Importance of cutting nails Erev Shabbos

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Cutting ones nails:[1]

It is a Mitzvah to cut one’s [hand[2]] nails every[3] Erev Shabbos.[4]

 

Sparks of Kabala-Meaning behind nails:[5]

The nails are rooted in a very high spiritual source. Prior to the sin of eating from the tree of knowledge Adam was completely covered by nails which protected him from evil. The sin then caused the nails to leave and only remain on the tips of the fingers, in which there also reside the impurities of the sin. Due to this the nails must be removed, and doing so brings peace to the world.

 

[1]260/1; Michaber 260/1; Kol Bo 35; Rabbeinu Yonah Hayirah 309; Sefer Chassidim 58

[2] As the hand nails look repulsive when they are long.

Toe nails: However the toe nails which are not visible are not considered a Mitzvah to be cut Erev Shabbos. [Ketzos Hashulchan 73 footnote 4] However see Kaf Hachayim 250/17 which states that the Arizal would cut both his hand and toe nails in honor of Shabbos.

[3]Admur ibid; Sefer Chassidim ibid

[4]The severity of this Mitzvah: Elya Raba 260/4 records a Midrash which states “There was once a Rabbi who passed away and appeared to his students in a dream with a blemish on his forehead. He told them this is due to his negligence in speaking in middle of the blessing of Meiyn Sheva and Kaddish, and due to him not being careful to cut his nails Erev Shabbos”. This story is also recorded in Sefer Chassidim ibid

[5]Shalah Hakadosh p. 138 in name of Tolas Yaakov

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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