Tuesday
August 17 2010
7 Elul 5770; 23 Days to Rosh Hashana 5771
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Today's Halachos dedicated by E.N. L'Refuah Shelaima of Chaya Malka Bas Leah Frumit B'Soch Sh'ar Cholei Yisroel, who is undergoing some difficult surgery. Please Daven and Learn today on her behalf.
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1)It is a Mitzvah to cut the nails of the hands in honor of Shabbos.
One should not cut the nails of his hands on the same day as cutting the nails of the toes. (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 72:14)
It is best not to cut nails in order, as doing so can present a danger and cause one to forget their Torah learning.
Start with the left hand as follows: ring finger, thumb, middle finger, pinky and then the pointer.
Then move on to the right hand and cut the nail of pointer, ring finger, thumb, middle finger and then the pinky. (See Rama Siman 261:1 and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman ibid. Some Poskim, including the Aruch HaShulchan, rule to start with the right hand but the prevalent Minhag is to begin with the left.)
There is no difference between left handed and right handed people in regard to the order of cutting nails.
2) After nails are cut they should be burned. Flushing them down the toilet is sufficient for them to be considered burnt.
The Talmud (Niddah 17a) says that a pregnant woman who steps on nails is in danger of losing her child Chas V'Shalom. The Gemara goes so far as to call one who doesn't dispose of his/her nails properly a Rasha, an evil person.
Although the Shulchan Aruch doesn't bring this Halacha directly, the Poskim do indeed quote the Gemara and seem to be very stringent with this Halacha L'Ma'aseh. (The Chazon Ish was extremely makpid with this as were many Gedolim.)
This only applies if the nails are in the place where they were dropped, but once they were moved, they are no longer a danger. Thus if one did cut their nails, it is important to sweep the area to make sure the nails move from where they fell.
(See Mogen Avraham beginning of Siman 260, Mishna Berura Siman 260:6 and Be'er Heitev 260:2)
This applies to a person's own nails as well. This also applies to nails of non Jews (See Rivevos Ephraim Vol. 8 Siman 88:1)
Although the Talmud seems to say that it is a danger only for pregnant women, the Zohar seems to say that it is a danger for anyone to walk on nails. (See Likutei MaHarich Seder Hanhagos Erev Shabbos Dibur Hamaschil V'Ayin B'Rama)
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The days from Rosh Chodesh Elul until after Hoshana Rabba are days of Hashem's Rachamim (mercy), Selicha (forgiveness) and Ratzon (goodwill). They are an extremely opportune time for Jews to find it within themselves to repent and atone for the sins that were transgressed in the past year and to accept upon themselves to live better lives, according to Halacha- the will of Hashem, in the year ahead.
Hashem is always waiting for his children to repent, but in Elul He is even closer to us and Teshuva is a lot easier.
It is never too late to jump on the bandwagon and start our journey of return to our Father in heaven, and hopefully, together, bring about the final redemption with Mashiach Tzidkeinu.
For archives of Halachos of Chodesh Elul and the Yamim Noraim CLICK HERE
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Yahoo.com
Reader's Question:
I have a few questions on the topic of Mechila.
First off, Is there any amount of time after which one can assume that the party that he has wronged has forgiven him?
Second, What should one do in the situation of Lashon Hara if he smiled, nodded, or just didn't protest when hearing someone speak Lashon Hara about another Jew? How should one go about asking Mechila from someone who probably will never know that he nodded or otherwise agreeed with a speaker of Lashon Hara?
What happens in the situation when a person speaks Lashon Hara about another, but the wronged party will never find out, unless the speaker asks for Mechila? What if this situation occurs, but the person simply listens or nods his head- must he ask Mechila from the wronged party whom would otherwise never know?
Answer:
No, there is no time period after which you can assume one has been Mochel a wrong against him/her. In fact, even after someone passes away, mechila needs to be sought from them by going to their grave with a Minyan of 10 people or such similar processes.
Regarding asking mechila for Lashon Hara related sins where one may possibly do futher harm by asking for it, see Q&A #358 here.
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CHIZUK CORNER
As a Zechus for the Refuah Shelaima of one of the Gedolei HaDor, the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Stein Shlita, R' Chaim Yaakov ben Chasya Miriam, B'soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel, we will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short Chizuk thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
קוה אל ד', חזק ויאמץ לבך, וקוה אל ד'
Chizuk For Today:
The Power of Vision
Chazal say that the heart and eyes can be two 'middlemen' for aveiros, for through them a person can be led to sin. Hashem tells a person, "If you give me your eyes, then you are mine!"
(ירושלמי ברכות פ"א ה"ה)
The Arizal says that eyesight connects a person with the subject of view, and whatever one sees has an impression on his נשמה, for good or for bad. This can be seen by an ostrich that can hatch its eggs just by looking at them.
(ס' הליקוטים פ' קדושים, קב הישר פ"ב)
The של"ה הקדוש writes that the eye of a Yid corresponds to the ruchniusdike 'eye' above (עין 'תחת' עין), and when a person guards his eyes and looks at proper things, his eyes will be brightened with kedusha. If however a person looks at improper things, he separates his eyes from the kedusha and causes a פגם (blemish) above.
(של"ה פרשת משפטים ד׳)
Submitted By M.F., taken from the Agudas Avreichei Lubavitch weekly email
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Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות
- one who studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the world to come. (Talmud Niddah 73a)
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