Halakhah for Bekhorot 89:6
השולט בשתי ידיו רבי פוסל וחכמים מכשירין:
OR IF HIS FINGERS LIE ONE ABOVE THE OTHER OR IF THEY ARE GROWN TOGETHER UP TO THE ROOT [THE MIDDLE JOINT], HE IS FIT [FOR THE PRIESTHOOD]; IF BELOW THE ROOT,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., towards the nail, the fingers being all attached to each other.');"><sup>3</sup></span>
Peninei Halakhah, Women's Prayer
Women, who do not pray in the synagogue, do not hear the ḥazan, and therefore must practice one would when praying individually. That is, according to Ashkenazic custom, before beginning Shema she says, “Kel Melekh ne’eman” (“God, faithful King”). Even though women have 252 limbs, as the womb has two doors and two hinges (Bekhorot 45a), since all people have 248 limbs, perhaps it is most important to direct the blessings toward them, and the blessing will then continue to the limbs unique to women (Minḥat Elazar 2:28; Ha-elef Lekha Shlomo OḤ 120).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy