Leviticus 13:24 Or if the body receives a burn on its skin by fire, and the raw [flesh] of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white or white, This is kind of weird, but I wanted to write it down before I lost it. The Hebrew word for burn (technically burn spot/scar) is mikvah, from the root word kavah meaning to burn/scorch/brand. Interestingly the Hebrew term used for the baptism ritual is also mikvah and is defined: a) (lit. “collection or gathering [of water]“); ritual bathing pool in which a person immerses himself as part of the transition to ritual purity b) (lit. “collections or gatherings [of water]“); ritual bathing pools in which a person immerses himself as part of the transition to ritual purity. [1] The water must always be moving (even thought it’s a bathing pool – there’s a specific way this is done) and there is a long history of its use: Before the revelation at Sinai, all Jews were commanded to immerse themselves in preparation for coming face to face with G-d. Immersion in the mikvah has offered a gateway to purity ever since the creation of man In the desert, the famed “well of Miriam” served as a mikvah. And Aaron and his sons’ induction into the priesthood was marked by immersion in the mikvah. In Temple times, the priests as well as each Jew who wished entry into the House of G-d had first to immerse in a mikvah. On Yom Kippur, the holiest of all days, the High Priest was allowed entrance into the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber of the Temple, into which no other mortal could enter. This was the zenith of a day that involved an ascending order of services, each of which was preceded by immersion in the mikvah. [1] The mikvah is used by men prior to Yom Kippur, as a place of ritual purification for various reasons (including prior to a wedding), and as a place of purification for women after menstruation. There are a series of rules that had to be followed prior to mikvah (such as washing oneself prior to entering it). Why does this matter? I think it’s interesting that the word for to burn/scar is the same as the term for baptism. Burning purifies an object by removing from it anything that is of little worth and separating out “the good stuff.” It is something that moves and consumes. Similarly water is used ritualistically to purify. The Hebrew view of this baptism (mikvah) requires moving water that must completely cover every bit of the person (who, by the way, submerges themselves – no pastor/priest/rabbi needed). Burning and baptizing are different in that burning is done to a person (it’s not usually something we voluntarily choose). G-d uses this metaphorical concept to purify people, to remove the junk from our lives by using the “fire” (difficult situations) to burn and purify. Baptism is a choice. In Hebrew culture, baptism isn’t a one time event. It happens ceremonially and whenever there’s a major event that a person needs to commemorate and be purified as symbolism that there has been change or a turning, etc. It’s voluntary in that no one is going to shove you into the water. A person chooses to enter the pool and chooses to be submerged. It’s an outward symbol voluntarily used to show purification. Mikvah in both forms, if they are indeed from the same word, show an interesting relationship, almost like two sides of a coin. One is used by G-d to purify man to bring him into relationship with Him, the other is used by man to enter into the presence of G-d with ritual purity. If they’re not from the same word, this exercise was a bit moot… except for the fact that in our translation attempts they are the same… which I find rather interesting. [1] Slonim, Rivkah. “The Mikvah – Mikvah.” Chabad Lubavitch. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2010. <http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/1541/jewish/The-Mikvah.htm>.