...Continued from previous week
1) Each Motzaei Shabbos during Havdalah, we light a candle [of at least 2 wicks] and recite the Bracha of “Baruch Ata Hashem....Borei Me’Orei Ha’Eish”. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 298:1 and 2)
The reason for this is to commemorate the fact that Hashem created fire [i.e. gave Adam HaRishon the knowledge to rub two stones together to produce fire] on Motzaei Shabbos. (See Mishna Berura Siman 298:1 quoting the Talmud Pesachim 54)
It is customary to gaze at the palm of the hand and at the nails near the light of the Havdalah candle. The fingers should be bent inwards into the palm and cover the thumb, so that the four remaining nails and the palm can be gazed at simultaneously. (Rama Siman 298:3 and Mishna Berura S”K 10)
There are three reasons for looking at the fingernails and the palm:
- The light needs to be bright enough to enable one to discern between 2 coins, thus if one can differentiate between nail and skin, it shows that the flame is adequate.
- The nails are a symbol of Bracha, blessing, as they continuously grow and thus we want to start the week with an omen of blessing.
- The palm of the hand has in it creases which contain within them symbols of Bracha. (See Mishna Berura Siman 298:9)
2) The cup of wine should be held in the left hand when the Bracha is recited and the nails and palm of the right hand should be gazed at and then the cup switched back to the right hand for the remainder of Havdalah. (Rama ibid. and Kaf HaChaim 298:21. See also Mishna Berura Siman 296:31)
Many people have the custom after gazing at the nails of the right hand to then repeat the procedure and gaze at the nails and palm of the left hand.
This Minhag doesn’t really have a basis in Halacha, and in fact according to kabalistic sources it is an ominous sign to gaze at the left hand as doing so may cause spiritual harm. (See Aruch HaShulchan Siman 298:8, Sefer Minhag Yisroel Torah Siman 298:1 and Likutei MaHariach, Havdalah. There are some sources who do justify this Minhag, and each individual should follow their custom or consult a Rav.)
Left handed people follow the same procedure and gaze at the nails and palm of the right hand. (If their custom is to gaze at both hands, the right hand still goes first) (See Darchei Moshe Siman 298)
3) On Pesach, at the Seder, there is a Mitzvah to eat while leaning (B’Heseiva) to demonstrate Cheirus, freedom. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 472:2)
The leaning should not be forward, backward or to the right side, rather it must be done on the left side. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 472:3)
The reason for not leaning forward or backward is that doing so is not considered the way of Cheirus, freedom. (Mishna Berura 472:9)
There are two reasons for not leaning to the right side. One reason is that doing so will prevent the person from eating comfortably with his right hand. (Mishna Berura ibid. S”K 10) According to this first reason alone, we may think that a left handed person would need to lean to the right side.
However, there is another [and more important] reason for leaning to the left, because a person’s food pipe (esophagus) is to the right and the air canal (trachea) is to the left, and when leaning to the right there is a chance that the cover of the air canal will open and the food may get lodged in the wrong pipe and cause choking Chas V’Shalom. (Mishna Berura ibid.). Therefore, there is no difference between lefties and righties and both need to lean to the left. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 472:3 and Mishna Berura S”K 11)
4) If a left handed person leaned to the right, B’dieved he has satisfied his obligation. (Mishna Berura ibid.). If a right handed person leans to the right, according to some Poskim it is acceptable B’dieved, and according to others even B’dieved he has not satisfied his obligation. (Mishna Berura ibid. See also Kaf HaChaim Siman 472:23 and 48. See also Shu”t Hisorerus Teshuva Vol. 2 Siman 49)
