disposing cut fingernails/toenails into toilet/sink?

amother ↓

Sun, Jul 08 2007, 8:58 am

Is this a halacha that you have to throw out your cut nails into the sink, and not just into the garbage can?? Is there a source?

greenfire ↓

Sun, Jul 08 2007, 9:27 am

I have heard of into the toilet ... and the most stringent would burn them ... I throw them in the garbage sometimes ... is that wrong ???

chocolate moose

Sun, Jul 08 2007, 10:39 am

THE MOST STRINGENT BURN them because then no one will have any accidents from them. flusing or garbage does not mean they are gone forever.

↑ amother

Sun, Jul 08 2007, 1:04 pm

I don't know the source, but it is thought to be dangeorus to a pregnant woman to step on fingernails and toenails.

I throw mine in the toilet because I am afraid of storing them long enough to burn them. My husband kept his in box so he could burn a pile of them all at once. One day, while cleaning, I overturned the box and the toenails and fingernails fell on the floor. I tried to clean all of them up, but I think I stepped on one. A few days later, I had a miscarriage and I didn't even know I was pregnant. Crying

So, I definitely believe it, but prefer to flush to dispose of them right away!

BTW, I went to the mikveh once and was careful about disposing of my fingernails (I.e. I was on the way home, and something told me to go back and check the tiles for a few fingernails.)

I found the fingernails and flushed them. I found out I was pregnant a few weeks later.

shopaholic ↓

Mon, Jul 09 2007, 8:28 am

EWWW! I could never save them. I throw them in the toilet & they are gone. As for stepping on them while you are pregnant - how many times do you think you have stepped on them unitentionally in the house or outside? I don't think that's necssarily a reason for a miscarriage. Where is the source for that - just out of curiousity?

DefyGravity

Mon, Jul 09 2007, 8:33 am

I throw them in the trash where they'll go to a landfill and eventually decompose. Kind of like dead bodies which we don't flush or burn.

Why is hair in such a different category than nails?

Shif

Mon, Jul 09 2007, 8:34 am

what's the easiest way to make sure you get all of the nails from your children when you cut their finger and toenails?? My kids are wayyyyy squirmy. And isn't there an inyan not to cut toes and fingers on the same day???

EsaEinai

Mon, Jul 09 2007, 8:48 am

I think my husband mentioned once that its from kabbalah. he told me that spirits, such as dibbuks leave and enter the body through the fingernails (and the neshama also does when we sleep and wake in the morning, hence the need for negel vasser). its something about stepping on this ruach ra thats so dangerous

↑ shopaholic

Tue, Jul 10 2007, 9:24 am

Shif, I sit my kids on my bed & hold the foot or hand over a tissue. If 1 or 2 nails miss, they are usually right next to me on the bed.

mima

Tue, Jul 10 2007, 12:43 pm

Shif wrote:

I read a tip once (hamodia?) to stick a piece of double sided tape right next to where you are cutting the nails, and let them fall on that. The sticky stuff will ensure they don't fly anywhere, if ur kid decides to suddenly move around.
Also re cutting finger and toe nails on the same day - you don't do it b/c they do that dead bodies when they are prepping them for burial. For the same reason you're not supposed to cut the nails in order, but rather every 2nd one and then go back. (I think on erev shabbos/yom tov u are allowed to cut both if neccessary, ditto with b4 going to mikvah)

aussiegal

Wed, Jul 11 2007, 1:06 am

supposedly it's a gemara in nida that says to throw the nails to prevent a pregnant woman from stepping on it. If you throw it into a bin or something it could theoretically fly out, so that's why u should flush it, or put it down the drain with water.

↑ greenfire

Wed, Jul 11 2007, 7:29 am

hey I hope nobody goes tredging through the sewers or garbage landfill ...

and yes I heard of the pregnant woman stepping on them chav v'shalom

and heard of having to collect them when moshiach comes ...

I cut and file them over a tissue - works for the most part and usually you can find the stragglers...

Dini

Wed, Jul 11 2007, 8:05 am

I usually sweep up around where I cut the nails incase one or two fell, also once the nail is moved from the place it fell when you cut it, its not a prob anymore. don't have a source but if someonce has one...

sc ↓

Wed, Jul 11 2007, 6:12 pm

I also heard that if it moves from original place (swish it around) then its o.k so I always swish around with my hand in the area around where I cut (would like to know source for this) also it's only a problem if a pregnant woman is barefoot when she steps on a nail

↑ sc

Wed, Jul 11 2007, 6:12 pm