Hey

Halachically speaking, does one have to go the mikvah after he watches porn and masturbates?

What happens if he does not go the mikvah?

Should I start going to the mikvah?

Tevillas Ba'al Keri (Which is what your question pertains to) is a very nice thing, it brings Tahara and al pi kaballa is very important.  It, however, is not required al pi halacha.

I'm not a Posek but this is what I (think I) know:

Nowadays we do not keep Tvilas Ezra (meaning that one must toivel after ej* (even b'heter) before davening or learning Torah) as a halacha. However many people are makpid on it as a minhag.

I believe that one of the reasons that many people esp. Chassidim have the minhag to go every day is so that it should not be obvious when they are going because they need to.

Gmar Chasima Tova and KOT!!

Gevura!

Hi there!

I believe that halachically speaking one does not have to go the mikva after being moitsi zerah (see hilchos kriyas shema in shulchan oruch siman 88) as it is something that is hard for people to keep to. Although, a lot of people are noheg to do so to be metaher themselves afterwards. I have been talking about mutar marital relations until this point.

I think (imho) that there is no halocho to go after z'l (chas veshalom), it is a good thing to do, to wipe the slate clean and start over, but only really works if it is an uncommon occurance. If it is something that happens very often, going to mikva is not the answer to the problem and more serious recovery is needed. In that case, mikva will eventually be seen as a pill that sets things right and also a routine burden that one has to do to "reset ones count".

It is also a great idea to work on the root of the problem, ie what is making you act out...

in summary it depends whether you are addicted or just fall once in a while...

I hope that helps a litttle....

ahm

in my opinion i would answer:
if the mikveh posses a problem for you then you follow the halacha, or you might want to ask a posek
however, if the mikveh is o.k. for you, and it adds to your yiddishkeit, then whats the question?

Gevura ShebYesod wrote on 03 Oct 2011 14:21:


Chasidim go to the mikva every day because of tosefes kedusha.  Oddly enough by doing that they defeat the whole purpose of tevilas ezra which was instituted as a deterrent to keep Talmidei Chachomim from being with their wives too often (Shelo nimtziu etzel nishosayhem kitarnigolim). I'm not criticizing, they feel that it's important.

The above replies are very well put!



For more info, see the Wet Dreams Thread. Especially this post in that thread.

According to Rif in Brochois, tvilas Ezra was only botul in regards to leardning Toiro, but one must still go to mikve after any type of seminal emission before davening. Even though we don't pasken like the Rif, acc. to kabolo the tfilois are more accepted if preceded by tvila.
One can use going to mikva as a deterrent to porn and M*, i.e. make a promise to yourself that you will go to mikve if you fall, and perhaps the inevitable hassle will deter you, like what Ezra intended with talmidai chachomim and their wives.

Actually i go to Mikva everyday and then i feel like a new person. Sometimes i may be actually saying oh no problem we can always got to the Mikva if we mess up. I was thinking that i can sayif you mess up suppose today no mikva until lets say two days so that will be a another deterrent not to mess up. What are your thoughts about that way?

OTOH for some of us being in the mikva can cause more problems than it solves.... :-[ :-[ :-[

Personally my minhag has always been to only go Erev Yomtov, i used to look forward to it :-[ :-[ :-[ , now i dread it. B"H Erev Rosh Hashana worked out OK, but I have to go 3 more times in the next few weeks ??? .
I try to go when I think it will be less crowded but that doesn't always work out.

Gevura!

Hi Shermy!
Welcome back to the forum.
Can we move forward from the mikva issue and discuss how you can stop doing these things in the first place?  Are you ready to get better?  There's a way out.  Many of us are finding ours.  Can we help you find yours?
Alex