עברית
Halachot and Customs
How to Perform Mayim Acharonim?
Question
How do I perform mayim achronim? If I want to do mayim achronim in the sink, what should I do? Do I say mayim achronim and then wash the tips of my right and left fingers under the faucet, and that's it? Thank you very much.
Answer
Greetings,
1. According to Jewish law, one must wash mayim achronim only up to the second joint of the fingers (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Siman 181, Section 4, and Mishnah Berurah there). However, according to Kabbalistic tradition, one should wash all of the fingers up to the wrist (Ben Ish Chai, Year 1, Parashat Shelach, Section 12, and Kaf HaChaim, Siman 181, Section 15).
It is preferable to wash up to the wrist (see Biur Halacha, Siman 181, Section 4, regarding the second joint, and Or Litzion, Part 2, Page 267, Section 18).
2. There is no obligation to say "mayim achronim chovah" before washing the hands for mayim achronim, but there is a matter of custom and good practice. Refer to Ben Ish Chai (there, Section 7), where our venerable teacher, Rabbi Moshe Chaim, of blessed memory, would say this law of "mayim achronim chovah" before he washed his hands for mayim achronim, and sometimes he would rely on this law instead of reciting words of Torah at the table when there was no time to say a Torah lesson (so states Rabbi Chaim Palagi in Ruch Chaim, Siman 181, Section 1, that one should say this law before washing the hands for mayim achronim. See also the book Orachot Maran, Part 2, Pages 466, 467; this is how Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, of blessed memory, would conduct himself).
Best regards,
Hillel Meirs
