Netilat Yadayim for a Meal: Difference between revisions

# If one goes to the bathroom during a meal, one should wash his hands without a Bracha. <Ref> S”A 164:2 writes that if during a meal, one accidentally touched an area on the body that’s usually covered or rubbed his scalp one needs to make a new Bracha. The Maharshal argues on S”A and holds that no new Bracha is needed. The Taz, Pri Megadim, Derech Chaim, Magan Giborim agree with the Maharshal, while Mamer Mordechai, Mateh Yehuda, Bigdei Yesha, Bet Meir, (Nahar Shalom, Chemed Moshe 170) agree with S”A. Even though the Mishna Brurah 164:13 makes a compromise and writes that after going to the bathroom, touching a area of the body that’s dirty, or making a long interruption by walking, one needs to wash with a Bracha, since many achronim argue (S”A HaRav 164:2, Ben Ish Chai Kodshim 21, Kaf HaChaim 164:16, Kitzur S”A 40:16) one shouldn’t make the Bracha. Piskei Teshuvot 164:5 writes that the minhag of the world is not to make a new Bracha.  </ref>

#One's hands must be clean so that the [[Netilat Yadayim]] water reaches all parts of the hand.<Ref> S”A 161:1 The Mishna Brurah explains that this halachah is modeled after the laws of chatzitza by Tevilat HaGuf - when one has a Torah obligation to dip in a mikvah. There, the halacha is that if one has something covering most of his body while dipping he does not fulfill his Torah obligation to Tovel. The Rabbanan decreed that any amount of dividing substance disquaalifies the Tevilah. Even though the institution to wash one's hands before a meaal is only Rabbinic, the Rabbi's instituted the washing with similar laws to the Torah washing - tevilat haguf.</ref>

# A basic guidline for Chatzitza is that if it is something one normally cares is on his hands and would remove then he is obligated to remove it before washing. If not, one may leave it on,

# Common exapmles of Chatzitza include bandaids, jewelery,and dirt. Dirt under one's fingernails also constitute a chatzitza and should be cleaned or removed before washing. <Ref> {{ibid}}. </ref>

# Although most Birkot HaMitzvot must be recited before the performance of the Mitzvah <Ref> Pesachim 119b</ref>, the common practice - since the era of the Rishonim - has been to recite the bracha for Netillat Yadayim after washing. <Ref>Tosafot Peaschim 7b s.v. Al HaTevillah</ref> However, many early poskim questioned the validity of this minhag. <Ref>See Tur (O.C. 158), Bet Yosef {{ibid}}.</ref> Shulchan Aruch <Ref>O.C. 158:11</ref> rules that one should recite the bracha before washing, but acknowledges that the custom is not so. Rema <Ref>O.C. 158:11</ref> says that the bracha can be recited before drying the hands, which is also part of the Mitzvah. Beiur Halacha <Ref>O.C. 158:11 s.v. Mevarech Kodem</ref> says that it makes sense that the halacha is like the Bet Yosef / Shulchan Aruch, and therefore one should not protest against those who wish to recite the bracha first. Some contemporary poskim recommend that one should therefore recite the bracha before washing. <Ref>Halacha Berurah (O.C. 158:11) writes that if one's hands are clean, and others are not watching, he should recite the bracha first. Rabbi Hershel Schachter recites the bracha prior to washing his hands ([http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/799252/Rabbi_Aryeh_Lebowitz/Ten_Minute_Halacha_-_Speaking_Between_Netilas_Yadayim_and_the_Beracha# Ten Minute Halacha - Speaking Between Netilas Yadayim and the Beracha] 6:35, [https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzQ0nNsuWg_RLWZ1ZTJfblFtUUk/edit?usp=sharing HalachaDoc LG-A33].</ref>