies in Babel wondered why he was so lenient in the matter of immersion of baal keri, and he [may his memory be a blessing] responded that all of his days he never personally missed it for even one hour but that he could not write in his book only that the law requires according to the Halachah."

Orchos Chaim, Rabbenu Asher, 4

Do not pray without clean hands and purity, because your prayers will not be hearkened to.

Beit Habchira - Rabbenu Menachem Hameiri (1249-1315), Brachot 22a

"A great rule has been said that words of Torah do not receive impurity. Still, this immersion is of great holiness and one who is strict with it [may] a blessing come upon him... and not only that but in several instances a person is saved from sin because of it."

Rabbi Yakkov Helevi, Responsa from Heaven, Siman 5

"... and you shall serve the L-rd your G-d, this is Prayer, can someone impure bring a sacrifice? and if you say that this applies [only] to other impurities, one cannot compare impurity that is unavoidable to one which is intentional, one cannot compare impurity from external sources to one which emerges from his own body. When Ezra instituted this practice it was with Divine inspiration [Ruach Hakodesh]. Regarding the [source from the] Jerusalem [Talmud], you should know that .... and additionally, he retracted and said that this was said before Ezra instituted this practice, and this matter lengthens the exile, because if the prayers of the Jewish people would be offered appropriately their prayers would have been received many days ago, but the burdens of the exile, Torah study and good deeds are what stand in good stead for the Jewish people"

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, 3rd Lubavitcher Rebbe (1789-1866), Igros Kodesh Epistle 25

"...also discussed was the rectification that they should warm the Mikvah daily as is the practice in all towns in order that people should be able to immerse themselves, because this is an obligation according to many poskim and according to everyone is it of pious practice [Midat Chassidut] which is close to law, and it is a great correction [Takana Gedolah] and through this they will be elevated higher and higher, from soul to flesh [?], as your soul and the soul of your friend... "

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe (1904-1994)

Igros Kodesh Vol. 8 p153

According to what is explained in various books, carefulness about tevilas Ezra relates more to prayer and greatly affects the type and level of the prayer, to the point that even though according to the letter of the law tevilas Ezra was nullified, the opinion of Rav Hai Gaon (who was the last of the Ge'onim and the greatest of them), is that that is only with regards to Torah, to words of Torah, and not to prayer (see Ri on the Rif Ch. 3 Brachot, where he concludes there that even though the law does not require it according to Halacha etc., but according to everyone['s opinion] prayer has a greater acceptance when it goes along with tevila.)....

Likutei Sichot Chelek Lamed p19

...For we have seen immersion in a mikvah that is solely for the purpose of increasing holiness (and not in order to cleanse from impurity) [such as the immersions of the High Priest on Yom Kippur, who after the first immersion, is already cleansed from all traces of impurity, and all of these [immersions] are solely for the purpose of increasing holiness, in that he elevates himself from one level of holiness to the next]...

Keser Shem Tov, Siman 219

It is said about the Rivash that he merited all the insights and levels that he had from mikvah, because he was always immersing. And immersing regularly in a mikvah is better than fasting regularly, because fasting weakens the body's ability to serve G-d, and moreover, it is better to use the strength one puts into fasting for studying Torah and praying, in that one should pray with all his strength and concentration, and with that he will be elevated.

Sicha Va'era 5712 (Lubavitcher Rebbe)

The order of immersion in a mikveh is -- that the water of the mikveh must cover the entire body of the person immersing, and "if he immersed his entire body except for the top of his pinky finger, he remains impure", that is, aside from the fact that that limb (which was not immersed) remains impure, all the rest of his limbs (which were immersed) remain impure. And this relates to the heart of the matter regarding the spiritual aspect of immersion -- along the lines of what Rambam wrote, "one who focuses his intention to purify his soul from the impurity of souls...and brings his soul into the waters of knowledge is purified" -- that all the parts of a man's being (from his head to his toes) need to be covered and nullified (tevila, immersion, has the same letters in Hebrew as habitul, nullify) in the "waters of knowledge."

Igros Kodesh, Vol. 22, p. 72 (Lubavitcher Rebbe)

... on a related topic: The words of Rambam there, although -- even though they are in the realm of Aggada (homiletics) -- , we learned an important principle in the laws of purity from them. This is what he writes: ​​​​​​ "it is a clear and revealed matter etc. there is [still] a
being taught - that immersion does not only have to do with removal of impurity (abstaining from those notions) but is also an act that increases purity (he brought his soul into the waters of reason) and a continuous action. ethical allusion to this: just as one who sets his mind on becoming clean... becomes clean as soon as he made up his mind to abstain from those notions, and brought his soul into the waters of reason.