Infant Negel Vasser? Mirrors?

Pizza

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 1:28 pm

Do you wash negel vasser for your infant / baby? Why?
What about letting them look in the mirror? Until what age? Why?

I heard of these ideas, never did them, wondering what the sources or ideas behind them are

Tehilla

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 1:30 pm

yes, we wash negel vasser every day from birth forward for our children. we do it because that's what we were told to do. we also daven with them.

we (as in husband and myself, and we are Lubavitchers) do not let the children look into mirrors until they have teeth.

Last edited by Tehilla on Sun, Jun 15 2008, 1:31 pm; edited 1 time in total

HooRYou

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 1:30 pm

AFAIK the mirror thing is until they teethe. I think it is minhag Yerushalyim. A lot of people do not hold by it.

Washing hands is the same as anyone else. Tuma is tuma.

secondgear

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 4:41 pm

we try and wash negel vasser every day. I think start the way you plan to go on. never heard about hte mirrors. what is that about

yo'ma

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 4:45 pm

My father always said that a baby shouldn't look at mirrors. I don't listen embarrassed

and my baby loves it. LOL

Ruchel

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 4:53 pm

Mirror: never heard of.
Negel wasser: my husband learned you can start at 3 for chinuch, but most people start at 6.

supermommy

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 9:04 pm

negel vaser we do from birth. We also don't let them look at mirrors untill they get some teeth but I still wonder what the source is for the mirror thing. Anyone know?

Tehilla

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 9:09 pm

I read a whole thing on it, but I hesitated to post because I don't know if I will remember all the facts about it.

I believe because they can see kelipos/demons something like that in the mirror. it is believed/taught that it can harm/scare them until they have teeth.

I really hope someone will correct me, because I cannot remember all of what I read...so sorry to all until someone can clarify this more.

flowerpower

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 10:17 pm

I am strict with baby boys- negel vasser from the hospital and on. With the girl I am more lenient-stared at a few months old.

The mirror they claim causes cross eyes. I let them look in the mirror but for a short amount of time.

Tehilla

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 10:20 pm

flower, you didn't hear anything like what I wrote? I know I read something very close to what I posted but can't find the source.

Twizzlers

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 10:21 pm

I do negel vasser as soon as my kid can stand (on a chair) by the sink. I have not yet figured out how to wash an infants hands (which he holds scrunched against him) without giving myself and him a messy shower!

Maya

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 10:22 pm

I still don't wash my son's hands, but maybe I should. I just never thought of it.

GAMZu

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 11:56 pm

Twizzlers wrote:

Me too.
My husband insists on doing it from birth, but it's way too hard. Holding/balancing the baby- and then having to change his clothes. When he is available, he washes the baby's hands.
But he did tell me that washing negel vasser from day 1-8 for a boy is a segula to have the bris on time, so those 8 days we make sure to.

Pizza

Mon, Jun 16 2008, 1:28 am

HooRYou: Washing hands is the same as anyone else. Tuma is tuma.

I dont get it - what tuma? The baby falling asleep and neshama 'leaving'? Or touching? Do you wash the baby's hands right after birth? They just came thru a very tuma canal...?

Pizza

Mon, Jun 16 2008, 1:30 am

Tehilla: I believe because they can see kelipos/demons something like that in the mirror. it is believed/taught that it can harm/scare them until they have teeth.

Can you please ask around about this, I heard something like this too, and thought it was too far out, now I wonder. Is there a makor or is this one of those things that catches on and people cant let go of it? I wonder...

mummy-bh

Mon, Jun 16 2008, 4:41 am

I heard this is the reason too, Tehilla.

I don't let my babies see a mirror until they have two teeth, but I know someone who doesn't let until a year old (regardless of the number of teeth).

greentiger

Mon, Jun 16 2008, 4:46 am

I wash my baby whenever I remember. my family used to do the mirrirs thing, but I asked about it and was told its buba maises so I am not careful about it.

I was told that the reason for it is that the baby is so pure that their reflection frightens them.

losingweight

Mon, Jun 16 2008, 7:22 am

[quote]Negel wasser: my husband learned you can start at 3 for chinuch, but most people start at 6.
Why would u wait so long? A child is just at tuma as an adult. They aren't allowed to touch any food cuz they can render it tuma. I do negel vasser from birth.

Ilovechoumous

Mon, Jun 16 2008, 7:37 am

mirror- never heard of it.

we only started washing our two older ones after 6, but with my 18 month old, we started a few months ago and he loves it. he runs up to the sink right when he wakes up and loves to try to say amen. its really cute. I regret not doing it early with the older ones.