Derasha 213 on Vayikra 11:36

TT #213 · Parshas Shemini · Aliyah 7 · Passuk 36

The Complete Passuk

אַךְ מַעְיָן וּבוֹר מִקְוֵה־מַיִם יִהְיֶה טָהוֹר וְנֹגֵעַ בְּנִבְלָתָם יִטְמָא:

English: “Only a spring”: just as a spring is produced by Heaven, so a valid mikveh must have water supplied by Heaven.

Toras Kohanim.

Core Text

אַךְ מַעְיָן. מַה מַעְיָן בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם אַף מִקְוֶה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם.

Analogy — The Chazal derives the stated rule from the wording and structure of the verse.

The required water source must have the stated natural origin.