Netilat Yadayim upon Waking Up
What is permissible before washing hands?
When does one need to wash hands?
- Before Shacharit or Mincha (specifically the Shemona Esreh) one should wash hands if one had a long interruption between the original washing upon rising. [5] If water isn't available one doesn't need to wash one's hands, but only to rub it upon something hard. [6]
- If one actually touched a unclean part of the body or went to the bathroom, one must search and find water to wash hands for Shemona Esreh. [7]
- However, just to say Brachot, Kriyat Shema, or learn Torah one doesn't need to wash hands. [8]
Someone who stayed up all night
The Shulchan Aruch (4:13) writes that there is a doubt whether one makes a Bracha on Netilat Yadayim on the morning after staying up all night. Similairly, the Rama (ibid) comments that one should do netilat Yadayim without a Bracha.
The source of the Shulchan Aruch's doubt is the dispute for doing Netilat Yadayim in the morning. The Rosh (Brachot 9:23) says because one's hands are "עסקניות" (literaly busy) and they may have touched an unclean part of the body during one's sleep, it's an obligation to do Netilat Yadayim in the morning. As a support to his view that we wash our hands for cleanliness before prayer he quotes the pasuk from Tehilim (26:6) "אֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיוֹן כַּפָּי ". On the other hand, the Rashba (Teshuvat HaRashba 1:191) argues on the Rosh claiming that there is no source for the idea of the Rosh. Rather the reason is that we are purifying our hands for the whole day (theoretically even to cover washing before bread) and the reason that we do it specifically before Shacharit is that when we wake up in the morning it's as if we are created anew as it says in Eicha (3:23) חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ.
A practical difference (explained by the Bet Yosef (4:13)) that emerges from the dispute is a case of a person that didn't go to sleep at night. According to the Rosh, since one didn't go to sleep there is no doubt that a person would have touched an unclean area and so, there's no need for Netilat Yadayim. On the other hand, the Rashba holds that since we are created new everyday we need Netilat Yadayim even if one didn't go to sleep that night. Another concern that compounds the doubt of the Shulchan Aruch is the aspect of רוח רעה that is mentioned by the Tur (4:1) and so, even according to the Rosh one should still need to do Netilat Yadayim. Nontheless based on a quote from the Zohar (Vayishlach 169b), the Bet Yosef (ibid) argues that the issue of רוח רעה only applies to the nightime.
Rav Ovadiah(Chazon Ovadiah, Shavuot, note 25) mentions that even though the Maharsham (3:126) holds that one even makes a bracha on Netilat Yadayim of Birkat Cohanim and going to the bathroom; nevertheless, we don't hold like the Maharsham in this Halacha, says Rav Ovadiah Yosef. The Mishna Berurah(4:27) adds that if one indeed went to sleep a שינת קבע (a substantial sleep) on his bed, then one makes netilat Yadayim with a Bracha.
the kohanim need to wash their entire hands for birkat kohanim, even on tisha be’av on which one can’t wash past the knuckles. only Levim who regularly wash their own hands before washing the kohanim’s, can wash on tisha be’av before washing the kohanim’s hands. [9]
When to make the bracha
- The minhag is to make the Bracha of Al Netilat Yadiyim after washing before drying one’s hands. [10]
- If one forgot to make the Bracha of Al Netilat Yadayim before drying one’s hands, according to Ashekazim one is permitted to make a Bracha of Netilat Yadayim until one makes the Hamotzei. However, Sephardim hold that once one’s hands are totally dry one may not make the Bracha. [11]
References
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 1:8, Shulchan Aruch HaRav 1:6
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 1:8, Shulchan Aruch HaRav 1:6
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 1:1
- ↑ BeYitzchak Yikrah 1:2 comments that the tradition from the Gra that the Ruach Rah on hands was nullified with the death of Rabbi Avraham the Ger applies only to laws of the Zohar and not the Talmud Bavli and since this law is sourced in the Zohar, there is what to be lenient.
- ↑ S"A 92:5 writes that if there was an interruption between the washing upon rising in the morning and praying, one should wash hands if water is available. This is brought down in Yalkut Yosef (Tefilah pg 330).
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 92:26 writes that since one can't find water for Stam hands one doesn't need to wash them, but only to rub them against something that can clean them.
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 92:27 writes that only if one has Stam hands is S"A lenient that one doesn't have to search for water if it isn't around, however if there is a certain impurity such as if one touched an unclean area or went to the bathroom, one certainly must wash hands.
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 92:25 writes that implied from S"A is that only does Shemona Esreh need clean hands but for learning Torah, Kriyat Shema or Brachot stam (they are in doubt, they aren't certainly clean or unclean) are sufficient. However, Mishna Brurah also quotes the Pri Megadim 4 writes that Kriyat Shema does need washed hands.
- ↑ http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?ClipID=958
- ↑ S”A 158:11 writes that the Bracha of Netilat Yadayim is like most other Brachot that have to be made prior to completing the mitzvah. Therefore concludes S”A the practice is to rub one’s hands to clean them (so one can make the Bracha), then make the Bracha prior to washing. However, Mishna Brurah 158:41 writes that the minhag of the world is to make the Bracha after washing but before drying like the Rama writes is permissible.
- ↑ Rama 158:11 writes that if one forgot to make a Bracha before drying one’s hand one can make the Bracha after drying. Mishna Brurah 158:44 supports the Rama by saying that Netilat Yadayim is different than other Brachot and may be made after the mitzvah is completed. Mishna Brurah writes that even thgouh the Taz forbids making the Bracha after drying hands, since most achronim hold like the Rama one should act according to the Rama, but one should be careful to avoid such a situation.
