How can we Connect with the Healing Waters of Miriam’s Well?

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Parashat Chukat
How can we Connect with the Healing Waters of Miriam’s Well? 

My Power Immersions in the Healing, Mind-Opening Sea of Galilee

Now as always during the intensity of summer, I yearn for water – for healing and purifying waters. More than feeling the pull to swim in the soft waves of the clear, blue Mediterranean ocean, I yearn for the sweet waters of the Sea of Galilee (Kineret). Perhaps I love Kineret so much because the Well of Miriam is buried within it. Rabbi Chaim Vital relates: “When I, came to my teacher the Arizal to study Kabbalistic wisdom, my teacher took me with him to Tiberias... and when we were on a boat in the water, opposite the pillars of the old synagogue, my teacher took a cup and filled it with water from between the pillars, and gave me that water to drink. He said to me: ‘Now you will attain that wisdom, for this water that you have drank is from Miriam’s well.’ From then on, I began entering the depths of Kabbalistic wisdom.” So, for me going to Tiberias is not only a pilgrimage to the holy tombs of Rambam, Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Akiva, Ramchal, and more, it’s no less a pilgrimage to dive into the depths of the waters of Kineret. In the Torah, water is used in various ritual purifications. It is both cathartic and comforting, providing a sense of renewal and a cleansed feeling of purity. Natural bodies of water are highly conducive to a contemplative and reflective state of mind and to opening the heart. Each time I visit Kineret I try to do what I was told is called a Mikvah Koach (power immersion). This refers to immersion in a mikvah (any body of natural water qualifies as a mikvah), not for the sake of family purity. The purpose of immersing in spiritually healing waters is this time to clear the mind and enter a holier state, just as our men traditionally immerse in a mikvah in preparation for the holy Shabbat. My husband explains: “It’s a wonderful way to transition from the six workdays to the spiritual ambiance of Shabbat.” Although there should preferably be nothing (such as a bathing suit) separating you from the waters, at a public beach I’m not at liberty to immerse myself in the most preferable way. I rely on wearing loose clothing and only remove my rings and hairclip before leaping high to generate deep immersion within the womb of the Kinneret. I always emerge refreshed and recharged ready to face the new day.

The Wilderness Well of Water – in the Merit of Miriam

Parashat Chukat is all about cleansing and purification through water. It opens with the description of the spiritually purifying ritual of the Red Heifer involving a concoction of cedar wood, hyssop, crimson wool, and Red Heifer ashes mixed with pure spring water referred to as “living waters” (Bamidbar 19:6). After describing how various kinds of impurity is purified through water, the Torah depicts the death of Miriam and in the same breath mentions the Israelites’ loss of water:

ספר במדבר פרק כ פסוק א וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל הָעֵדָה מִדְבַּר צִן בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם בְּקָדֵשׁ וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם וַתִּקָּבֵר שָׁם: (ב) וְלֹא הָיָה מַיִם לָעֵדָה וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל משֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן:

“Then came the children of Israel, the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin, on the first of the month: The people settled in Kadesh, and Miriam died there and was buried there. Then there was no water for the congregation” (Bamidbar 20:1-2).

Rashi explains that the lack of water is mentioned immediately after Miriam’s death to teach us, that during the entire forty years of wandering in the desert the Jewish people were blessed with the well of water in Miriam’s merit. Similarly, it states “Three good providers stood for Israel, and they were Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam. Three good gifts were given on their behalf: the well, the cloud, and the manna. The well was in the merit of Miriam… (Babylonian Talmud, Ta’anit 9a). Each of the three gifts corresponds to one of the pillars upon which the world stands (Pirkei Avot 1:2). The well is compared to the pillar of kindness because the well represents the power of nurturing. Just as Miriam embodied the character trait of kindness when as a young midwife, she kept the babies alive and supplied them with food (Shemot 1:17; Sotah 11b), so did the well supply the Jewish people with all their needs. Thus, in the merit of Miriam, the well sustained the Jewish people with water in the wilderness.

Feminine Yearning to Rise Like the Water of the Well

I believe that the spiritual and serene atmosphere of Bat Ayin derives from its many wellsprings. Water symbolizes life since nothing can grow without it. The well is associated with Miriam because the nurturing quality of water is feminine. Women keep the Jewish people alive. Without the perpetual kindness of women pouring out like a bottomless well, nothing would be conceived, born, or kept alive. Maharal explains that the well is related to Miriam because the waters of the well rise from below as it states, “Arise O Well sing to her” (Bamidbar 21:17). Women similarly yearn to rise. This yearning is exemplified by Miriam, the prototype of yearning and arousal toward the higher realm (Maharal Netzach Yisrael p. 101 Chapter 54). The power of the well to rise is also manifested in the love of the Jewish people for Hashem. The desire to always grow, flourish, and flow is clearly expressed among women today. This spiritual female yearning is apparent in the fact that women are at the forefront of the Ba’al Teshuva movement and of various groups that desire to rise and bring redemption.

Where is Miriam’s Well Today?

