Q&A: Immersion Without a Mikveh Attendant
Immersion Without a Mikveh Attendant
Question
Rabbi, how careful does one need to be about immersing with a mikveh attendant present? Suppose a woman finds it very embarrassing—can she immerse by herself and make sure to stay fully under the water? (That doesn’t seem like something especially hard to verify…)
Answer
The common practice is for there to be someone outside supervising her immersion. If she is uncomfortable with a mikveh attendant, she can bring a friend who will watch from outside to make sure that all of her is under the water, including all her hair.
Although in the Shulchan Arukh, section 198:40, it sounds like this is a strict requirement, the halakhic authorities have already written that this is not necessarily so. See a summary here:
https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/11/ART2/597/114.html