Pesach Seder
Question
Why don't Sefardim spill wine from their cups with their fingers?
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question.
Many Sefardim, based on kabbalistic considerations, have the custom not to use their fingers at all to spill the wine, but rather, to spill the wine directly from their cup into some other receptacle. This was the custom of the Vilna Gaon and it is the custom of many Chassidim, as well. One should use a broken or otherwise insignificant vessel for this purpose. And some even are careful to not even look at the wine.
One of the reasons for doing it to his way is to ensure that one does not accidentally return any of the wine into the cup. When using one's finger, wine remains on one's finger in between dippings thereby causing the wine one removed to be reinserted back into the cup when one dips one's finger into the cup again at the mention of the next plague. Those who are not comfortable drinking wine from which a finger was repeatedly dipped into should follow this latter method, as well.
One should properly dispose of the spilled wine in a way that ensures that no one will come to step on it, similar to the way one disposes of the water used for the morning netillat yadayim. The wine cups should be refilled right away or at least before reaching the blessing of "…asher ga'alnu."
There are a number of interpretations of the meaning and symbolism of the sixteen drops of wine that are removed from one's cup during the seder. Some suggest that they correspond to the sixteen faces of the "Chayot" mentioned in the prophet Yechezkel's description of the Divine chariot. It is also suggested that they correspond to the sword of the Angel of Death, which is said to have sixteen sides or faces.
SOURCES: Kaf Hachaim, OC 573:164; Pri Eitz Chaim, Chag Hamatzot 6; Shar Hatziun 473:81; Shulchan Aruch Harav, OC 473:51; Siddur Harav; Maharil, Haggada 27; Mateh Moshe 639; Yalkut Shimoni, Tehillim 31:717.