How water is poured for hand-washing

Hi,

The water used for hand-washing (as opposed to immersion) must be poured on one’s hands by an immediate human force. Therefore, one may not wash from a drainage pipe.

One may wash from a pipe if a human poured the water from an acceptable receptacle (see previous emails) into the pipe, assuming the distance from the pourer to one’s hands is brief. Determing the specific allowable length requires analysis; it depends on circumstances, because the key point is the dissipation of the human’s contributing force.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 159:7; Mishneh Berurah 159:37)

Have a great day,
Mordechai