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Tying Shoes for Lefties

How does a lefty tie and untie his shoe?

Answer:

If he’s also left footed, he should tie the right shoe first. If he’s right footed, he should tie the left shoe first, though some write that he should tie the left first.

The same principle applies for undoing the laces.

Sources:

The Mishnah Berurah (2:6) writes that a lefty should put on his right shoe first, and tie the right shoe first. The ruling is based on the rationale of tying the left shoe first, which is that a person wears tefillin on the left; for lefties, tefillin are worn on the right, and therefore there is room to argue that the halachah does not apply to him.

However, the source of the Mishnah Berurah is the Bechor Shor (Shabbos 62a), and he writes that only somebody who is left footed should switch the order and tie his right shoe first. The Bechor shor was apparently copied inaccurately by the Shaar Teshuvah, from which the Mishnah Berurah took the halachah.

However, the Malbim (Artzos Chaim, Hameir Laaretz 32) writes that a lefty should tie the right shoe first, and not like the above opinion of the Bechor Shor (see also Minchas Yitzchak 10:1, who explains the opinion). Yet, the Yaavatz, in his siddur (Hanhagos Haboker 3) writes that a lefty should tie his left shoe first, siding with the Bechor Shor.

Therefore, on account of the dispute, it would appear that it is best for lefties to do the same as others, and tie the left shoe first.

See Halachah Berurah (Yosef) 2, Birur Halachah 6.

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