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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman ר״ס · 2 Seifim (SA) + 5 Seifim (SHHaRav)
Personal preparations for entering Shabbat — washing, nails, 3 questions
סימן ר״ס
כמה דיני הכנסת שבת
🌱 Introductory Level · מתחילים
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The first siman on personal preparations for entering Shabbat — the positive dimension. Mitzvah to wash the body in hot water, to wash the hair, to cut the nails according to a traditional order. Close to twilight, the head of the household asks his family in a gentle voice the 3 questions (maaser, eruv, challah) and gives the order to light the candles.
Topic: Personal preparations before Shabbat
Source: Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim siman ר״ס · 2 seifim · Shabbat 25b – 34a.
Compilation: Rav Yossef Haim Samama
DAAT · daattorah.com
📑 Study Plan
1. The text of the Shulchan Aruch — the 2 seifim
2. General context — the positive dimension of Shabbat
3. Key concept 1 — Mitzvah of רחיצה (washing)
4. Key concept 2 — The order of the nails (mnemonic בדהג״א)
5. Key concept 3 — The 3 questions at twilight
6. Detail of the 2 seifim
7. The Rema's position — entire body, hair, nail order
8. Modern practical cases — mikvah, shower, nails
9. Practical synthesis
10. Comprehension questions
1. The text of the Shulchan Aruch
Seif Alef — Washing, hair, and nails
דִּינֵי הַכְנָסַת שַׁבָּת. וּבוֹ ב' סְעִיפִים: מִצְוָה לִרְחוֹץ הגה: כָּל גּוּפוֹ, וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ — יִרְחַץ (טור) פָּנָיו, יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו בְּחַמִּין בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת. וּמִצְוָה לָחוֹף הָרֹאשׁ וּלְגַלֵּחַ הַצִּפָּרְנַיִם בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת. הגה: וְאִם הָיוּ שַׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשׁוֹ גְּדוֹלוֹת — מִצְוָה לְגַלְּחָן (א"ז פ' אלו מגלחין). וּכְשֶׁנּוֹטֵל צִפָּרְנָיו לֹא יִטּוֹל אוֹתָן כְּסִדְרָן, וְיַתְחִיל בִּשְׂמֹאל בִּקְמִיצָה וּבְיָמִין בָּאֶצְבַּע, וְסִימָן לְזֶה: דבהג"א בִּשְׂמֹאל וּבדאג"ה בְּיָמִין (אבודרהם בספר המוסר).
The laws of ushering in Shabbos — 2 se'ifim. Mitzvah to wash (Rema's gloss: the entire body; if not possible — at least:) face, hands, and feet in hot water on erev Shabbat. Mitzvah to wash the hair (לחוף הראש) and to cut the nails (לגלח הצפרנים) on erev Shabbat.
Rema gloss (continued):
Rema gloss (continued):
- If the hair is long — mitzvah to cut it
- When cutting the nails — do not follow the natural order (= do not go finger by finger in anatomical sequence)
- Begin with the ring finger (קמיצה) of the left hand, then the index (אצבע) of the right hand
- Mnemonic: דבהג״א for the left hand, בדאג״ה for the right hand
Seif Alef sets out 4 positive mitzvot:
- רחיצה (washing) — face, hands, feet in hot water (Mechaber); the entire body (Rema)
- חפיפה (washing the hair)
- גילוח צפרניים (cutting the nails) — according to the traditional non-sequential order
- גילוח שערות (cutting long hair if necessary — Rema)
Seif Beit — The 3 questions and the order to light
כְּשֶׁיִּהְיֶה סָמוּךְ לַחֲשֵׁיכָה — יִשְׁאַל לְאַנְשֵׁי בֵיתוֹ בְּלָשׁוֹן רַכָּה :
"עִשַּׂרְתֶּם ? עֵרַבְתֶּם ? הִפְרַשְׁתֶּם חַלָּה ?"
וְיֹאמַר לָהֶם : "הַדְלִיקוּ אֶת הַנֵּר". וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין מְעַשְּׂרִין — אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר עִשַּׂרְתֶּם (טור).
Near twilight, the head of the household asks the members of the house in a gentle voice (לשון רכה):
Rema gloss / Tur: in places where maaser is not taken (= outside Eretz Yisrael), there is no need to ask. And in a place where tithes are not separated — there is no need to ask "have you tithed" [Tur].
- "Have you taken maaser?" (עִשַּׂרְתֶּם) — for fruits and vegetables in Eretz Yisrael
- "Have you made the eruv?" (עֵרַבְתֶּם) — eruv chatzeirot (shared courtyards) or eruv tavshilin (Yom Tov + Shabbat)
- "Have you separated challah?" (הִפְרַשְׁתֶּם חַלָּה) — for dough/bread prepared at home
Rema gloss / Tur: in places where maaser is not taken (= outside Eretz Yisrael), there is no need to ask. And in a place where tithes are not separated — there is no need to ask "have you tithed" [Tur].
