Washing negel vasser with newborns- practical tips.

Atali

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 4:55 pm

Does anyone here have any practical tips to make washing negel vasser with newborns easier?

NotInNJMommy

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 5:33 pm

luke warm water...I do it over the kitchen sink.

When they are still really young and floppy, I almost prefer it just with their diapers on bc they get all wet in my case....although, then I guess they are "naked" so *shrug* I never found a way to win until they had more muscle tone.

gryp

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 7:09 pm

I was going to start this thread, Atali! A few weeks ago. Smile

Make the water warm, roll up his, or in your case- her, sleeves, lay baby across one arm with your hand supporting his head and his hands dangling over kitchen sink.

It takes just a second and my other kids always crack up when they see it. They think it's absolutely hysterical that their little tiny brother washes negel vaaser just like they do. Smile

Gefen

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 7:38 pm

For newborn - I used a spray bottle, little spritz on each hand.

Atali

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 8:31 pm

Gefen wrote:

For newborn - I used a spray bottle, little spritz on each hand.

Interesting, does anyone else know if that counts as negel vasser?

ss321

Mon, Jul 28 2008, 10:30 pm

warm water thing is great, also try to do it when he (she) is still groggy they wont notice/cry as much. also, feed them right after, I find my baby gets really shocked and annoyed w/ the water, but a little bit of milk goes a long way

freidasima

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:11 am

who keeps the mitzva of negel vasser for babies? It seems to negate the purpose the way I see it, as babies at least newborns sleep all the time. When do you do it?

Atali

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:17 am

freidasima wrote:

who keeps the mitzva of negel vasser for babies? It seems to negate the purpose the way I see it, as babies at least newborns sleep all the time. When do you do it?

Once per day (in the morning), since sleep at night is more stringent with regard to negel vasser.

freidasima

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:18 am

got it! And this is chabad or what shita?

gryp

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:24 am

We do it because Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe's mother, washed the Rebbe's hands before he ate each time as an infant.
I only do it in the morning, or try to anyway. By around 6 months I've usually gotten the hang of things to wash the baby every single morning without fail.

I've heard other non-Chabad posters mention it, but I'm not sure of their source for it.

Atali

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:28 am

freidasima wrote:

got it! And this is chabad or what shita?

As GR said, it apparently isn't exclusively Chabad because other posters have mentioned doing it. I remember Shalhevet mentioning that she washed negel vasser with her newborns.

freidasima

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 10:29 am

Sounds interesting. I didn't know about it when the kids were born...but it sounds like a beautiful thing.

ss321

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 11:37 am

were not chabad and we do it. I will ask my husband WHY/where the minhag originates from.

amother

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 1:51 pm

It's also a segulah for a newborn boy to waash negel vasser each morning (or more if you can manage it) so that the bris should be on time.

Tehilla

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 1:52 pm

if we're talking about segulas, it's also a segula for the children to be full of yiras shamayim.

rachel19977

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 1:54 pm

We follow the Sepharadi custom and I know that we do it...! But, don't know from where at the moment... DH away!

amother

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 2:12 pm

you're right tehila, I stand corrected. I was only talking about the first days of the beby's life before the bris, for those of us who are not noheig every day until the child is able to understand a bit.

Tehilla

Tue, Jul 29 2008, 2:14 pm

amother wrote:

I'm not correcting you! I was just adding another facet to the conversation. we also wash from birth.