JUDAICA - Wisdom In Torah

Talmudic Period
The Talmud declared it forbidden for a scholar to reside in a
city which did not contain a public bath (Sanh. 17b). Rome
was said to contain 3,000 public baths (Meg. 68) and despite
the animosity to the Romans they were praised by the rabbis
for constructing baths in Palestine (Shab. 33b). It is related
that Rabban Gamaliel utilized the Bath of Aphrodite in Acre
although the image of the idol adorned the bath (Av. Zar. 3:4).
Originally the baths were communal institutions (Ned. 5:5).
Afterward, smaller baths were also built by private individuals
(BB 1:6; 10:7) and competition between them to attract customers
was permitted (BB 21b). The bath attendants received
checks or tokens from intending patrons so they would know
in advance how many to expect and what preparations to
make (BM 47b and Rashi ad loc.). The larger baths contained
separate areas for bathing in lukewarm water, hot water, and
steam baths (Shab. 40a). On entering the bathhouse, the rabbis
ordained the following prayer: “May it be Thy will, O Lord,
my God, to deliver me from the flames of the fire and the heat
of the water, and to protect me from a cave-in.” Upon leaving,
the individual recited, “I thank Thee, O Lord, my God,
for having delivered me from the fire” (TJ, Ber. 9:6, 14b; cf.
Ber. 60a). Hillel the Elder told his disciples that he considered
bathing in the communal bathhouse a religious duty for
just as the custodians scour and wash the statues of the kings,
likewise must man, created in God’s image and likeness, do
to his body (Lev. R. 34:3).
Middle Ages and Modern Times
The public bath and adjoining mikveh were maintained by
Jewish communities throughout the Middle Ages as part of
the institutions of Jewish social life and welfare. Hygienic habits
and the ritual requirements of the Jewish religion made the
Jews regard bathing as part of their living routine during a
period when bathing was generally considered a form of rare
luxury in Europe. By the end of the 11th century, some Jewish
communities erected imposing buildings to house their baths
and regularly attended to their servicing and upkeep. The refusal
of Christians to allow Jews to share the municipal baths
and the fear that Jewish women might be molested there increased
the need for separate institutions. The fact also, that,
with the exception of Poland, Jews were prohibited from bathing
in the same river as Christians finally led them to build
their own bathhouses, which often became landmarks, such
as the Badehaus of the Jews of Augsburg, or “Bakewell Hall”
in London, which was probably originally “Bathwell Hall.” In
Moslem Spain, Ramon Berenger IV allowed his court physician,
Abraham, to build the only public bathhouse in Barcelona,
which his family ran from 1160 to 1199. In the Middle
East, and in modern times, particularly in Eastern Europe,
Jews became addicted to the “Turkish bath” which has found
its way into Jewish folklore. Several ancient baths have been
discovered in Ereẓ Israel such as the swimming pool and
hot baths that Herod built at *Herodium, which had waiting
rooms, dressing rooms, hot rooms, and cool rooms with all
bath-sheba
the comforts of the baths at Rome. Among the best-preserved
and beautifully finished baths that have been uncovered in
Ereẓ Israel are those on Masada, where no less than four baths
and one swimming pool were built by Herod. In the northern
palace there is a small, private bathhouse finished in Roman
style, and south of the palace there is a large swimming pool
with cubicles for keeping clothes; Herod built a small bathhouse
in the west palace as well, which was unusually heated
by an oven in an adjoining room and fitted with a niche for
an oil lamp. More important, however, are the remains of the
large bathhouse near the north palace where more than 200
stands, the remnants of the piping system for the hot air, were
discovered, as well as elaborate facilities for steam baths, cold
baths, etc., adorned with frescoes and mosaics. At a later period
the Zealots built a large bathhouse in the southern corner
of Masada, consisting of a small mikveh and two connecting
larger ones, which conform to halakhah. Near Tiberias
are the remains of the hot, mineral baths of *Hamath of the
Roman period.
Bibliography: Y. Brand, Kelei ha-Ḥeres ba-Sifrut ha-Talmudit
(1953), 27–35; G. Krauss, Talmudische Archaeologie (1910);
U.E. Paoli, Das Leben im alten Rom (1948); J. Carcopino, Daily Life
in Ancient Rome (1940); Th. Birt, Zur Kulturgeschichte Roms (1917);
Baron, Social 2, 4 (1956), 37; I. Abrahams, Jewish Life in the Middle
Ages (1932), 89, 426.
BAT ḤEFER (Heb. רפח תב; “Daughter of Ḥefer”), urban community
located in the *Ḥefer Plain in central Israel. The settlement
is located near the border of Samaria, near *Tūl Karm,
and is part of the regional council of Emek Ḥefer. Its area is
0.4 sq. mi (1 sq. km.). The settlement was part of the “seven
star” plan of Ariel *Sharon to establish settlements near the
border of Samaria. Building began in 1994 and the first settlers
arrived in 1996. At the end of 2002 the population of Bat
Ḥefer was 4,610.
[Shaked Gilboa (2nd ed.)]
BATH-SHEBA (Heb. עַ בֶׁ ש־ת ּב, ַ in I Chron. 3:5 עּו ַ ש־ת ׁ ּב), ַ wife
of *David and mother of *Solomon. Bath-Sheba was originally
the wife of *Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s warriors.
During the war against Rabbath-Ammon (II Sam. 11), David
saw Bath-Sheba and ordered her brought to his palace. When
David knew that she was pregnant by him, he attempted to
return Uriah to his house (see II Sam. 11:6–13). Failing to do
so, he sought and found a pretext to have Uriah killed in battle
(11:14–27); he then married Bath-Sheba. The prophet *Nathan
rebuked David for this act (12:1–12), but subsequently
took Bath-Sheba’s side and supported the enthronement of
her son Solomon (I Kings 1:8ff.). She later agreed to present
to Solomon *Adonijah’s request for David’s concubine
*Abishag. In addition to Solomon, Bath-Sheba gave birth to at
least three other sons, Shimea, Shobab, and Nathan (I Chron.
3:5). It seems that her first son, who died soon after his birth
because of the sin of his father, is included in this list (II Sam.
12:13ff.).
ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 3 211