Seif Beit codifies 4 structured verbal acts:
- Gentle voice (לשון רכה) — mode of communication so it will be accepted
- 3 questions in a precise order
- 1 final command (lighting)
- Local adaptation (according to region)
2. General context
What is this siman about?
Siman ר״ס opens the "positive" section of Hilchot Shabbat. Until now (sim. 252-259), the prohibitions and their technical frameworks were codified. Now we enter the positive mitzvah: how to honor Shabbat through personal preparations.
| Aspect | Practice | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Washing, cutting hair and nails | Shabbat 25b · "כך הוא מנהגו של ר' יהודה ב"ר אילעאי" |
| Family / home | 3 questions at twilight | Shabbat 34a · "שלושה דברים צריך אדם לומר" |
| Candles | Explicit order to light | Ibid. 34a |
The founding talmudic sugya — Shabbat 25b: "כך היה מנהגו של ר' יהודה ב"ר אילעאי" — the custom of R' Yehuda son of R' Ilai: to wash his face, hands, and feet in hot water on Friday, and to receive Shabbat. Shabbat 34a: "שלושה דברים צריך אדם לומר בתוך ביתו ערב שבת עם חשיכה" — three things one must say at home near twilight.
Connection with neighboring simanim
| Siman | Topic | Link |
|---|---|---|
| רנ״ו | 6 tekiot (community announcement) | Public temporal framework |
| רנ״ט | Hatmana and moving | Material preparations |
| ר״ס | Personal preparations | — |
| רס״א | תוספת שבת | Personal temporal framework |
| רס״ב | Preparations: table, clothing | Direct continuation |
| רס״ג | הדלקת נר | Mitzvah of candles (continuation of Seif Beit) |
3. Key concept 1 — Mitzvah of רחיצה
רְחִיצָה = "washing". The siman codifies a positive mitzvah to wash on erev Shabbat. Hierarchy:
Hot water is essential — this is the chiddush of the seif. Not just washing, but in hot water (בחמין). Symbolically: the warmth represents dignity, the personal attention given to honor Shabbat.
4. Key concept 2 — The order of the nails
The Rema codifies a traditional non-sequential order for cutting nails: "לא יטול אותן כסדרן" (do not take them in order). Mnemonic: דבהג״א for the left hand, בדאג״ה for the right hand.
| Position | Left hand: דבהג״א | Right hand: בדאג״ה |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | ד = ring finger (קמיצה) | ב = index (אצבע) |
| 2nd | ב = index (אצבע) | ד = ring finger (קמיצה) |
| 3rd | ה = pinky (זרת) | א = thumb (גודל) |
| 4th | ג = middle (אמה) | ג = middle (אמה) |
| 5th | א = thumb (גודל) | ה = pinky (זרת) |
Why this order? The commentators (Magen Avraham, Mishnah Berurah) explain: there is a kabbalistic belief that cutting nails in sequential order brings misfortune (סכנה). So we alternate. The prescribed order avoids both a purely sequential order and total disorder.
5. Key concept 3 — The 3 questions at twilight
Near twilight, the head of the household recalls 3 critical mitzvot that can still be done before Shabbat (and not after). All connected to food (maaser, eruv, challah):
| Question | Meaning | Concerns |
|---|---|---|
| עִשַּׂרְתֶּם? | Have you taken maaser? | Fruits / vegetables (Eretz Yisrael only) |
| עֵרַבְתֶּם? | Have you made the eruv? | Eruv chatzeirot (shared courtyards) or Yom Tov |
| הִפְרַשְׁתֶּם חַלָּה? | Have you separated challah? | Dough / bread prepared at home |
The art of "לשון רכה" (gentle voice): this is not a strict command, it is a question. The Mechaber emphasizes this mode because:
- The non-authoritarian aspect favors listening
- Questions invite awareness rather than obedience
- "לשון רכה" is consistent with shalom bayit (peace in the home)
6. Detail of the 2 seifim
Seif Alef — 4 personal mitzvot
Recap:
- Washing — face / hands / feet in hot water (Mechaber). Entire body (Rema, ideal). If impossible — do what one can.
- Hair — wash and cut if long (Rema).
- Nails — cut according to alternating order (mnemonic דבהג״א / בדאג״ה).
Seif Beit — Family communication + command
| Step | Action | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Approach twilight | Temporal awareness |
| 2 | Ask family in gentle voice | לשון רכה |
| 3 | Question 1: עשרתם? | Diaspora: skip |
| 4 | Question 2: ערבתם? | Universal |
| 5 | Question 3: הפרשתם חלה? | Universal |
| 6 | Command: הדליקו את הנר | Universal |
7. The Rema's position
| Subject | Mechaber | Rema |
|---|---|---|
| Washing | Face, hands, feet in hot water | Ideal: entire body; if not possible, like Mechaber |
| Long hair | Not explicit | Mitzvah to cut if long |
| Order of nails | Not explicit | Mnemonic דבהג״א / בדאג״ה (Avudraham) |
| Diaspora and maaser | — | No need to ask עשרתם (Tur) |
The Rema's major chiddush: integration of the Avudraham and the Sefer haMussar on the kabbalistic order of nails. This is one of the rare passages of the Shulchan Aruch where a kabbalistic practice is halachically codified.
