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Mayim Achronim

English translation: Last Water

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Hebrew term or phrase:Mayim Achronim
English translation:Last Water
Entered by: Maurice Tszorf

12:36 May 29, 2004
Hebrew to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Hebrew term or phrase: Mayim Achronim
Found on a wishing well.
Christy
Literal Translation: "Last Water"
Explanation:
When religious Jews eat a meal that contains bread, they wash they perform a ritual washing of their hands and say a special blessing.
After a meal that contains bread, they say a long Praise after Meal. After finishing the meal and before they say that Praise, a small cup with a little bowl of water is handed around the table, and every adult person spills a few drops of it unto his hands and rubs them. This water is called mayim ahronim, literally translated as Last Water.

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Note added at 1 hr 0 min (2004-05-29 13:37:20 GMT)
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I now see that you saw it written on a wishing well. I have no idea what it could mean there. Since the word \"last\" also refers to something that happens before death, it may have something to do with that. But I have only heard of it in the context above.
Selected response from:

Maurice Tszorf
Israel
Local time: 22:45
Grading comment
Thank you so much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4Last water
judithyf
5Literal Translation: "Last Water"
Maurice Tszorf
4 -1final water
gfrim


  

Answers


47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Last water


Explanation:
The water in which one washes one's hand before pronouncing the blessing over food (as distinct from 'mayim rishon' - "first water", which is the water for washing one's hands before a meal).

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Note added at 48 mins (2004-05-29 13:25:16 GMT)
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On the basis of Berakhot 46

judithyf
Local time: 22:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Eynat
1 hr
agree  EGB Translations
2 hrs
agree  Sue Goldian
2 hrs
agree  liora (X): and thanks, I learnt something
3 hrs
agree  Suzan Chin
6 hrs
disagree  gfrim: "Fingerbowl Water" used to rinse fingertips before the Grace After Meals. Ref.: Alcalay
1 day 50 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Literal Translation: "Last Water"


Explanation:
When religious Jews eat a meal that contains bread, they wash they perform a ritual washing of their hands and say a special blessing.
After a meal that contains bread, they say a long Praise after Meal. After finishing the meal and before they say that Praise, a small cup with a little bowl of water is handed around the table, and every adult person spills a few drops of it unto his hands and rubs them. This water is called mayim ahronim, literally translated as Last Water.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 0 min (2004-05-29 13:37:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I now see that you saw it written on a wishing well. I have no idea what it could mean there. Since the word \"last\" also refers to something that happens before death, it may have something to do with that. But I have only heard of it in the context above.

Maurice Tszorf
Israel
Local time: 22:45
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in HebrewHebrew
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you so much!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
final water


Explanation:
In Talmudic times in Eretz Yisrael, salt from the Dead Sea was used at meals with bread. The salt was caustic if it came in contact with the eyes. Therefore, at the end of a meal, before Grace After Meals, the fingers were rinsed with water ("mayim acharonim") to remove the danger of injuring the eyes. The custom has continued today of rinsing the fingertips (not the whole hand) before the Grace After Meals.

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Note added at 1 day 1 hr 31 mins (2004-05-30 14:08:42 GMT)
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I don\'t know how this relates to a \"wishing well\", unless the \"wishing well\" was a small \"Mayim Acharonim\" cup with a miniature bucket suspended above it. This is a common item found in religious homes. Water is poured from the bucket over the fingers into the \"well\".

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Note added at 1 day 1 hr 38 mins (2004-05-30 14:15:01 GMT)
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Also translated as: \"fingerbowl water\". cf. Alcalay

gfrim
United States
Local time: 15:45
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Eynat: And why is that better than last water, with which you unnecessarily disagreed?
6 hrs
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