Surprise Visitors to the Mikvah
I decided to go to the mikvah a bit early in order to take my time,
an attempt to make it "MY" time literally, to enjoy the quiet, without any distractions, to actually concentrate on me.
I got the keys from the mikvah lady and went in to enjoy being alone with no pressure.
I chose my favorite room, organized the necessary supplies, and let in a bath. After starting some preparations I went into a clean, hot tub to continue the preparations and do the necessary "soak".
The almost surreal quiet was very abruptly interrupted by an even more surreal scene. Suddenly there was loud, violent knocking at the front door and shouts that reminded me of a "B" rated movie..but in Hebrew. "OK everyone out, NOW! we know you're in there, you have to get out NOW, get moving!!"
There I was naked in a bathtub, not even sure I locked the door and in a confused existential moment thought, maybe I'm dreaming or imagining things, after all the bath water was way too hot.
But it started again...KNOCK..KNOCK..KNOCK ."OK, you have five minutes to clear out! There is a chafetz chashude (bomb scare??) next door!"
Reluctantly and sheepishly I reached for a robe, but decided even this was not going to get lazy me back into clothes, and anyway by that time it would probably be over.
So, I locked the front door, listened to the announcement on a loud speaker from next door, waited for the all clear sign and said Tehillim.
Baruch Hashem all was well, false alarm, just in time for me to enjoy the aloneness another half an hour before the mikvah lady and other women began arriving.
When the mikvah lady, a dear friend arrived, she was shocked that I was there and hadn't even left throughout all the commotion. I explained this was nothing compared to when the sirens went off during the Gulf War....I'll share that with you b"n another time!
Contributed by an experienced bomb scare survivor from northern Israel
