G-d created Adam in His own image. Obviously this can not be taken literally, because G-d isn’t physical and has no form whatsoever. Rather, this means that Man’s soul is an exact copy, in microcosm, of his Creator. For example, just as G-d has ten powers with which He creates worlds (Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Kindness, Severity, Compassion, Perseverance, Commitment, Foundation and Royalty), so, too, Man contains these very same soul-powers. Furthermore, since the human body was formed in a manner that it should be compatible with the soul, it too is a physical likeliness of the divine structure, every limb representative of a different Divine function. As Job said, “From my flesh I perceive G-d.”

The two arms represent the divine (and consequently human) traits of Kindness and Severity, the two tools through which we interact with others. These two qualities are intended to be used properly: Kindness, which stems from a feeling of closeness, should lead to loving G-d and being kind to fellow human beings. Severity produces fear and awe of G-d, and is the source of discipline and justice, without which our world would be a madhouse. Both of these attributes, however, must be guarded to ensure that they don’t lead to unpleasant and harmful results. While these characteristics are inherently holy, the Kelipot (forces of anti-divinity) can tap into them and use them for unsavory purposes. For example: Abraham was the personification of Kindness, helping and loving everyone, even pagans who worshipped the dust they trod upon. His son, Ishmael, inherited the attribute of Kindness – but abused it. He was a philandering individual who loved everyone, but for purely selfish purposes. Kindness and love must be used discriminately; it is vital to bear in mind who is being loved and why. Isaac, on the other hand, was the paradigm of Divine Severity; he was an extremely disciplined person who had high expectations of himself and others. He didn’t simply love others, he instead demanded of others that they be worthy of his respect. His son, Esau, also was a severe person, but he took the severity to an extreme, becoming a sadistic hunter and murderer, progenitor of the vicious Roman Empire.

Therefore G-d created the fingernails. Spiritually speaking, the nails guard the attributes of Kindness and Severity, ensuring that the Kelipot (and the human being’s Animal Soul) receive no nourishment from these holy traits.

When the sun rises in the morning after the darkness of night we must wash our hands. The blackness of night represents our required dealings with the mundane world, whereas our service of G-d – prayer, Torah study, and Mitzvahs – is analogous to daylight. After being engrossed in worldly matters it is possible to forget the true objectives of Kindness and Severity, thinking that they are merely instruments of self-aggrandizement. We therefore wash our hands, cleansing our attributes of any and all impurities, and refocusing ourselves and redirecting all our faculties and senses to the pure service of G-d.