Many Jews see the shul as the central institution in Jewish life, but Halacha states that constructing a mikvah takes precedence even over building a Synagogue. Both a Synagogue and a Sefer Torah may be sold to raise funds for building a mikvah. In fact, in the eyes of our Sages, Jewish families living together only attain the status of “community” once they have a communal mikvah.
A mikvah must be built into the ground or built as an essential part of a building. Portable receptacles, such as bathtubs, whirlpools or Jacuzzis, can therefore never function as mikvahs. The mikvah must contain a minimum of 200 gallons of rainwater that was gathered and siphoned into the mikvah pool in accordance with a highly specific set of regulations.
Immersion in the mikvah has offered a gateway to purity ever since the creation of man. The Midrash relates that after being banished from Eden, Adam sat in a river that flowed from the garden. This was an integral part of his teshuvah (repentance) process, of his attempt at return to his original perfection.