Although Miriam’s well was lost temporarily at her death, it returned and continues to bless us with its wondrous powers until today. When the Israelites entered the Land with Yehoshua (on the tenth of Nissan, the anniversary of Miriam’s death), the well also entered the Land, where it became concealed. There are different Talmudic views as to where Miriam’s well is located today. Some say in the Carmel and others say that Miriam’s Well feeds the waters of Kineret while hidden in its depths. “Whoever ascends the mountain of Yeshimon and sees something like a small sieve in the lake of Tiberias, this is the well of Miriam…” (Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 22:4). It seems to me that the spirit of Miriam’s well can be in several places at once as Rav said, Miriam’s well is mobile and pure (Shabbat 35a). It happened that someone who suffered from boils went down to immerse in the waters of Tiberias; it was an opportune time, and he saw Miriam’s Well and washed in it, and became healed. Even in our day and age, “some have a tradition to draw water [from a well] Motzei Shabbat (Saturday night) because Miriam’s Well supplies all the wells each Motzei Shabbat, and one who does so and drinks will be cured of illness” (Kol Bo, Orach Chaim 299:10). I have a bottle of special holy water that supposedly is from the well of Miriam. I have used it with EmunaHealing clients, by dabbing a few drops of this holy water on the area of their pain. Whether it works or not depends on your emunah!

The Eternal Renewal of Miriam’s Dynamic Well

The fact that Miriam’s well is mobile and changes location teaches us that Miriam’s power enlightens everywhere. Miriam is the well that offers water and brings about growth. Believing in the Master of the Universe and continuing to sow is the power of Miriam. She supports those who sow with tears – in bitterness – to become reapers with ringing songs. The well of Miriam is planted within the people of Israel through the righteous women of all generations. This is the basic inner power hidden within the daughters of Israel who spreads emunah and the ability to endure. Miriam’s well is described as a type of sieve in the Mediterranean Sea (Shabbat 35a). There is no security in holding on to its water. It cannot be contained within any vessel. Who can collect water in a sieve? However, since the sieve is placed within the great sea, its water is secure within it. It has a true place even if we cannot hold on to that place. It is beyond physical grasp but within Hashem’s eternity. Miriam’s well reflects the eternal divine emotion. It is only revealed in the form of emotion after its essence emanates from the true source of the light of the entire world, of all the sea of wisdom and Torah treasure. This is the well of Miriam, and this is the power of its eternity forever (Rav Kook, Ein Aya Shabbat 2). Since it is not contained within one vessel it is constantly moving and has the dynamic force of eternal renewal.

EmunaHealing Exercise to Tap into Miriam’s Well Within You

If you have the opportunity to do this spiritual healing exercise at the shore of the Kineret, it will greatly enhance its impact, if not you may do the exercise wherever you are.

1. Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes if that feels good. Breathe softly and envision the soft waters of the Kineret sparkling in the sun. Imagine inhaling as the soft waves rise and exhaling as they melt into the greater sea. Repeat this sequence four more times.

2. Miriam’s well is nowhere and everywhere. Search for Miriam’s well within yourself. When a well of water is dug, a corresponding spiritual well of water is opened in the upper worlds, causing the spiritual energies of emunah contained in the upper waters to permeate the atmosphere, strengthening our faith and belief in G-d. The source of your emunah emanates from Miriam’s Well. Can you tap into your living waters within?

3. Breathe into Miriam’s Well within you. When you feel connected with its emunah breathe the well waters upwards from your core to your head, and on the out-breath breathe the lifegiving well water into your external limps – your arms hands, legs, and feet. Keep tapping into your waters of emunah with each inhale and exhale your waters of emunah into different parts of your being.

4. The waters of Miriam transport and apply the nutrients of Torah and the abstractions of faith to each individual, on his or her particular level (The Lubavitcher Rebbe).

As you connect more and more with the power of Miriam’s Well, get in touch with your own nurturing powers. Inhale all your nourishing love and kindness, and as you exhale imagine imparting your nurturing love and compassion to a loved one in need. Repeat this sequence with various people, with each inhale you connect more and more to your nurturing powers, and with each exhale you share them with your loved ones.

5. Imagine how the waters of the well below the surface yearn to break through the hard surface of the earth and sprout forth its healing streams. Now, tune into your yearning to rise and overcome the hard obstacles of your life. What do you yearn to improve within yourself, your character traits, your relationships, and your connection with G-d? With each desire to grow your inner personal well opens the wells in the upper worlds, causing their spiritual energies to permeate your being and environment.

6. Breathe into the circular movement of your wellspring of spiritual yearning affecting the upper wells on the in-breath and drawing down their healing energies on the out-breath. With each breath, your well is eliciting greater waves of yearning to rise higher and higher. As you keep breathing into the Well of Miriam within you, it becomes more and more revealed, and its waters rise higher and higher until it becomes one with the wells of the upper worlds.

7. Now, bring it all together, bring it all down to make a conscious intention to act upon your newfound awareness of Miriam’s well within you, imparting its nurturing kindness to others. Whenever you are ready softly tap your feet to the ground and open your eyes!