Netilat Yadayim

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The Ritual of Hand-Washing

MISHNAH

The ritual of hand-washing (Netilat Yadayim) has specific requirements and distinctions for different types of food and purity levels, which were crucial during the time of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Mishnah, an early third-century codification of Jewish law, details these intricate laws of ritual purity, especially in the context of sacrificial food and the purification waters of the red heifer.

One must wash his hands by pouring a quarter-log of water over them before eating non-sacred food, and for tithes and for teruma; but for eating sacrificial food one must immerse one’s hands in purification waters, such as those of a ritual bath. And with regard to one who wishes to touch the purification waters of the red heifer used for sprinkling, concerning which the Sages ordained further measures of sanctity, if one’s hands were rendered impure even by rabbinical ritual impurity…

Mishnah Chagigah 2:5

Dedication to Ritual Purity

REFERENCE

Rabbi Akiba's extreme dedication to the commandment of washing hands before a meal, even in prison, exemplifies his profound commitment to Jewish law. This story from Gershom Bader's biographical collection highlights Rabbi Akiba's willingness to suffer thirst rather than neglect the mitzvah of Netilat Yadayim.

Rabbi Akiba feared that if he would drink some of it there would not be enough water left with which to wash his hands and he would thus disobey the commandment to wash one’s hands, he therefore decided to suffer thirst rather than forego the commandment of washing one’s hands before a meal. The scholars afterward commented on this and said that if he was so observant while in prison one could easily imagine his conduct when he was at liberty.

The Jewish Spiritual Heroes, Volume I; The Creators of the Mishna, Rabbi Akiba ben Joseph 83

Differing Customs in Ritual Hand Washing

HALAKHAH

The customs for reciting the blessing over netilat yadayim before the morning prayer differ significantly between Ashkenazim and Sephardim. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed’s contemporary work, Peninei Halakhah, explains these differences and the reasoning behind them.

All agree that one must perform netilat yadayim before praying Shaḥarit, but there is disagreement as to whether the berakha is recited over it. According to Ashkenazim, the best way to handle this is to go to the bathroom before praying, and touch some part of the body which is normally covered and can be assumed to have become sweaty. Doing so obligates him to wash his hands with a berakha. However, according to Sephardim, even in such a case he should not recite a berakha over the washing (Peninei Halakha: Prayer 8:1 n. 1).

Peninei Halakhah, Festivals 13:10:3

The Sacred Water of Morning Rituals

HALAKHAH

The water used for hand-washing before morning prayers holds a unique status and should not be reused or disposed of carelessly. The Shulchan Arukh, a 16th-century codification of Jewish law by Rabbi Joseph Karo, emphasizes the importance of purity in the ritual of netilat yadayim (hand-washing) upon waking.

Water which has been used for hand-washing before morning prayers should not be used afterwards for any other purpose. One should not pour it out in a house, nor any place where people pass by.

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 4:9

Ensuring Water Purity

COMMENTARY

Water used for work or soaking bread is no longer valid for the ritual of netilat yadayim. The Mishnah Yadayim discusses the laws of ritual purity, particularly focusing on the water used for netilat yadayim, a practice essential before eating bread.

If a person did any work with it or soaked his bread in it, it is invalid. Water that has used for work (perhaps as a weight on a balance) or for soaking bread, is no longer considered water and cannot be used for netilat yadayim.

English Explanation of Mishnah Yadayim 1:3:4

The Significance of Netilat Yadayim

MIDRASH

The practice of washing hands before and after meals is not just a ritual but a marker of Jewish identity, especially significant during times of persecution. The Midrash Tanchuma, a collection of homiletic teachings from the early centuries of the Common Era, emphasizes the importance of Netilat Yadayim (ritual hand washing) in maintaining religious identity.

(Numb. 24:3:) SO HE TOOK UP HIS THEME AND SAID. Let our master instruct us: In the case of one who eats without washing his hands, what penalty will he incur? Thus have our masters taught: Washing hands before the meal is an option; after the meal it is an obligation. It once happened in a time of religious persecution that there was one of the Israelite shopkeepers who would cook and sell both clean meat and pork, so that they would not notice that he was a Jew. Now his custom was this: Whenever anyone came into his shop and did not wash his hands…

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Balak 24:1

The Custom of Not Drying Hands

HALAKHAH

The Beta Israel community has a unique custom of not drying hands after washing, reflecting their historical and cultural context in Ethiopia. This practice highlights the adaptation of Jewish law to local conditions, such as the lack of available towels in Ethiopia.

According to Beta Israel custom, a person should not eat without washing the hands, if there is water nearby. If not, one may eat without washing hands. Before a meal, everyone sits down, and a child hands the washing cup to each person, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. There is no obligation to dry the hands. Avraham Yardai has noted that one must distinguish between a practice based on halakhah and one based on culture and technology, such as drying the hands with a towel after washing them…

From Sinai to Ethiopia, Shulhan haOrit; The Halakhah of Ethiopian Jewry, Then and Now, 2 Blessings 5:3

The Debate on Ritual Purification

TOSEFTA

The debate between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel on the sequence of ritual purification reveals the complexities and nuances of Jewish law. The Tosefta, an early compilation of Jewish oral law, captures this foundational debate, highlighting the differing priorities and reasoning of these two influential schools.

