Pure Water

I was on the hunt for Turkish towels, which took us to the oldest operational Turkish bath. Walking into this 300 year old bath house the air was filled with the scent of luxurious soaps. Hanging on the wall were pictures of political leaders and movie stars who had ventured into this marble structure.

The Turkish bath house grew from the Roman Empire and gained popularity during the Ottoman rule with the requirement that each mosque have an attached bath house. The cleansing process began with a dry heat room then moving into a steam or hot room for a massage using a cloth to exfoliate. This process would end with a cold bath.

There were different times allocated for men and women to enter. In Istanbul the bath houses also included a ritual purification room for Jewish women. Included in the Mosaic Law were strict requirements of washing and cleansing. Cleansing for ancient Israel was an Aaronic priesthood commandment that kept them clean and minimized the risk of disease; it was an outward observance for an inward progression of purifying the heart and mind.

The Savior taught the inward law and brought a higher covenant after the order of Melchizedek. Paul continued to teach this understanding to the Jews whom were members of the church.

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts purified from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." - Hebrews 10:22