Legal and Public Health Aspects of Mikva’ot in the Second Polish Republic.
Legal and Public Health Aspects of Mikva’ot in the Second Polish Republic.

Summary/Abstract: Article examines the legal and sanitary regulation of mikva’ot (ritual bathhouses) in the Second Polish Republic (1918–1939), focusing on their integration into the broader framework of public health and administrative law. While rooted in Jewish religious practices, mikva’ot were subject to secular oversight and regulation, reflecting tensions between religious autonomy and public policy. The study critically analyses key legal acts, including the 1921 and 1936 bathing ordinances, and judicial rulings on the taxation and operation of ritual bathhouses. By situating these regulations within the socio-political landscape of interwar Poland, the paper highlights the dual role of mikva’ot as both religious spaces and public hygiene facilities. This analysis contributes to understanding the complex interplay between law, public health, and minority rights in a multi-ethnic state, offering insights relevant to legal historians and scholars of Jewish studies

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