Tuesday 22 November 2016

minhag - Women and Mayim Acharonim


I very often eat at meals where after the meal, all of the men wash mayim acharonim, but none of the women do so.


I am aware of a number of halachic sources that say both men and women should wash mayim acharonim (either because of a concern for melach sodomit or other salts like it today, or for kabbalistic reasons), and I am aware of sevaras out there that say nobody is required to wash mayim acharonim (because they don't care much for the kabbalistic reasons, and we don't have melach sodomit today).


What's the justification for this common minhag where men wash mayim acharonim, but women don't? (i.e. what's the justification for a difference in practice between men and women sitting at the same table?)




Answer



One justification given by Rabbi Shmuel Wosner (Shevet HaLevi 4:23) is that nowadays Mayim Achronim is only a chumra and it was not one that women accepted. [This reminds me of what some say to justify women's not davening maariv.]


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