Jerusalem Past and Present 2

Earlier this week, we encouraged a visit to the Davidson Center if one was interested in Jerusalem past and present.  The grounds of the archaeological park here are rich in ruins from the first century.

Among the most common findings are ritual baths.  These mikveh or mikvah abound throughout the site.  They provided the means to achieve ritual purity for pilgrims bound for the Temple.

Torah and Oral Law required washing in "living water," which implied a natural or Godly source.  As the worshipper stepped down into the bath and out, he had to be careful not to touch another who was descending lest he be defiled.  Therefore, dividers are prominent identifying the pathway in and out of a bath.

The importance of ritual purity in the 1st century can't be overstated.  The Essenes of Qumran carried cleansing to an even greater extreme than the Sadducees and Pharisees.