Hi,
A frequent travel question: May one wash netilat yadayim before a meal, in a bathroom?
Aside from hygienic factors, one is not supposed to wash in a bathroom, for a couple of reasons:
1. One may not recite the berachah in there, and the berachah is to be recited before drying one's hands;
2. "Ruach ra'ah" is present in the bathroom, and one should not eat with ru'ach raah about him. [No, I can't translate ruach ra'ah, sorry.]
One who has no other place to wash may use water from the bathroom, but should ideally remove it from the bathroom and then wash away from that area.
(Har Tzvi Orach Chaim 1:50)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
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does this also include not washing your hands when you wake in the bathroom?
ReplyDeleteYes, it does; the concern for ru'ach raah there is strong.
ReplyDelete