Daily Halacha Podcast - Daily Halacha By Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Gemara (Shabbat 50b) teaches that one must wash his face, feet and hands each day, as an expression of honor for Hashem. The Rambam (Hilchot Tefila 4:3) understood that the Gemara requires washing one's face, hands and feet before each prayer. The Ra'abad challenges the Rambam's view that one must wash his feet before prayer. Maran (Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Shulhan Aruch), in his Kesef Mishneh commentary, notes that Rashi interprets the Gemara to mean that it is permissible for a man to was his feet for cleanliness, and this does not fall under the category of forbidden feminine practices. Rashi's comments are thus a basis for the Ra'abad's opinion that washing the feet is not required. Regardless, in his Bet Yosef, Maran writes that the common practice is not to require washing one's feet before prayer. And it is likely that nowadays, when everyone wears shoes, and we bathe regularly, even the Rambam would agree that washing one's feet before praying is unnecessary. Regarding the face, Rav Haim Vita

If a person wakes up in the middle of the night and wants to drink, he is not required to wash Netilat Yadayim. Many times, when people wake up in the middle of the night, they prefer not getting their hands wet, as this could – especially in the winter – make it difficult for them to go back to sleep. In such a case, it is permissible to recite the Beracha of "She'ha'kol" and drink without washing. The person may rely on the opinion that although it is forbidden to recite Shema or pray before washing Netilat Yadayim, reciting Berachot is allowed. This is the straightforward implication of the Gemara's discussion in Masechet Berachot (60b) about the morning blessings, as it appears to require reciting each Beracha as it is experienced – such as reciting "Poke'ah Ivrim" upon opening one's eyes, and reciting "Zokef Kefufim" upon sitting up straight, even before washing Netilat Yadayim. This is, in fact, the ruling of the Shulhan Aruch. Although we do not follow this opinion, nevertheless, one may rely on this v

If a person wakes up in the middle of the night, and wants to read a Torah book, or think Torah matters, must he first wash Netilat Yadayim? If the individual does not plan on going back to sleep, and is awake for the day, then he should of course wash Netilat Yadayim right away. If, however, he plans on falling back asleep, then he is allowed to silently learn Torah even without Netilat Yadayim. As long as he does not speak any words of Torah, he is allowed to learn without Netilat Yadayim. If he slept without clothes, such that he might have touched unclean parts of the body, then he should first wipe his hands on some material – such as his blanket – before learning. If he slept in pajamas, and thus has no reason to assume that he touched unclean parts of the body, this is not necessary. Nevertheless, it is preferable to wash one's hands before reading or thinking Torah, even silently. Summary: If a person woke up in the middle of the night and plans to go back to sleep, he is allowed to silently learn Tor

The Talmud (Berachot 26a) distinguishes between ordinary restrooms and those used in ancient Persia, which featured a long, diagonal duct beneath the room, such that the bodily waste never remained in the room. Normal restrooms, the Gemara states, are overrun by forces of impurity, whereas the Persian restrooms are not, since the bodily waste does not remain there. Some Poskim compared modern-day bathrooms to the Persian restrooms discussed by the Gemara, since the waste products are immediately flushed away, as opposed to ancient latrines, where the waste remained in an opening in the ground. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, however, disagreed with this leniency, and maintained that modern-day restrooms cannot be compared to the Persian restrooms described by the Gemara. Those facilities were constructed in such a way that the bodily waste fell straight into the piping and immediately left the area, whereas in our restrooms, the waste remains for a few moments in the toilet before being flushed away. Therefore, our rest

The Zohar teaches that one must not learn Torah or recite any Berachot before washing Netilat Yadayim in the morning. Nevertheless, if one heard a blessing before Netilat Yadayim, he may answer "Amen." Likewise, if one heard Barechu, Kaddish or Kedusha before washing, he may respond. This could happen if one lives near a synagogue and hears the prayers through his window. The reason for this leniency is that for the sake of fulfilling the Misva of answering "Amen" or responding to Kaddish or Kedusha, one may rely on the opinions that this is permitted before washing one's hands. The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (60) lists the blessings that one must recite in the morning, and according to several Rishonim, they are to be recited according to the sequence in which one experiences each blessing. Meaning, right when one hears the rooster's crow, he recites "Asher Natan La'sechvi Bina…"; right when he opens his eyes, he recites "Poke'ah Ivrim"; right when he steps on the ground, he recites "Roka Ha'aretz Al Ha'may

If a person uses the restroom before washing Netilat Yadayim in the morning, he washes immediately after performing his bodily functions, and must then recite two Berachot – "Al Netilat Yadayim" over the hand-washing, and then Asher Yasar over using the restroom. It could happen that the person might intend to recite "Al Netilat Yadayim," but he instead says Asher Yasar. Meaning, he recites "Baruch Ata Hashem Elokenu Melech Ha'olam" with the intention of reciting the Beracha over the hand-washing, but, since he had just left the restroom – and he is not very focused, as he had just woken up – he mindlessly continues with Asher Yasar. The Yalkut Yosef writes that the person in this case should complete the Beracha of Asher Yasar, and then recite the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim." Rav Yisrael Bitan disagrees. He notes the Rambam's position that if one had the intention while reciting "Baruch Ata Hashem Elokenu Melech Ha'olam" to recite a certain Beracha, but then mistakenly continued with a different Beracha,

