Netilat Yadayim upon Waking Up: Difference between revisions

==When should one wash and make the bracha of Netilat Yadayim?==

# According to Ashkenazim, upon waking up if one needs to go to the bathroom then if after going to the bathroom one will be ready for davening, one should upon waking up wash without a bracha and after having gone to the bathroom wash again with the bracha of Al Netilat Yadayim. <ref> see next footnote </ref>

# According to Ashkenazim, however, if after having going to the bathroom one will still not be ready for davening and will have to go to the bathroom another time before davening (as is common when one wakes up a long time before davening), according to Ashkenazim, one should wash without a bracha upon waking up, wash a second time without a bracha after having gone to the bathroom the first time, and then wash a third time with a bracha of Al Netilat Yadayim after having gone to the bathroom a second time. Some say that one doesn't need to wash before going to the bathroom and that after having gone to the bathroom one should wash without a cup and without the bracha, and then when one is ready for davening one should wash again using a cup and make the bracha. <ref>

* However, if one is not going to be ready for davening after having gone to the bathroom the first time, the Biur Halacha (4:1 D"H Afliu) presents two opinions about when it is preferable to wash one's hands with the bracha of Al Netilat Yadayim. The Chaye Adam holds that it's preferable upon waking up to wash without a bracha and when one's ready for davening to wash again with the bracha, while the Shaarei Teshuva holds that one should wash with the bracha after going to the bathroom even if one isn't totally ready for davening. The Biur Halacha rules like the Chaye Adam that upon waking up one should wash without a bracha and when one is ready for davening to wash again with the bracha.  

* Rav Mordechai Willig in Am Mordechai (Brachot, Siman 11, pg 45-8) writes that one should go to the bathroom, wash without a cup, and then when one is ready for davening wash again with a cup and make the bracha of Al Netilat Yadayim. </ref>  

# According to Sephardim one may get dressed, go to the bathroom, and then wash and make the bracha of Al Netilat Yadyaim. However, it's preferable upon waking up to wash without a bracha and then after having gone to the bathroom to wash again with a Bracha unless one has an urgent need to go to the bathroom in which case one should go to the bathroom before washing one's hands. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef (vol 1, pg 384). Halacha Brurah 4:4 writes that if one needs to go to the bathroom one should first go to the bathroom and then wash one's hands with a Bracha of Al Netilat Yadayim. However, some are strict to wash twice, once before going to the bathroom and once afterward and only make the bracha the second time. If the need to go to the bathroom is urgent then certainly one should go to the bathroom and only wash afterwards. </ref>

==Walking 4 amot prior to Netilat Yadayim==

# It's preferable that one is strict not to walk more than 4 amot prior to Netilat Yadayim. <ref>The Tolat Yacov (Seder Netilat Yadayim) quotes the Zohar saying that it’s forbidden to walk 4 amot prior to washing Netilat Yadayim. (1) The Bach (beginning of 4) writes that S”A didn’t quote the Zohar because many people wouldn’t be able to fulfill the law. Sh”t Shevut Yacov 3:1 defends the minhag by saying that either the entire law of the Zohar isn’t applicable since the Talmud Balvi argues on it, or that the entire house is considered within 4 amot. The Eliyah Rabba 1:4 argues on the Shevut Yacov but defends the minhag by saying that perhaps the law doesn’t apply nowadays. So writes the Lechem Mishna (Shevitat Esor 3:12) and Yam Shel Shlomo (Chullin 31). (2) On the other hand, the Chida (Birkei Yosef 1:1) writes that it’s a serious halacha, most are strict about it, and if the water is far away one should walk less than 4 amot at a time to get the water.  So writes the Shalmei Tzibbur 18c, Chesed LeAlaphim 4:12, Ruach Chaim 4:1, and Petach Dvir 4:1. However, the Shaarei Teshuva 1:2 and Siddur Bet Ovad 6:3 argue that if the water is far away one should rush to get to the water as soon as one can. (3) In conclusion, Sh”t Otzrot Yosef 1:2 writes in name of Rav Ovadyah Yosef that in cases of need one may rely on the lenient opinions especially if one went to sleep after chatzot. So too, Mishna Brurah 1:2 writes that one may rely on the Shevut Yacov (that a house is like 4 amot) in cases of great need. </ref>

# If one woke up after Chatzot, if one still needs to go to the bathroom before davening, one shouldn’t make the Bracha of Al Netilat Yadayim until after one went to the bathroom and then it should be said together with Brachot HaShachar, however, if one knows that one doesn’t need to go to the bathroom before Davening, one should make the Bracha of Netilat Yadayim as close as possible to waking up. <Ref> Biur Halacha 4:1 D”H Afilu as ruling like the Chaye Adam, Ishei Yisrael 2:31, Dinei Nieyor Kol HaLaylah (pg 42), Halichot Olam 2:23, See Piskei Teshuvot 4:2 who writes that one can go like the Chaye Adam or like the Mekubalim </ref>  

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" (literally 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 minhag is to make the Bracha of Al Netilat Yadiyim between washing and drying one’s hands. <Ref> 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. </ref>

# 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. <Ref> 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. </ref>