8. Modern practical cases
Case 1 — Mikvah before Shabbat
Case: going to the men's mikvah Friday afternoon.
Conduct:
Conduct:
- Chabad and chassidic practice: strong minhag (= "מקווה דערב שבת")
- Fulfills the Rema's ideal: "כל גופו" in hot water
- Symbolic: passing from the mundane to the sacred through water (similar to a niddah → sanctification)
- If no mikvah is accessible — hot bath or hot shower covering the entire body
Case 2 — Shower / bath at minimum
Case: no mikvah but a hot shower is available.
Conduct:
Conduct:
- Cover the entire body (Rema) — prolonged hot shower
- At minimum (Mechaber): face, hands, and feet in hot water
- Hot water essential — not a simple rinse
Case 3 — Cutting nails according to the order
Case: cutting nails Friday afternoon.
Conduct:
Conduct:
- Left hand mnemonic: D-B-H-G-A (ring → index → pinky → middle → thumb)
- Right hand mnemonic: B-D-A-G-H (index → ring → thumb → middle → pinky)
- Do not cut them on Shabbat itself (forbidden מדאורייתא)
- Preferably erev Shabbat / Friday afternoon
Case 4 — Doing challah / the 3 questions
Case: before Shabbat, the head of household reminds his family.
Conduct:
Conduct:
- Challah: if bread was made at home this week — verify it was done. If not, still possible before Shabbat.
- Eruv: if sharing a courtyard with non-Jews or doing Yom Tov-Shabbat (eruv tavshilin) — verify.
- Maaser: for fruits/vegetables from Eretz Yisrael only.
- Gentle voice — the tone matters as much as the content
Case 5 — Shabbat clothing
Case: changing clothes before Shabbat.
Conduct:
Conduct:
- Although explicitly codified at sim. רס״ב, the idea is implicit here (personal preparations)
- Clothes distinct from weekday wear — honor of Shabbat (כבוד שבת)
- Chabad tradition: "kapota" / "bekishe" (long white/black coat) according to custom
9. Practical synthesis of the Siman
The 5 teachings of Siman ר״ס:
- Mitzvah of רחיצה in hot water — entire body ideal, otherwise face/hands/feet
- Hair and nails cut on erev Shabbat — not on Shabbat itself
- Kabbalistic order for the nails: left hand דבהג״א, right hand בדאג״ה
- 3 questions at twilight (maaser, eruv, challah) in a gentle voice
- Command to light the candles — the final ritual transition
Practical decision table
| Situation | Conduct |
|---|---|
| Going to the mikvah before Shabbat | Recommended practice (Rema's ideal) |
| No mikvah — hot shower | Entire body (Rema) or minimum face/hands/feet (Mechaber) |
| Cutting nails Friday | According to mnemonic דבהג״א / בדאג״ה |
| Cutting nails on Shabbat | Forbidden (מדאורייתא) |
| 3 questions at home | Gentle voice; adapt according to region (maaser only Eretz Yisrael) |
| Asking women / household members | With respectful and kind tone |
| Lighting the candles | Wife's command, but idea comes from the husband |
| Shabbat clothing | Distinct from weekday wear (sim. רס״ב details) |
The 5 practical commands of Siman ר״ס
- Wash in hot water before Shabbat — entire body (ideal: mikvah) or minimum face/hands/feet
- Cut hair and nails on erev Shabbat — not on Shabbat (Toraitic prohibition)
- Follow the traditional order of nails: דבהג״א for the left, בדאג״ה for the right
- Remind family of the 3 questions in a gentle voice — maaser, eruv, challah
- Command the lighting of the candles — moment of ritual transition
10. Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- What is the Mechaber's minimum for washing? And the Rema's ideal?
- Why insist on hot water (בחמין)?
- What does the mnemonic דבהג״א mean for the nails of the left hand?
- Why not cut the nails in the natural order?
- What are the 3 questions of twilight?
- Why in a "gentle voice" (לשון רכה)?
- Why can the maaser question be omitted in the diaspora?
- What is the difference between a question and a command in Seif Beit?
- What is the recommended Chabad practice for washing?
- How does siman 260 connect with siman 263 (candles) and siman 262 (home preparations)?
To deepen this siman:
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: sugya Shabbat 25b + 34a, source of washing in the Temple, kabbalah of nails, חקירה on לשון רכה
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: axiom, mnemonic, decision tree
- 📜 Level 4 — Daat HaRav: the shitah of the Alter Rebbe on the 5 seifim and 2 entries of Kuntres Acharon
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DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה
Talmid chacham · giving shiurim in halacha and chassidus
סימן ר״ס · Level 1 — Introduction
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