Using the Tahara Board – Complete Process
Video Clip Demonstration on how to efficiently and easily use the Tahara Board.
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Video Clip Demonstration on how to efficiently and easily use the Tahara Board.
Clip 2 Turning and Packing https://www.youtube.com/
Clip 3 Removing tubes in chest https://www.youtube.com/
#5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
See the entire Chevra Kadisha Conference – Insights and Helpful Guidance
with Rabbi Zohn of the National Association of Chevra Kadisha
Question #1: Removing colostomy bag or similar devices when adhesive is sticking to skin:
Answer: Yes remove the bag and adhesive, gently trying to not tear skin. If skin tears, save it. Use Q-tip dipped in adhesive remover. Acetone works great as well, to gently ease off the adhesive.
Question #2: What to do when desitin is hard to remove.
Answer: Use shmatta to take off globs. Then soap, shampoo works well (just a specialized type of soap). VO-5 shampoo works well with desitin.
Question #3: We don’t always know who the Rosh is….
Answer: There should be a designated Rosh – to be known in advance, it is very important.
The importance of accepting the responsibility of Rosh –
Question #4: What should we do when others in charge think we are ready to be a Rosh but we are hesitant?
Answer: Know that you have what to contribute and should be encouraged to step forward. ( Everyone should be reviewing the booklet monthly and be open to asking questions, calling Rabbi Baumann to consult whenever necessary. )
Question #5: What’s the proper way to tie the slip knots? Different people do it differently.
Answer: Tying with one slip knot that can be separated into 2 ‘bunny ears/loops’ is the minhag in Queens and what Rabbi Zohn encourages us to do. He was told that many women tie two separate single loop slip knots. Its acceptable but we should create ONE STANDARD. He deferred to Rabbi Baumann. Both Rabbanim agreed that this is the single standard we should strive to – one slip knot at each place except at the waist of the kittel where we have three individual slip knots making a shin.
Question #6: Sometimes we seem to work a long time on what seems to be a small problem. How long is acceptable?
Answer: Working at a difficult cleaning/problem/etc. is important. Certainly 15 minutes is not unreasonable for working at the cleansing, if it’s the Rosh’s judgment call to keep working at it. Maybe more.
Question #7: Sometimes there are lines that are left in in places where we fear that removing them will cause a lot of bleeding. What are our guidelines?
Answer: ONE SHOULD ASSUME WE ARE REMOVING ALL LINES! ENTER THE ROOM WITH THAT MINDSET. Removing lines: With an IV line in arm, raising arm helps to limit the bleeding. It should be doable. If the Rosh judges it too risky, and line is long enough, tie a knot on the tube with tube (against itself) and cut. Or alternatively, pull tube taut and cut close to body so when released it pulls back into body, pack and tape.
Question #8: What makes our mikveh a kosher mikveh? It is not attached to a source of ‘living water’ (rain water etc.) .
Answer: Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l , said that for this type of tuma (impurity) we need 40 seah (a type of measure)of water, therefore a mikveh pool of 40 seah is enough. It need not be rain water.
Question #9: Can we use chucks to line the tachrichim?
Answer: Yes use chucks to line tachrichim to keep them clean if any doubt. Do not use chucks to cover the whole body, like a mummy. Preferably leave the chuck open towards the top of the limb or part so it ‘catches’ any soiling fluid at the bottom but is open for the normative return of the body to the soil. DO NOT USE THE PLASTIC SLEEVES OR PANTS, THESE ARE INTENDED FOR EMBALMING PROCEDURES, NOT FOR OUR WORK.
Question #10: The buckets we use get dirty from sitting on the floor. Should we wash them?
Answer: Of course the buckets should be clean. A quick rinse should be sufficient. Cleaning buckets more extensively, once and a while to clean with strong cleaner, is a beautiful enhancement, a beautiful tikkun to add to our monthly tikkun reminders.
Question #11: Many questions were asked about the difficulty of using a board in the mikveh and about the missing status of the preferred board.
Answer: OUR STANDARD IS TO ALWAYS USE A BOARD IN THE MIKVEH. EVEN FOR VERY LIGHT BODIES. A BOARD PREVENTS THE INNER ORGANS FROM BEING JOSTLED AND HAVING EXTRA PRESSURE ON BODY PARTS. IT PRECLUDES LATER PROBLEMS WITH BODY FLUIDS ETC. Rabbi Zohn described how a board with straps prevents the problems, the body is held in place, and with a smooth motion the body can be submerged and lifted quickly and easily and efficiently. He urged us to try to get a tahara board specially designed for this purpose. We are in the process of ordering a tahara board from NASCK.
Question #12: What should we do if the the niftar is dressed and the tachrichim get bloodied?
Answer: DO NOT REMOVE THE GARMENT! Gonzo cleans blood. Hydrogen peroxide, and Shout are good for cleaning too. It can be treated right on the body. If the blood would not be visible to an outside ‘viewer’ (even if there were to be a viewing, even if a little bit) we do not need to ‘clean’ at all.
Question #13: Please clarify how we should tie the ties at the neck.
Answer: We do not twist over the face. The one person tying there (should be right side preferably) either twists the ties with one hand or crosses his hands being careful to not cross over the face. Twisting in with one hand always works.
Question #14: When is it appropriate to use glue?
Answer: Only two cases are recommended: (By the way, Gorilla glue is just less expensive crazy glue and is highly effective.)
By feeding tube. First let the body fluid drain. It’s best to get rid of the junk. If it won’t stop draining, if necessary pack with web roll and glue on top.
By little puncture openings oozing fluid, if there are 1 or 2 holes: put a film (thin small piece) of cotton on top of the spot and pour glue on top to hold it down. It really works. (If there are punctures or oozing everywhere, you can’t do anything and you will probably have to do a minimal procedure.)
Question #15: What to do with acrylic false nails?
Answer: File off acrylic nail polish with nail file! Alternatively, if ‘can’t’ remove the polish, cut the nail regular length and throw away the fake nail that was cut off, it’s not part of them. (No, we don’t cut regular nails)
Question #16: There seems to be some confusion about pouring water over hands and feet after cleaning of that body part is finished.
Answer: It is not the minhag but women here do it. It just sort of happened. What to do? Defer to Rabbi Baumann. But one standard!!! Both Rabbanim agreed that we should desist from this extra step that is not really the minhag.
RABBI ZOHN STRESSED OUR NEED TO ESTABLISH ONE STANDARD. Establish one way to do it. What happens is that in individual cases the Rosh has to make a call on what to do and it starts to become the new minhag, the new way to do it. And we wind up with divergent customs and not smooth running taharos. One standard. Perhaps it is worthwhile, when special judgment calls have to be made, for a Rosh to ‘instruct’/point out that this is not the regular way, this is an exception. In any case, one should at the very least ask Rabbi Baumann afterwards what should be done in the future. And for this reason it is important to review the instruction manual regularly and to come to review classes.
