The Power is in our Hands
by tillerofthesoil
“Our Rabbis taught: Rabbi Akiva was once confined in a prison-house and Rabbi Yehoshua the grits-maker was attending on him. Every day, a certain quantity of water was brought in to him. On one occasion he was met by the prison keeper who said to him, ‘Your water today is rather much; do you perhaps require it for undermining the prison?’ He poured out a half of it and handed to him the other half. When he came to Rabbi Akiva the latter said to him, ‘Yehoshua, do you not know that I am an old man and my life depends on yours?’ When he told him all that had happened [Rabbi Akiva] said to him, ‘Give me some water to wash my hands.’ ‘It will not suffice for drinking, will it suffice for washing your hands?’ ‘What can I do when one is liable to death? It is better that I should die my own death than neglect the knowledge of my Companions [who ordained the washing of hands before meals].’ It was related that he tasted nothing until the other had brought him water and he washed his hands. When the sages heard of this incident they remarked: ‘If he was so in his old age how much more must he have been so in his youth; and if he was so in a prison-house how much more when not in a prison-house'” (BT Eruvin 21b).
“There is one who fears without knowing what he fears, because of sins that he did not recognize as sin, that he did not consider. It is he who fears days of evil (Psalms 49:6)—those days designated for the evil one. And who are they? This is the evil impulse, called evil one, who has certain days on which he is authorized in the world to lead astray all those who defile their ways, for one who comes to defile himself, they defile. So these are called days of evil, and they are assigned to those sins people trample underfoot [i.e., the iniquity of my heels (ibid.)].
Come and see: All those who defile their ways encounter bands of dazzling demons, defiling them. On the path one wishes to take, on precisely that path he is conducted. If a person comes to purify himself, how many are those who assist him [see BT Makkot 10b]!
We have learned that when a person rises in the morning, he should wash his hands from a receptacle of water—a vessel for pouring water—by means of someone who has already washed his hands, as has been established. Come and see: On account of this receptacle, we have established this matter [of ‘sins that people trample under foot’ i.e. seemingly insignificant misdeeds, peccadilloes, see BT Avodah Zarah 18a (in the name of Rabbi Shim’on son of Lakish); Tanḥuma, Eqev 1].
Further, a person should wash the right hand with the left; this is the purpose of washing. So one who washes his hands should wash right with left, so as not to provide any opening for the evil impulse to dominate, as we have established” (Zohar 1:198a-b).
“Water is from the right and it is joy. It immediately gives to the left, where that water cleaves, bringing joy. Then it is included in the right and arouses the Female with that joy. Your sign: one who takes water in a vessel with his right hand; the first to pour water is the left—and not from left to right, since water is received from the right by the left. Therefore, water is found only on the left…
After a person has eaten and enjoyed himself, he should give part of the remnants to that side. What is that? Fingerbowl water—that filth of the hands—for one must give that side the portion that he needs… Consequently, one should not bless at all, for there is no blessing on that side” (Zohar 2:154b).
“Afflictions of the children of Adam (2 Samuel 7:14). These lure human beings at doorways, wells, and toilets. Therefore, if a person places the Holy Name at his doorway—if שַׁדַּי (Shaddai) is inscribed in its supernal crowns—they all flee far away from him, corresponding to what is written: No affliction will draw near your tent (Psalms 91:10). What is affliction? Afflictions of the children of Adam” (Zohar 3:76b).
“To wash the hands to the extent that the sages decreed, namely five knots, which contain fourteen joints. Similarly there are fourteen joints in the left [יָד (yad) hand, which has a numerical value of fourteen], making twenty-eight joints. And against these כ”ח (twenty-eight) ‘the כֹּחַ (koaḥ), power, of YHWH,’ and these are the twenty-eight letters of the first verse in the Works of Creation [see Genesis 1:1], and about them is written: And so, let the Lord’s כֹּחַ (koaḥ), power, pray, be great (Numbers 14:17). The ten fingers correspond to the ten acts of speech at the creation of the world [וַיֹּאמֶר (va’yomer), and He said, appears ten times in Genesis 1, see M Avot 5:1]: For this reason, the Masters of Mishnah taught: ‘Whoever is careless over the washing of the hands is uprooted from the world’ (BT Sotah 4b). Why is this? It is because the ten fingers of the hands and the twenty-eight joints of the fingers contain the mystery of the ten acts of speech and the twenty-eight letters with which the world was created” (Zohar 3:244b, Ra’aya Meheimna Pineḥas).
“Rabbi Pinḥas son of Ya’ir said: Study leads to precision, precision leads to zeal, zeal leads to cleanliness, cleanliness leads to restraint, restraint leads to purity, purity leads to holiness, holiness leads to meekness, meekness leads to fear of sin, fear of sin leads to saintliness, saintliness leads to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit leads to revival of the dead” (BT Avodah Zarah 20b).
