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From what I understand when a woman goes to the mikvah there is another woman who watches her immerse (dubbed 'mikveh lady'). Apparently this is for practical reasons to make sure everything is done properly (Igros Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:105). I would like to know if there are practical halachic ramifications of this practice, such as does the woman immersing have to listen to the mikveh lady if she is told that she made a mistake?

For example Sarah watches Esther go to the mikveh. Esther comes out and Sarah says, "Esther you touched the wall", or "some of your hair didn't go in". May Esther say, "No, I'm 100% sure you're wrong"?

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    This sounds like a case of eid echad ne-eman be-issurim, which would, I think, indicate that one has to listen. However, your last sentence adds an interesting twist (which I think would apply to other eid echat be-issurim cases) - where the actor is certain that the eid is wrong.
    – Isaac Moses
    May 13, 2013 at 14:36
  • @IsaacMoses I don't know enough about eid echad ne-eman be-issurim does it apply outside of court?
    – user2110
    May 13, 2013 at 14:43
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    nikmasi, me neither. :) I thought outside of court was its primary locus of application.
    – Isaac Moses
    May 13, 2013 at 14:43
  • It's an interesting halachic question. As a practical matter, I don't know why one would want to question it rather than dunking again, unless you're dealing with a hyper-critical mikvah lady and you've done this a bunch of times already (in which case you may have other problems). The information is immediate; it's not like you've gotten out and dried off and only then find out there was a problem. May 13, 2013 at 14:51
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    @DoubleAA chatzitzah, just ask any mikvah lady
    – user2110
    May 13, 2013 at 15:35

1 Answer 1

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According to what it says in SA YD 281:5 and in 16:11 she would be believed.

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  • Could you please include quotations and/or summaries?
    – Isaac Moses
    May 13, 2013 at 18:36
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    ...and clarify which "she" you refer to?
    – msh210
    May 13, 2013 at 18:51
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    (After checking those two paragraphs on the linked-to page.) ... and state how you derive your conclusion from those paragraphs? −1.
    – msh210
    May 13, 2013 at 18:53
  • is there a reason that one should distrust the mikvah lady?
    – Dude
    Jun 16, 2014 at 3:08

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