Halocho #892 - Lefties In Halacha

Go to http://halachafortoday.com/ArchivesHalachosofRightiesandLefties.aspx for a full overview of all Halachot related to lefties.

Regarding the Lulav and Etrog, this is what he writes:

According to the Mechaber (Rav Yosef Cairo, author of the Shulchan Aruch) a left handed person follows the same procedure and holds the Lulav in the right hand and the Esrog in the left hand, as since the Lulav has in it three Mitzvos (i.e. 3 of the 4 species) and the Esrog is only one Mitzvah, the item with more Mitzvos is held in the more highly regarded hand. Most Sephardic Jews follow this ruling. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 651:3 and Mishna Berura S"K 18)

However, the Rama (ibid.) rules that left handed people should switch the order and hold the Lulav in their strong hand (left) and the Esrog in their weaker hand (right). Most Ashkenazic Jews follow this ruling.

An ambidextrous person should take the Lulav in his right hand and the Esrog in the left hand. (ibid.)

If the Lulav was held in the wrong hand, the obligation has been satisfied (Rama ibid.)

However, if it was taken in the wrong hands it is best to be stringent and take the Lulav and Esrog again in the correct hands without reciting a new Bracha. (Mishna Berura S"K 19)

Many left handed people are stringent after taking the Lulav in their left and the Esrog in their right (or vice versa) to repeat the process the other way around (without a new Bracha) to satisfy the rulings of both the Shulchan Aruch and the Rama. (See Kaf HaChaim 651:38. See also Orchos Rabbeinu Vol. 2 page 288 that the Steipler Zatzal, who was a lefty and an Ashkenazi, followed the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch regarding this Halacha and not the Rama)

Go to http://halachafortoday.com/ArchivesHalachosofRightiesandLefties.aspx for a full overview of all Halachot related to lefties, including what lefties do in the following cases:
- The groom uses his right hand to hold the ring and to place it onto the right index finger of the bride
- When putting on shoes in the morning, one first puts on the right shoe, but first ties the left one
- When putting on an article of clothing, one should start with coveringthe right side
- The right hand should be washed first
- Holding the Tzitzis in one's left hands, near the heart, during the recitation of Krias Shma
- Tefilin which are bound to the left arm
- Covering one's eyes with the right hand when saying the first Pasuk of Shma
- After completing Shemona Esrei, bowing to the right, then to the left
- Handing over and holding or carrying a Sefer Torah with one's right hand
- A "Kos Shel Bracha" - the cup of wine should be held in one's right hand
- At the Seder, there is a Mitzvah to eat  while leaning on one's left
- Tearing Kriah for mourners
- The Shofar should be placed on the right side of one's mouth
- Vidui; pounding one's heart with the right hand
- When setting up and holding the Arba Minim, the three Hadasim (myrtle) should be tied onto the right side

All the halachot at http://halachafortoday.com/ArchivesHalachosofRightiesandLefties.aspx are based on a Sefer titled "Ish Iter- The left handed person" by haRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita

- Danny
Tuesday, 21 Elul 5771

Halocho #423 - - The 4 minim - putting it all together!

On Sukkoth there's a Mitzvah to shake the four species; a Lulav, 3 Haddasim, 2 Aravot and an Etrog.

When shaking them on Sukkoth, the Lulav, 3 Haddasim and 2 Aravot are tied together and held in ones right hand, and the Etrog in ones left hand. (Lefties hold the Lulav in their left, Etrog in the right.)

All 6 branches must be facing upwards, with the side where they were cut off the tree facing down.

The spine of the Lulav must be facing you. The 3 Haddasim are tied to the right of the Lulav. The 2 Aravot are tied to the left of the Lulav.

The Lulav is first bound with 3 ties typically made of palm leaves. The 3 Haddasim and 2 Aravot are then bound to it with another 2 ties. The Haddasim should be slightly higher than than the Aravot.

The spine of the the Lulav must protrude at least 1 Tefach (8 cm - 3") above the Haddasim and Aravot.

The top Tefach of the Lulav should not have any ties on it.

Since the first day of Sukkoth is on Shabbat, we will only start this precious Mitzvah on Sunday.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 136:8

Wishing everybody a Chag Same'ach!

- Danny Thursday, 13 Tishrei 5770

Halocho #402 - In which hand do we hold the Etrog?

On Sukkoth there's a Mitzvah to shake the four species; a Lulav, 3 Haddasim, 2 Aravot and an Etrog. The Etrog is a citron; Citrus Medica. It is held in ones left hand when shaking the four species, with the stem (where it was cut off the tree) facing downwards. By nature the Etrog tree is very soft (mine buckled during a light Jerusalem snow storm), therefore it is often grafted onto other trees to make it stronger. An Etrog from a grafted tree cannot be used when shaking the four species. (Grafted fruit is Kosher to eat, despite the prohibition against grafting trees.) The Etrog needs to be whole; scratches and dents may invalidate it. The Etrog should not have dark dots on it, though it may have light scabs that are a result of leaves and thorns brushing against it while it grows. (Etrog trees have thorns that grow to about 2" long.) The "nose" of the the Etrog - from where it starts getting narrow - should be perfectly clean. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 174:2, Shulchan Aruch 648 Ktiva Vechatima Tova; wishing you happy year to come - Danny Monday, 11 Elul 5769 Please daven for Rachamim ben Charlotte Jacqueline

Halocho #250 - Right, then Left, then Right

Various times the Torah gives precedence to the right hand. As a result we usually give precedence to the right. When washing one first washes the right hand. When getting dressed one first puts on the right hand side. When putting on shoes one first puts on the right shoe. Regarding Tefillin the Torah requires us to tie them on the left hand. As a result we give precedence to the left when it comes to tying things. When tying ones shoes one first ties the left one. Summary: Put on right shoe, then left shoe, then tie the left then tie the right. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 3:4 - Danny Sunday, 22 Tevet 5769

Please daven for a complete recovery for Tamar bat Naama - תמר בת נעמה