16th-Century Heated Mikveh Discovered in Old Safed Linked to the Ari

In the ancient Jewish cemetery area of Old Safed, a small stone mikveh known as the Ari's mikveh has been a revered site for centuries, attracting dozens of daily visitors who immerse themselves there. This mikveh is famous not only for its sanctity but also for its cold water, which is significant in traditional accounts. One notable testimony comes from Rabbi Chaim Vital, a leading disciple of the Ari (Rabbi Isaac Luria), who recounted a miraculous immersion of the Ari's body after his death at this mikveh.

Recently, the "Levnot Ve'Lehibanot" association uncovered another 16th-century mikveh in the "Beit HaKahal" complex in Old Safed. Some claim that the Ari also used this mikveh. The renowned Rabbi Meir Eliyahu visited the site and was moved by the explanations suggesting that the Ari and other Safed mystics immersed there. This mikveh is unique because it was heated by a basalt stone furnace, sourced from the Golan Heights, which warmed the water through a pipe system.

This discovery raises questions about how the Ari, whose mother forbade him from immersing in cold water during illness, could have immersed during winter or times of sickness, given the cold water of the cemetery mikveh. The heated mikveh at Beit HaKahal may have been the place where the Ari immersed in such conditions.

However, the traditional identification of the cemetery mikveh as the Ari's has faced skepticism. Rabbi Aharon Drilman from Hadera publicly questioned its authenticity. Thus, while the cemetery mikveh remains significant, the heated mikveh at Beit HaKahal might represent the actual site used by the Ari during colder periods, supported by archaeological evidence.

The article was authored by historian and senior lecturer Israel Shapira, who specializes in the history and sacred sites of Israel and the region.