In writing my novel Saint Mark's Body I've taken advantage of the helpful rabbanim at www.askmoses.com for certain thorny questions on Jewish law. They're kind, they work 24/6 (think about it), and they don't mind giving free opinions to Episcopalian deists.
But I'm not going to ask them about this:
(1) If an unmarried Jewish woman in the 9th century AD immerses herself naked in the Mediterranean, does it count as a mikveh? (ritual purification)-- Yes, it's a natural body of water and therefore pure. But why does she need a mikveh if she's unmarried?
(2) Does it still count if her Gentile boyfriend watches? -- Probably no. Where's this going, young man?
(3) How about if he jumps in after her? -- Wait a minute, I dropped my bagel.
(4) OK, but then does it count as foreplay? -- Oy.
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