Mens mikvaos have been closed. Why?
Because there are a lot of germs there and we don't want to spread the virus.
Women's mikvaos are still open [except in one place I heard of where they closed it down]. Why?
That is a VERY good question!!!
They say that the chlorine in the water kills the virus but until she gets into the mikva and after she exits there are many germs on the way. Is this a risk?
Maybe. When a woman goes she should be VERY CAREFUL and follow all the guidelines established by doctors and rabbonim.
However, I suspect that soon the day will come when the women's mikvaos will חס ושלום חס ושלום חס ושלום temporarily close down as well. What then???
SIMPLE!!! That will be a sign from Shomayim that Hashem wants couples to physically separate. No reassuring hugs, no kisses and certainly no sexual activity. Separate the beds and "play" assur [because you are].
How should we take that? WITH SIMCHA😊 !!! If that is what He wants then that is what we need. It is OK!!! There are big things happening and if that is part of the painful process then that is OK.
Priests - להבדיל בין טמא לטהור - remain celibate for their whole lives [except the many who sleep with each other, molest little boys or sleep with their parishoners. That is quite a large number]. We can do it until this thing ends. We have all known people who were single their whole lives and live w/o any physical contact w/ the opposite sex. Not the end of the world. This will end and the absence will make the heart grow fonder.
I HOPE AND PRAY that it doesn't come to that. We need more children and we need to live healthy, robust marital lives. But we must remember that WHATEVER HAPPENS we will take it with understanding and joy, knowing that our job now is the mitzva of preserving our lives. The mitzvos of עונה and פרו ורבו will come back in due time.
