Cutting Nails | Imamother

gryp

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 4:15 pm

Does anyone know all the details involved in cutting nails?

I know that youre not supposed to cut them one after the other, but in a certain order. youre not supposed to cut them on Thursdays, youre not supposed to cut fingernails and toenails at the same time, and you have to wash negel vaaser after cutting. anything else? and what is the order you are supposed to cut them in?

do these apply when cutting your baby's nails? and do you have to wash negel vaaser after cutting someone else's nails? should I wash my baby negel vaaser after I cut his nails?

I read it all in a sefer once but I dont have that sefer now...

sarahd

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 4:36 pm

I would love to know the answers to these questions too. The only one I can help you which is the order for cutting nails: Right hand - 2, 4, 1, 3, 5 and left hand - 4, 2, 5, 3, 1.

I heard also that you're not allowed to cut nails at night. Is this true?

gryp

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 4:38 pm

thank you sarahd!!!
I could never get those numbers straight. I need to think of a way to remember them...

I was going to add that youre not supposed to cut them after shkia, but I couldnt remember if I made that up or if it was real... Confused

IndyMom

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 4:56 pm

I had no idea of any of this. Can someone post a comprehensive list of all the halachos? Does this mean biting nails is assur? I like to bite my babies nails while I nurse them - it's easier then using a nail clipper and I know their hands are clean since they are my babies (unlike my toddlers, yuck - I would never let their fingers in my mouth Wink

)

amother

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 7:41 pm

what??????????? I never knew you can't cut finger nails and then toe nails- I cut my babies finger nails and then toe nails ???

Ozmom

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 7:47 pm

actually sarahd and RG I'm pretty sure you have to start on the left and move to the right so its like this

Left hand (start from left of left hand every second nail)
so the finger next to the pinky then your index then your pinky then your middle finger then your thumb then move to the left of your right hand and its same deal start with the index and then move to (whats the one called next to the pinky and then back to your thumb and so forth

same with the toes
also the reason we don't cut on thursday is so it shouldn't start grow on shabbos and by cutting you would have implemented it
so I think you need to take it into account on yomtov too
that it starts growing two days later

Ozmom

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 7:50 pm

I didn't know that shkia thing

I think cutting hands and toes same day is something to do with ayin hora. Is that it?
but you are allowed to do it on mikvah night when you are doing your chafifa and I think you can do thursday too if its your mikvah night am I right???

gryp

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 9:08 pm

Quote:

start from left of left hand every second nail

thanx Ozmom, that makes perfect sense and I dont have to remember any numbers...

Quote:

but you are allowed to do it on mikvah night when you are doing your chafifa and I think you can do thursday too if its your mikvah night am I right???

yes, mikvah is doche (pushes off) a lot of things.

sarahd

Mon, Apr 11 2005, 3:35 am

RG wrote:

I could never get those numbers straight. I need to think of a way to remember them...

I was going to add a mnemonic, but don't have Hebrew on my home computer. Here's what I always use: בדאגה (better worry if you don't do it right! Smile

). The other hand is just backwards, sort of: דבהגא.

chamudale

Mon, Apr 11 2005, 5:47 am

All these rules are because cutting nails in the wrong order or not doing negel vasser after cutting them are a "spiritual danger". It's like a pregnant women stepping on nails - even though it doesn't seem to make sense in the logical way, c"v it could lead to problems, and all because it's a "spiritual danger".

Pickle Lady

Mon, Apr 11 2005, 10:10 am

A kallah teacher said that you don't have to cut the nails in the special order if its for chafifa. So that you don't forget a nail.