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Netilat Yadayim upon Waking Up: Difference between revisions

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When one wakes up in the morning there is a mitzvah to wash one's hands three times with a cup. The details of when and how it should be done are described below:
Chazal established that upon waking up a person should wash his hands in the morning prior to davening Shacharit. One reason is because one needs to clean one's hands for davening and at night when sleeping one's hands might touch a dirty area.<ref>Rosh Brachot 9:23</ref> Another is that we want to remove the negative spirits on our hands after having been recreated each day.<ref>Rashba teshuva 1:191 writes that the reason for netilat yadayim in the morning isn't just because of the davening otherwise one should recite a bracha for netilat yadayim prior to mincha and arvit. Rather the reason is because a person is recreated each day and the the bracha was established like brachot hashachar. It represents preparing ourselves for kedusha just like the kohanim would wash their hands from the Kiyor in the Bet Hamikdash before doing avoda.</ref> An alternate version of this reason is that the negative spirit is a result of the element of death that descends upon a person who sleeps.<ref>Zohar Vayeshev 184b cited by Bet Yosef 4:8</ref> The details of when and how it should be done are described below:
==Procedure for Washing One's Hands==
==Procedure for Washing One's Hands==
# One should wash with a cup or some sort of vessel. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 4:7, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:4, Mishna Brurah 4:15, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 2:1. </ref> If there is no cup available, according to Ashkenazim, if one is in an extenuating circumstance and one wants to pray, one may wash without a cup with a bracha. According to Sephardim, if one washes without a cup, such as if one washes directly from the faucet, one should not recite a bracha. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:6 writes that in an extenuating circumstance when there is no cup available and one wants to pray one should wash without a cup and with a bracha. However, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (comments on Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:9) writes that if one washes without a cup one should not make the bracha. Halacha Brurah 4:12 also writes that if one washes from the faucet one should not make the bracha.</ref>
# One should wash with a cup or some sort of vessel. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 4:7, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:4, Mishna Brurah 4:15, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 2:1. The Hagahot Mordechai Brachot 192, Ran Chullin 37b s.v. mipnei, Bet Yosef 4:7 based on Rosh, and Darkei Moshe 4:1 all write that a vessel isn't necessary for Netilat Yadayim in the morning. However, the Rashba teshuva 1:191 writes that a vessel is necessary.</ref> If there is no cup available, according to Ashkenazim, if one is in an extenuating circumstance and one wants to pray, one may wash without a cup with a bracha. According to Sephardim, if one washes without a cup, such as if one washes directly from the faucet, one should not recite a bracha. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:6 writes that in an extenuating circumstance when there is no cup available and one wants to pray one should wash without a cup and with a bracha. However, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (comments on Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:9) writes that if one washes without a cup one should not make the bracha. Halacha Brurah 4:12 also writes that if one washes from the faucet one should not make the bracha.</ref>
# One should wash up to one's wrists. If there is not enough water available, it is sufficient to wash up to one's major knuckles (where one's fingers connect to the hand). <ref> Mishna Brurah 4:9 writes that one should wash up to one's wrists and if there happens not to be enough water, it is sufficient to wash up to one's knuckles. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:3 agrees. Ben Ish Chai (Parashat Toldot #2) writes that one must wash until one's wrists except on [[Yom Kippur]] and [[Tisha BeAv]] when one may only wash up to one's knuckles. </ref>
# One should wash up to one's wrists. If there is not enough water available, it is sufficient to wash up to one's major knuckles (where one's fingers connect to the hand). <ref> Mishna Brurah 4:9 writes that one should wash up to one's wrists and if there happens not to be enough water, it is sufficient to wash up to one's knuckles. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:3 agrees. Ben Ish Chai (Parashat Toldot #2) writes that one must wash until one's wrists except on [[Yom Kippur]] and [[Tisha BeAv]] when one may only wash up to one's knuckles. </ref>
# One should wash one's right hand first, then one's left hand, and repeat this process two more times so that one washes each hand 3 times alternating hands in the process. Some say one should wash each hand 4 times. <ref>Mishna Brurah 4:9</ref>
# One should wash one's right hand first, then one's left hand, and repeat this process two more times so that one washes each hand 3 times alternating hands in the process. Some say one should wash each hand 4 times. <ref>Mishna Brurah 4:9</ref>