Netilat Yadayim upon Waking Up: Difference between revisions

# 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>

# However, some Sephardim follow the Shulchan Aruch, who says that as long as one's hands are clean one should make the Bracha BEFORE washing one's hands. <Ref> As quoted in previous source, 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, and so one should rub one’s hands to clean them (so one can make the Bracha), then make the Bracha prior to washing. See the [[Talk:Netilat_Yadayim_upon_Waking_Up|Discussion page]] for a listing of where this is the minhag. </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 though 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. For Sephardim, Ben Ish Chai (Shemini Halacha 7) and Chacham Ovadia Yosef in Halichot Olam (v. 1, p. 317) rule that once you dry your hands you can no longer make the beracha. </ref>

# Some have the custom to wait until going to shul to make the beracha of netilat yadayim. However, this is not the minhag of the Sepharadim. In any case, one shouldn't make the beracha upon both waking up and going to shul. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 6:2 </ref>