I am kind of new to the gye program, but I am familiar with some of its in's and out's.
I have been following the program, and even though I act out every so often, I realized that the gaps between acting out are getting bigger and bigger, so baruch hashem for that.

My question is on what happens after I act out. I have heard the halacha that men become tameh after having intercourse with their wives, but I don't know if this applies to hotza'at zera levatalah, and I don't know if it applies today. In order to take care of the tum'ah, I know that you either have to dip in the mikveh or pour 9 kabbin of water (5 minutes in the shower according to Chacham Ovadia), but I don't know if that applies to tum'ah of hotza'at zera levatalah. Please help.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to look at my post.

Helpless Jew Boy

P.S. Sorry if there is a bit of trouble understanding me; I am sephardic, so that will account for the weird way that I write the hebrew words.

Hi Hopeful.

No trouble understanding and let's not put down any sephardim.

I've asked a rav before and the answer I got was that there is not tumah today in regards to zera levatala.

And welcome to GYE!! May you find here what you are looking for.

Sounds like you're on a roll.

Welcome. Yes there is not tummah nowadays but it is helpful to go.  Especially if you are moazi zerah, it might help you feel pure and get a new start. ( as far as married people there is no tummah acc to halacha but there are different customs about going).

But don't focus on the tummah focus how not to do it again! to focus on the tummah can make you feel tamei and low and you can get discouraged.

It's a good question and an even better outlook.

It is unfortunately very easy to feel like saying "What the heck, I'm a shaygitz anyway, why should I even bother trying to be a good Jew while I do these things?"

The truth is, the longer this continues, the more one c"v loses his connection with H-shem. But every small step in the right direction is precious, and helps you in the bigger battles as well.

It is however important that you always realize your priorities and where they stand. What H-shem wants from you most and foremost, is to get up, and try again. Mikvah is a nice extra, and will even help your struggle, but doesn't compare at all to the main goal a Jew should have in these situations, which is to do everything in one's ability to guard one's self properly, and thereby prevent it from happening again.

sturggle wrote on 17 Jul 2011 17:13:
Helpfyi wrote on 17 Jul 2011 18:21:


I am curious to know who is this Rav (Can i request a PM?), because as far as i learned from MY Rabbis, those halochos are very much relevant to Zera Levatala too.









BUT, the ikkar, the main point is to learn how to live so that we don't need all that!

And, yes, I also welcome you to GYE.  :D

you don't really need a rov, open a shilchan aruch semin 88 and see that the mechaber says the tikkin of ezrah was battel, the mishna brurah there says that if you want to practice this its praiseworthy, but not an obligation.

The issur to learn Torah without a tevila in the mikva was nisbatul. The tumah is still shayach.

Yosef Hatzadik wrote on 20 Jul 2011 19:59:


i understand that, but then what is the question that your tamhi? who said we are noheg to make sure we don't become tamhi or go to the mikvah when we are? the MB there says that you can and its a chumrah, but to say that that's what we should do where does it say that?? the whole question on hand is regarding to learn and daven and that acc to halacha you are allowed. If you want to be extra holy then of course you should go!

I am extremely sorry that I did not see this post till now. What a mine of amazing thoughts here! I have yet to ask a ran of my own, who I am close to, but I'm still looking into the issue. Thank you so much for all your input.

Jew Boy

According to Rif in perek 3 of Brochois, tvilas Ezra was only nullified for learning, but is still required for tfila (that is according to Rav Hai Gaon). Although this is not how we pasken, even so, according to kabbolo (and if you are sefardic, that's an important consideration, right?) our prayers are accepted better if preceeded by mikveh. There seem to be no difference in shichfas levatolo or l'isha hamuteret.
But I agree with the other guys here: the main thing is to strive for it not to happen again.
The KollelGuy put it very well. Yasher koyach!

I feel a need to repost this over here.  It is an important distinction to realize!!

Yosef Hatzadik wrote on 07 Mar 2010 23:02:

Hi JB!
Just wanted to visit you on your new thread.
While I'm here, I'll offer my two cents.
Given your issues, it might be wise to stay away from the mikveh, or go when there's no one else there.
Alex