Generally, when a person wakes up in the morning, he needs to relieve himself. The question thus arises as to when he should perform the morning Netilat Yadayim – before using the restroom, or afterward. On the one hand, we might assume that he must wash his hands first, because it is forbidden to touch the openings of one's body before washing Netilat Yadayim, and one is likely to touch an opening when cleaning himself. On the other hand, before drying one's hands, he must recite the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim," and it is forbidden to recite a Beracha when one feels an urge to relieve himself. Which, then, is the correct sequence? The Mishna Berura suggests resolving this dilemma by washing one's hands twice. One washes the first time immediately after waking up, without reciting a Beracha, and then relieves himself. After using the restroom, he washes a second time, and recites the Beracha over this second washing. This allows a person to wash his hands before using the restroom while reciting the Berac

The Kabbalists, based on the teachings of the Zohar, ensure to avoid walking four Amot (approx. 6-8 feet) after waking in the morning before washing Netilat Yadayim. The Zohar is cited as warning that walking four Amot before washing in the morning is a capital offense. Therefore, the Kabbalists have the practice of keeping water next to their beds so they can wash right at their bedside. The Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) writes that if a person did not leave water next to his bed, and needs to walk four Amot or more to access water for washing, he should walk two Amot at a time, and then pause, so that he does not walk four Amot all at once before washing. Others, however, disagree, arguing that this unnecessarily delays Netilat Yadayim. In their view, to the contrary, one should rush to the sink in the morning to wash Netilat Yadayim. Many later scholars noted that although Kabbalistic sources cite the Zohar as warning that one must not walk four Amot before washing, no such passage in the Z

Is one allowed to put on clothing before washing Netilat Yadayim in the morning? Often, during the winter, people want to put socks on their feet before stepping on the cold floor and going to wash Netilat Yadayim. Is this permissible, or must one be concerned that the impurity will transfer from their hands onto their garments, thus causing harm? The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in the work for which he was named (Ben Ish Hai, Parashat Toledot, 6), cites the Arizal's teaching that one may not touch his clothing before washing his hands in the morning. He therefore bemoaned the common practice to put on socks before stepping on the cold floor in the morning during the winter. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, however, questions this ruling, noting that there is no indication in the Gemara that the hands contaminate garments or utensils before the morning hand-washing. Indeed, one obviously touches the handles of the washing cup before washing, and clearly there is no concern that the impurity will a

Many people are naturally inclined to rub their eyes upon waking in the morning, but this should be avoided. The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 4:3) writes that one should not touch any of the openings to his body – his mouth, his nostrils, his ears, or his eyes – in the morning before washing Netilat Yadayim. Hacham Ovadia Yosef cites the Solet Belula as asserting that the Sages forbade this because it could lead to spiritual harm – meaning, touching one's eyes could cause spiritual "blindness," an inability to "see" and understand Torah, and touching one's ears could affect his spiritual "hearing," his ability to listen and absorb Torah wisdom. However, Hacham Ovadia disputed this explanation, noting that it fails to account for the prohibition against touching one's mouth or nose before washing. Hacham Ovadia therefore adopted the more straightforward understanding, that the impurity on a person's hands in the morning could cause physical harm if they come in contact with the orifices on one's body. This prohibi

Hacham Ovadia writes in Halichot Olam (vol. 7, p. 209) that one should not store food or beverages underneath a bed while somebody sleeps on it. If a food or beverage was beneath a bed when somebody slept on it, then, according to some Poskim, the product may not be consumed. Most Poskim, however, allow partaking of the food or beverage after the fact, particularly if it was on a tiled or paneled floor, and not directly on the ground. Nowadays, then, as our floors are covered with panels or tiling, although one should not place food underneath a bed, food does not become forbidden if it was placed there. If a person slept with food in his pocket, it remains permissible. Hacham Ovadia Yosef cites this ruling in the name of the kabbalist Rav Efrayim Ha'kohen (Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1885-1956), who testified that this was the position of the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909). If food was stored in the baggage compartment of a bus or plane, then even though people slept on top of the food, it remains

When a person wakes up in the morning, his hands are considered impure, due to the harmful spiritual forces that descend upon them during the night, and he must wash Netilat Yadayim – three times on each hand, in alternating fashion – to remove them. If somebody touches food or a beverage before washing Netilat Yadayim in the morning, does the impurity transfer to the food and beverage, such that it should not be consumed? Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that one should preferably ensure not to touch any food or beverages before washing Netilat Yadayim in the morning. If a food product was touched by somebody who had not washed Netilat Yadayim, then if it can be rinsed with water – such as in the case of an apple – then it should be passed under running water three times, and there is then no concern. If, however, this food cannot be washed – such as a piece of cake, or bread, or a beverage – then the product may nevertheless be eaten. Hacham Ovadia explains that there is room for leniency in this case because the

