Netilat Yadayim upon Waking Up: Difference between revisions

* Rav Shlomo Zalman (quoted in Halichot Shlomo (Tefilla 2:23, pg 23)) rules like the Chaye Adam and states when one is washing one's hands after having gone to the bathroom in the morning if one knows that one will need to go to the bathroom again before Davening the first time one should wash without a bracha and after going to the bathroom the second time when one is ready for davening one should wash 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>  

==What is permissible before washing hands?==

# If the water if further than 4 Amot some say that it's better to walk less than 4 amot at a time while others say it's better to go there quickly if it's still in the same house. <ref> Mishna Brurah 1:2 </ref>

# It’s permitted to get dressed prior to washing one’s hands. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef (vol 1 pg 7), Sh”t Yabea Omer 5:1, Sh”t Otzrot Yosef 1:1 </ref>

==Walking 4 amot prior to [[Netilat Yadayim]]==

# 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 [[Amidah - Shemonah Esrei|Shemonah Esrei]]. <ref> 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. </ref>

# However, just to say Brachot, Kriyat Shema, or learn Torah one doesn't need to wash hands. <ref> Mishna Brurah 92:25 writes that implied from S"A is that only does [[Amidah - Shemonah Esrei|Shemonah Esrei]] 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. </ref>

==Someone who stayed up all night==

# If one woke up and has in mind to go back to sleep, should wash without a Bracha and then when one wakes up the second time one should wash with a Bracha. <Ref> Piskei Teshuvot 1:6 writes that it’s preferable to wash when one wakes up the first time, however, it’s clear one doesn’t make a Bracha since one’s not ready to daven as in Buir Halacha 4:1 D”H Afilu. Halichot Shlomo (Tefillah pg 170) agrees. </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.

* 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.