Bet Shammai say, “We wash hands [before the meal] first, and [only] after that we pour the cup [of wine for Kiddush, because] may be the liquid outside of the cup will become Tameh (ritually impure), because of the [Tameh] hands, and in turn it will make the cup Tameh.” And Bet Hillel say, “The outside of the cup is always Tameh, [so therefore it does not matter if the liquid on the outside of the cup will make it Tameh.] [Besides this there is] another explanation. Hands should be washed as close to the meal as possible.”

Tosefta Berakhot 5:26

The Blessing of Clean Hands

RESPONSA

The blessing 'over the washing of hands' is recited not only upon rising but also after using the privy and before the Minha services. The 13th-century responsa of Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, known as Teshuvot Maharam, addresses the importance of ritual purification in Jewish law.

Q. When are we supposed to recite the blessing "over the washing of hands?"
A. The blessing "over the washing of hands" is recited when one washes his hands upon rising from bed. It is also proper to recite this blessing when one comes out of a privy, and washes one's hands in order to recite the Minha services.
SOURCES: Pr. 40–41; L. 346; Rashba I, 1124. Cf. Wertheimer 4.

Teshuvot Maharam, Prague Edition 41:1

The Essential Ritual of Hand Washing

HALAKHAH

The ritual of washing hands before prayer is so important that it requires seeking water even if it involves significant effort. The Kitzur Shulchan Arukh, a 19th-century condensed code of Jewish law, outlines the necessity of ritual purity before prayer and provides alternatives if water is unavailable.

The hands must be washed with water until the wrist, before praying. Therefore, even though you washed your hands in the morning, if your hands touched an unclean spot i. e., parts of the body that are normally covered, where there is an accumulation of sweat, or if you scratched your head, or if you did not wash them until the wrist [in the morning], you must wash them again before praying. If there is no water available you must attempt to acquire some; even traveling four mil (72 minutes) or backward one mil…

Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 12:5

The Obligatory Hand-Washing

TALMUD

Washing hands before eating bread is considered a rabbinic mitzva, while washing hands after a meal and before reciting Grace after Meals is an obligatory requirement. The Talmudic tractate Chullin discusses these distinctions in hand-washing practices, alongside laws pertaining to ritual slaughter and the consumption of non-sacred meat.

§ Having mentioned the manner of washing hands during a meal, the Gemara discusses another matter concerning washing hands. Rav Idi bar Avin says that Rav Yitzḥak bar Ashyan says: The first waters, i.e., washing of the hands before eating bread, are a mitzva by rabbinic law, but the final waters, washing of the hands upon conclusion of the meal and before reciting Grace after Meals, are an obligation, a more stringent requirement.

Chullin 105a:13

The Spiritual Significance of Hand-Washing

MUSAR

Washing hands is not just about hygiene but also about spiritual purity and preventing sin. The 17th-century ethical and mystical work, Kav HaYashar, by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover, emphasizes the importance of ritual hand-washing after various activities to maintain spiritual cleanliness.

The primary form of purification that is required of a person is the washing of his hands immediately upon leaving the bathroom. But hand-washing is also required upon exiting the bathhouse, letting blood, cutting one’s nails, taking a haircut or touching any part of the body that is normally covered, as explained in the works of the halachic authorities. Whoever is careful about washing his hands under all these circumstances will not swiftly come to sin.

Kav HaYashar 11:18

The Ritual of Hand Washing

HALAKHAH

The laws of ritual hand washing, or Netilat Yadayim, are detailed and specific, emphasizing the importance of cleanliness and ritual purity in Jewish life. In his monumental 12th-century legal code, the Mishneh Torah, Maimonides outlines the precise requirements for the amount of water used and the conditions that invalidate the washing.

To what point should one's hands be washed? To the wrist. How much water should be used? A [minimum of a] revi'it for each pair of hands.
Anything that is considered an intervening substance [and thus invalidates] a ritual immersion is also considered an intervening substance with regard to washing hands. All liquids that may be included in the measure of a mikveh may be included in the measure of the revi'it [necessary for the washing of hands].

Mishneh Torah, Blessings 6:4

The Essence of Hand Washing

TALMUD

The primary concern is whether one washes their hands at all, rather than the amount of water used. Rava clarifies that the issue arises only when one completely neglects washing their hands, not when one uses an insufficient amount of water.

With regard to one who demeans the ritual washing of the hands, Rava said: We only said this statement in a case where he does not wash his hands at all; however, if he washes his hands and does not wash them with a significant amount of water, we have no problem with it.

Shabbat 62b:16

The Ritual of Handwashing

HALAKHAH

The ritual of handwashing before meals involves specific requirements and blessings that reflect the importance of ritual purity and gratitude in Jewish practice. The Sefer HaChinukh, a 13th-century Spanish text, meticulously outlines the laws and blessings associated with this daily ritual, emphasizing its spiritual and practical aspects.

And I will write to you, my son, still a bit more about the laws of the blessings of the meal. And [I shall do so] even though we have spoken at great length about this commandment due to my fervor for blessing, though my way is not like this in this work in other places. Every Israelite must wash his hands with proper water before eating bread — meaning to say [this water] was not disqualified from the drinking of a dog and no work was done with it, and for one washing, its quantity is a quarter of a log, which is one-and-a-half eggs…

Sefer HaChinukh 430:14

Ritual Handwashing Lavabo, Bezalel School, Jerusalem 1909-1929, Gift of Dr. Harry G. Friedman. The Jewish Museum, New York.

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