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1146
Question
I was told never to pour a drink to someone with the underhand, but always overhand. Supposedly when doing a Tahara on a Mes they pour the water holding the pitcher with the palm up, not down. Can you shed any light on this subject? Is it a superstition? Is Tahara done in the underhand manner?
Answer
When pouring the water for the Tahara of a body one pours underhand, therefore one should not pour in this way. (Answered by Rabbi Ya'akov Ruza)
2 Repliesin 1 Discussions
y ymt adam |1 Elul 5782 pouring underhanded
I don't know with which chevra kaddisha the Rabbi is aquainted. The idea of pouring water underhanded or palm up by a tahara seems to be a well repeated myth. Having served as the head of a metropolitan area chevra kaddisha, knowing from various other direct and secondary family members who are members of chevra kaddishas in the US and in Israel, and having noted a number of tahara procedure booklets published by cherva kaddishas - we have never done so, nor heard of this in practice or custom.

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