Holding a full reviit of water in the washing cup at once

Hi,

We have said that one must use a reviit (just under four ounces) of water when washing his hands for bread.

Although one may divide up the reviit between the two pourings, an entire reviit must be held in the cup at the start. Thus one may not use a cup holding 2 ounces for the first pour, and then add 2 ounces for the second pour.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 160:14; Mishneh Berurah 160:81)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Washing for bread with salt water

Hi,

The water used for washing before bread must be potable, at least to the point that a dog would drink it. If it is salty, smelly or bitter to the point that a dog would not drink it, one may not use it to wash for bread.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 160:9; note Mishneh Berurah 160:38 on desalination)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The water used for hand-washing

Hi,

The water we use to wash for bread should be clear; if it gains color or opacity from some added ingredient, like ink, then it is not usable. However, water that is somewhat cloudy from dust is acceptable.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 160:1; Mishneh Berurah 160:2-3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Washing for bread in a stream

Hi,

We have been learning about Netilat Yadayim (hand-washing) before eating bread.

One may dip his hands in a river or stream, so long as he is able to immerse the whole hand simultaneously.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 159:14; Mishneh Berurah 159:77)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The pourer for Netilat Yadayim

Hi,

Anyone may pour the water used for hand-washing before eating bread; it need not come from the person who is washing, or even from a Jew.

There is some debate whether it is acceptable to have a minor pour the water, if the minor is under the age of six (and therefore of immature intelligence).

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 159:11-12; Mishneh Berurah 159:70)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Immersing hands for netilat yadayim

Hi,

We have discussed washing one’s hands before bread by pouring water on them. One may also immerse his hands.

This immersion need not be in a kosher mikvah. One may also immerse his hands in a ditch or pool containing 40 se’ah (estimates vary, from 120 gallons and up), if water arrived there via a flow of water along the ground. Even if the water is not kosher as ‘mikvah water,’ and it actually came from a receptacle, one may immerse his hands so long as the water ran at least 3 tefach (about 11 inches) along the ground before arriving in its resting place.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 159:7; Mishneh Berurah 159:40-42)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

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