Netilat yadayim for one who slept wearing gloves

Hi,

One who sleeps wearing gloves still must perform the ritual netilat yadayim washing upon rising; one of the reasons for washing is the fact that we were asleep, and that reason does apply in this case. There is debate, though, as far as whether one should recite a blessing upon this washing.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:13:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Handwashing after the bed and the washroom

Hi,

We wash our hands ritually after sleeping, but not after lying in bed without sleeping. We wash our hands ritually after being in the washroom, but not if one only introduced his hands.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Netilat yadayim if one was awake all night

Hi,

One who was awake all night should still wash netilat yadayim in the morning before prayer, but should not recite a blessing unless he used the washroom before this ritual washing.

(Ishei Yisrael 2:30)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Drying and netilat yadayim

Hi,

One need not dry one's hands after washing in the morning, but some are careful to do so, and they will not even recite the blessing of al netilat yadayim until after drying their hands. The strict view maintains that the problems remedied by washing are not dispelled until after drying.

(Ishei Yisrael 2:24 and footnote 82)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Netilat Yadayim in snow in the morning

Hi,

One may dip his hands in a snowbank for the ritual netilat yadayim upon rising in the morning, but one should dip them in three times, each time in a separate location.

This qualifies for the blessing of al netilat yadayim.

(Ishei Yisrael 2:19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When there is no water for netilat yadayim

Hi,

One who rises in the morning and has no water for the ritual netilat yadayim washing should wipe his hands on a surface which will remove dirt, and alter the blessing to al nekiyut yadayim.

Later, when water is available, one should wash properly, without a new blessing.

(Ishei Yisrael 2:14, 17)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How much to wash in the morning

Hi,

Ideally, the ritual washing conducted upon rising in the morning should involve the skin all the way to the wrist. One who lacks sufficient water should wash to the point where the fingers join the hand.

(Ishei Yisrael 2:12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Washing with a cast

Hi,

When washing ritually upon rising, one must make sure that the water can reach all parts of one's hand. However, one whose entire hand is covered in a cast need wash only the other hand.

(Ishei Yisrael 2:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The size of a washing cup

Hi,

The washing cup used for ritual washing - whether when rising in the morning or for bread - must be able to hold at least a reviit - a little less than four ounces - of liquid.

(Mishneh Berurah 159:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Using a faucet to wash one's hands ritually

Hi,

For the ritual washing performed in the morning or before eating bread, the water must be poured on to the hands by human action. Opening a tap from a barrel or urn is considered human action. There is debate regarding a faucet from a water pipe, though, because the water must be poured from a keli [vessel], and it is not clear that the faucet suffices.

(Ishei Yisrael 2:8 and footnotes there)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Immersing one's hands in the morning

Hi,

One who doesn't have the option of pouring water on his hands in the morning for their ritual washing may immerse his hands in a bowl of water and then daven, but must then wash ritually afterward.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 4:12 and Ishei Yisrael 2:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The order for ritual handwashing in the morning

Hi,

The order of  ritual handwashing each morning is this: Pick up the cup of water and put it into the left hand, then pour water on the right hand. Switch hands, and pour on the left. Repeat the set three times. This is a ritual washing; unlike the washing done before eating bread, there is no rational explanation for the triple-washing here.

Some add a fourth wash, to remove the water used for the first three.

(Ishei Yisrael 2:5 and footnotes there)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Ritual washing for children

Hi,

Traditionally, washing one's hands ritually upon rising has been viewed as a matter of safety, and not only fulfillment of the Torah's instructions. Therefore, it applies even for children who are under the age of obligation in the Torah's instructions.

(Mishneh Berurah 4:10 and Ishei Yisrael 2:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Washing immediately upon rising

Hi,

One should wash ritually immediately upon rising, while at one's bed. However, one who cannot keep water beside his bed may rely upon views that say that one may wash anywhere in one's room.

(Mishneh Berurah 1:2, and see Ishei Yisrael 2:footnote 18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Saying "Modeh ani" with dirty hands

Hi,

We are supposed to wash our hands ritually, with a cup, each morning, as we have discussed elsewhere. Even prayer is prohibited before this washing. However, one may recite the opening sentence of "Modeh ani", because it does not include the Name of Gd.

(Mishneh Berurah 1:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Preparing to study Torah

Hi,

One is supposed to wash his hands ritually (right, left, right, left, right, left, from a cup) upon rising in the morning. One should certainly make sure to do this before learning Torah.

One who does not have water available should at least clean his hands with some other medium before studying Torah.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 47:14; Mishneh Berurah 47:33)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Washing on Yom Kippur

Hi,

Among the practices of Yom Kippur is a strict prohibition against pleasurable washing.

Therefore, upon rising in the morning one limits the ritual washing with a cup of water, pouring it over each hand the normal three times (Right-Left-Right-Left-Right-Left), but only up to the base of the fingers – one should not wash the whole hand.

Other than that, one may only wash to remove specific dirt or other unhealthy material.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 613:1-3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Staying up Shavuot Night, Washing in the Morning

Hi,

Ordinarily, upon waking in the morning one is supposed to ritually wash his hands in the morning:

- 3 times on each hand
- from a cup
- alternating hands Right-Left-Right-Left-Right-Left.

One then recites the blessing of "Al Netilat Yadayim," "On the raising of the hands," before fully drying his hands. (For more detail on this, please email me.) This is supposed to be performed before one does anything else.

However, one who stays awake all night - on Shavuot night or any night - washes his hands and recites that blessing in the morning after using the bathroom.

(Mishneh Berurah 494:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai