How to Immerse a Vessel When Afraid It Might Slip

I have a very expensive silver vessel, and I am afraid it might fall into the mikvah and get damaged. Is it permissible to hold the vessel in the mikvah without letting go?

You should hold the vessel loosely in the mikvah (so that water can enter), and if you are afraid to hold it this way, you can first immerse one hand in the mikvah, then place the vessel in the mikvah with the other hand, and transfer it to the hand that is in the mikvah. Then you can hold the vessel tightly. Another option is to immerse it in a net (or a vessel within a vessel, and if the outer vessel does not require immersion, the opening should be the size of a bottle neck, which is the measure of two fingers).

Loose holding of the vessel: In the Mishnah, Mikvaot, Chapter 8, Mishnah 5, it states: "One who holds a person or vessels and immerses them, they remain impure unless he loosens his grip so that water can enter." Rashi explains that they remain impure as if they were not immersed because water did not reach the place of holding. If he first immersed his hands in water, they are pure because the moisture on his hands connects with the mikvah water, and there is no barrier. Rambam and Rashba ruled that if he immersed his hands in water, they are pure because the water connects, but Rambam ruled that if he immersed a vessel in water and held it, and his hands were loose, the immersion does not count, due to the concern that he might not loosen his grip.

The Shulchan Aruch, Siman 120, Section 2, states: "The vessel must be loose in his hand during immersion, for if he holds it tightly, it is a barrier. If he first moistened his hands in water, there is no concern." The Rema adds: "Specifically if he moistened his hands in mikvah water, but not in detached water."

In the commentary of Shach, the question arises why the opinion of Rambam, who is concerned that he might not loosen his grip, is not considered, and it is explained in Pitchei Teshuva that in the case of immersing vessels taken from a non-Jew, where the food is not forbidden, there is no need to be concerned, and Rambam's opinion to prohibit applies only to purity and impurity.

Regarding my advice to first immerse one hand in the mikvah and transfer the vessel, it is because the Rema wrote that one should moisten in mikvah water, and if the water is detached, it is considered detached water, and although the Taz and Pri Chadash agreed that even detached water helps, it is still better to transfer it from hand to hand in the mikvah, as written in Levush and Mateh Yonatan, and even the Taz wrote that it is proper to consider the words of Levush.

Immersing a vessel in a net is explained in Siman 202, that it is not a barrier, although there is no connection like the neck of a bottle.