“Rabbi Yishma’el son of Elisha said, ‘Three things were told to me by Suriel, Prince of the [Divine] Countenance: Do not take your shirt from the hand of the attendant when dressing in the morning, do not let your hands be washed by anyone who has not washed his hands, and do not return a cup of asparagus to anyone other than the one who has handed it to you. For a band of demons [some say: a cluster of angels of destruction] lies in wait, saying: ‘When will a human do one of these things, so we can capture him!’” (BT Berakhot 51a).
“Come and see: When night spreads her wings and all inhabitants of the world lie asleep in bed, they taste a taste of death. Due to this taste, the impure spirit roams the world, defiling the world with its whirlwind, alighting on the hands of a human being, now contaminated. Upon awakening, his soul, restored, he defiles whatever his hands draw near because the impure spirit settles upon them. So when dressing, one should not take his clothes from anyone who has not washed his hands, for he draws upon him that impure spirit, received by the one whose hands are being washed, empowered to settle upon him” (Zohar 1:53b, cf. ibid. 1:184b).
“The Matronita does not dwell in his כֹּחַ (koaḥ), power, the twenty-eight finger joints, until all the filth of the wicked, unfit slavegirl, wife to the unfit, is removed. Therefore, the Masters of Mishnah explained that ‘filthy hands are unfit to make a blessing’ [see BT Berakhot 53b]. This water is for cleansing the hand upon which the hand of יהוה (YHWH) rests. The hand of YHWH is the water of Torah. The ignorant people are considered like unclean reptiles [see BT Pesaḥim 49b]. What good will immersing in water do them, holding in their hand that reptile, which is the wicked slave-girl, stolen goods in their possession, the stolen blessings they stole from the blessed Holy One. They do not know what a blessing is, or what filth is” (Zohar 3:273b, Ra’aya Meheimna Eqev).
“Rabbi Zerika said in the name of Rabbi El’azar: Whoever makes light of washing the hands [before and after a meal] will be uprooted from the world. Rabbi Hiyya son of Ashi said in the name of Rav: With the first washing [before the meal] it is necessary to lift the hands up; with the latter washing [after the meal] it is necessary to lower the hands. There is a similar teaching: Who washes his hands [before the meal] must lift them up lest the water pass beyond the joint, flow back and render them unclean. Rabbi Abbahu says: Whoever eats bread without first wiping his hands is as though he eats unclean food; as is written: And YHWH said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the nations, [where I will drive them] (Ezekiel 4:13)” (BT Sotah 4b). When washing the hands for a meal, the water should reach the second joint of the fingers; Ḥullin 106a. The hands beyond the joint having been left unwashed are deemed unclean.
“Water at the end of the meal, as it has been taught: Water to wash the hands at the beginning of the meal is a precept and at the end of the meal is an obligation, while in the middle [between courses] it is optional. With the water at the beginning of the meal, he has to raise his fingers up so that the dirty water will not run back and defile the hands. And there are sages who held the opinion that the water at the end of the meal is because of salt, lest it blind the eyes. They thereby removed from us the obligation [it being no more than good advice]. And there are secret matters with those who held that it is obligatory. And it is not good practice to contradict the words of the great, but to them may be applied the verse: According to the teaching that they instruct you [and according to the judgment that they say to you, you shall do, you shall not swerve from the word that they tell you right or left] (Deuteronomy 17:11).
And furthermore, three sanctifications were stated in this connection, as it is written: [For I am YHWH your God,] and you shall hallow yourselves and become holy, for I am holy (Leviticus 11:44). Hallow yourselves—water for washing the hands at the beginning of the meal. And become holy—water at the end of the meal. For…holy—pleasant oil [to remove dirt from the fingers]. For I am YHWH—blessing. And the water in the middle is between cheese and meat, and this is why it is written: And you shall hallow yourselves and become holy, for I am holy. Happy is this people whose Master places them near to Him!” (Zohar 3:245b, Ra’aya Meheimna Pineḥas).
“The eighth [setting of the Sabbath table] is the finger bowl water that was instituted due to the salt of Sodom that is blinding to the eyes [see BT Ḥullin 105b: ‘Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Why did they say that it is obligatory to wash the hands after the meal? Because of a certain salt of Sodom which makes the eyes blind’]. Why is it considered obligatory? According to the secret interpretation, deadly poison rests on filthy hands, with which one makes a blessing, and on a cup, over which one makes a blessing without cleanliness, and it is considered defiled. Just as a cup from which people drank is considered unclean for a blessing until it is cleansed by rinsing it inside and out, the hands all the more so. Hence fingerbowl water is obligatory. The secret of this is in: And you shall sanctify yourselves (Leviticus 20:7)—washing of hands before the meal. And you shall become holy (ibid.)—fingerbowl water. For I am Holy—fragrant ointment [which was used to anoint the hands after fingerbowl water]. [These three things] correspond to קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ Holy, holy, holy (Isaiah 6:3). And you shall sanctify yourselves so that it shall be known that you are children of the blessed Holy One. That is what is meant by: You are children to YHWH your God (Deuteronomy 14:1)” (Zohar 3:273a, Ra’aya Meheimna Eqev).
