Der Weg der Mikwe in die Moderne: Ritualbader der Emanzipationszeit im Spannungsfeld von offentlicher Wahrnehmung und judischem Selbstverstandnis

In the 19th century, the mikvah went from a cold, unhealthy social fringe group bath to a modern ritual bath of an emancipated minority. The author traces the social, political, cultural, and religious factors that shaped this transformation, focusing on the German public's perception as a medical problem and the Jewish community's attempt to fit old traditions into a new horizon of values.

Format: Hardback
Length: 576 pages
Publication date: 11 April 2022
Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co KG

In the early 19th century, the mikvah, once considered the women's bath of a marginalized social group, was viewed as cold, unhealthful, and outdated. However, by the end of the development examined in this paper, it had evolved into a modern ritual bath embraced by an emancipated minority. The author delves into the intricate interplay of social, political, cultural, and religious factors that shaped this transformative journey, tracing their interactions. Both the spatial structure and the understanding of the ritual itself underwent numerous renewals, adapting to the conditions of a bourgeois living environment. The focus remains on both sides: while the German public primarily perceived the mikvah as a medical issue through doctors, the Jewish community sought to harmonize old traditions with new values within a broader process of reform. In the introduction, the complex religious regulations governing the mikvah are explained in a user-friendly manner, highlighting their historical usage since the Middle Ages.

Dimension: 235 x 160 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783525560594