Photo credit: Children (of the Warsaw ghetto) washing before a meal in the communal kitchen that was under the auspices of the welfare organization, Centos, on 29 Panksa St. Yad Vashem.
The elder the younger’s slave (Genesis 25:23). The elder—the left hand, the evil impulse which accompanies one from birth. The younger—the right hand, the good impulse which only begins to settle on one at the age of thirteen (see Zohar 1:144b, 179a-b).
“The main contribution of talmudic medicine lies not so much in the treatment of illness but rather, as in the Bible, in the prevention of disease and the care of community health. The hygienic measures advocated were of a practical as well as of a religious, ethical nature. A principle which recurs a number of times is that “bodily cleanliness leads to spiritual cleanliness” (Av. Zar. 20b; TJ, Shab. 1:3, 3b). Hygienic regulations applied among other things to town planning, climatic conditions, social community life, family life, and care of the body. Mention is made of a disinfectant composed of seven ingredients used for cleansing infected clothing (Zev. 95a). A town was required to have a physician and a bathhouse. Clothing had to be changed before eating. Mar Samuel declared that diseases may be carried by caravans from land to land (Ta’an. 21b). Members of a family with a sick person among them were to be avoided. The digging of wells in the neighborhood of cemeteries or refuse dumps was forbidden (Tosef., BB 1:10). It was forbidden to drink uncovered water for fear of snake venom (Av. Zar. 30a). Food had to be fresh and served in clean dishes. Kissing on the mouth was discouraged, and kissing only on the back of the hand was recommended in order to prevent contagion. During epidemics, the population was advised to avoid crowding in narrow alleyways because of the danger of contagion in the air. For body care, the Talmud recommends physical exercises, massage, sunlight, employment, and above all cleanliness. Mar Samuel states: “The washing of hands and feet in the morning is more effective than any remedy in the world” (Shab. 108b). Excesses of any kind were regarded as harmful. The Talmud also concerned itself with the health of future generations and forbade marriage to epileptics or the mentally retarded (Yev. 64b; 112b). Surprisingly enough, talmudic pathology had very little influence on medieval medicine, not even on such outstanding physicians as *Maimonides and Isaac *Israeli, who were certainly well versed in the Talmud. The medical authority of Galen was so preeminent that all other medical theories and practice were regarded as banalities or even heresy. Scholars warned against the unselective use of talmudic remedies because they are not equally effective in all countries and at all times. Nonetheless, the hygienic laws and regulations of the Talmud, as well as many of its anatomical and pathological findings, appear in the light of modern knowledge to have enduring validity” (Jewish Virtual Library Medicine).
“The system of baths and ablutions, which forms a large portion of the Jewish laws of cleanliness, and which is still observed to a large extent by pious Jews, has had a marked influence on the physical health of the Jews, so that in epidemics they have frequently been immune [due, also, to the segregated ghettos, cf. Bubonic Plague]” (Jewish Encyclopedia Health).
“To one an evil spirit may show itself and harm him; to two it may show itself, but without harming them; to three it will not even show itself” (BT Berakhot 43b).
Rabbi Aharon Soloveichik claimed that all references to demons in the Talmud actually refer to invisible forces such as germs and mental delusions (Logic of the Heart, Logic of the Mind, p. 50-2, cf. Zohar 3:76b).
“Abba Binyamin says, ‘If the eye were empowered to see, no creature could endure the demons’” (BT Berakhot 6a).
“I have found in the book of Enoch that he said that just as on the first day of the month, the moon is purified to come close to her husband, so must one portion be given to the Other Side and from the same type; so also the woman when she is purified for her husband, one portion must be given the Other Side, and from its own type. And what is that portion? It is the nail pairings with their dirt and a little of the ends of her hair, for she has to comb her head and tie them together, and then that evil side will not go after her to harm her, but will leave her alone from all sides. And what does she do with that hair and nail pairings? After she has bound them together, she has to place them where people do not pass by, or in holes in the bottom of the yard, and hide them there” (Zohar 3:248b, Ra’aya Meheimna Pineḥas, cf. Zohar 3:79a: ‘Hair grows, nails increase, and then judgments are aroused entirely’).
“Three things have been said regarding nails: One who buries them is righteous; one who burns them is devout; one who throws them away is wicked. What is the reason? Lest a pregnant woman step over them and miscarry” (BT Mo’ed Qatan 18a, cf. BT Niddah 17a).
In ancient times, nail clippings were used as implements for witchcraft. As such, the possibility existed that these clippings would be used to harm a pregnant women (Ran).
“Now that many trample these precepts under foot, and yet escape serious hurt, one can realize the truth of the Psalmist’s saying YHWH preserves the simple (Psalms 116:6)” (BT Shabbat 129b; Yevamot 72a).