As we have seen, Kabbalistic sources teach that a spirit of impurity descends upon a person's hands overnight, and it is removed only by washing his hands three times in alternating fashion. If a person does not wash his hands in this manner, the impure forces remain on his hands. This gives rise to the question of whether a person must repeat Netilat Yadayim after shaking the hand of a Jew who most likely did not wash Netilat Yadayim that day. If one knows that the fellow whose hand he shook is not halachically observant, or is not knowledgeable about requirements such as the morning Netilat Yadayim, must he wash his hands again, since the impurity transferred from the other person's hand onto his? (This question applies only in the case of a Jew who most likely did not wash Netilat Yadayim; the spirit of impurity does not affect the hands of gentiles, and so there is clearly no concern when one shakes a gentile's hand.) Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Jerusalem, 1924-1998), in Or Le'sion, rules that one does not

Water that was used for the morning Netilat Yadayim is considered impure, as it contains the impurity that had descended on the hands during the night. Therefore, if this water fell on the ground, one should not step on it. Once the area is dry, there is no longer any concern, and one may walk on the ground where the water had been. If one washed his hands in the morning into a basin, and had yet to discard the water from the basin, may a person learn or pray in the presence of this water while it is exposed? The Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) writes that the custom among the especially pious was to refrain from learning or praying in the presence of this water, due to its status of impurity. The work Helek Levi questioned this stringency, noting that the Shulhan Aruch permits learning Torah and reciting Berachot before one washes his hands in the morning. If Torah learning is allowed before one washes, then certainly it is allowed in the presence of the water used for washing. Hacham Ovadia Yo

As discussed in a previous installment, the water with one washed Netilat Yadayim in the morning is considered impure, and could cause harm to those who step on in. Therefore, one must ensure not to wash his hands in a place where people walk, and to wash instead directly into a sink, or into a utensil and then pour the water down a drain. If one mistakenly washed Netilat Yadayim on the ground in a place where it could be stepped on, he must pour more water over it to wash it away, out of concern for the wellbeing of others. The Poskim address the question of how much water is needed to wash away the contaminated water. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes that one should pour "a lot of water," without specifying a particular quantity. The Yalkut Yosef writes that the Halacha in this case might resemble the Halacha requiring pouring a Rebi'it of water over urine to eliminate its status as urine so that one may read the Shema in its presence (Shulhan Aruch, Orah Haim 77:1). Perhaps the

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 4:8) writes that one should perform Netilat Yadayim in the morning by washing his hands over a utensil, as opposed to washing them over the ground. The reason is that once the water comes in contact with the hands, it becomes impure, and if it then falls to the ground and people step on it, they can suffer harm as a result. Therefore, one should wash into a vessel, and then discard the water in a place where people will not come in contact with it. Of course, one fulfills his obligation regardless of where he performs Netilat Yadayim, but out of concern for the wellbeing of others, he should ensure that the water does not end up in a place where people walk. Needless to say, the preferred place for washing Netilat Yadayim is in a sink, as the contaminated water descends right down the drain and into the sewer system, where nobody will tread on it. Nevertheless, this Halacha is relevant to those who sleep in a Sukka on Sukkot, and want to wash their hands in the Sukka or right outs

The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes that mothers should wash the hands of their young children in the morning – even children who have yet to reach the age of Hinuch (training in Misva observance). Firstly, he explains, young children touch food, and if their hands are not washed in the morning, the foods they touch will become contaminated by the Tum'a (impurity) that descends upon the hands overnight. Secondly, washing the hands of young children in the morning has a significant spiritual impact, as it helps to lead them toward the path of purity and holiness. By contrast, Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi (first Rebbe of Lubavitch, 1745-1812) writes that the hands of young children do not become impure overnight. Before a youngster becomes Bar-Misva, Rav Shneur Zalman explains, he does not have a pure Neshama (soul) that leaves during the night which would cause the forces of impurity to descend upon him. Therefore, according to Rav Shneur Zalman, there is no requirement to wash a young

The Gemara (Berachot 51a) lists three rules that were taught by none other than the Angel of Death, one of which is that one cannot fulfill the Misva of the morning Netilat Yadayim by having somebody else pour water over his hands, unless that person had already washed his hands. As long as somebody's hands are still impure, he cannot bring purity to somebody else's hands. Only once a person has washed Netilat Yadayim in the morning can he then pour water on his fellow's hands for his fellow to fulfill the obligation. The Zohar comments that this is the hidden meaning of the verse (Bamidbar 19:19), "Ve'hiza Ha'tahor Al Ha'tameh" – "The pure shall sprinkle on the impure." This verse refers to the sprinkling of the Para Aduma waters, but it hints as well to the morning hand-washing, instructing that one whose hands are already pure may cleanse somebody else's hands. In this respect, the morning Netilat Yadayim is treated more stringently than Netilat Yadayim before eating bread. Halacha allows a person to fulfi

The Shulhan Aruch (Yoreh De'a 116:1) writes that the Sages enacted a prohibition against drinking water that had been left exposed, due to the concern that a snake may have drunk some water and deposited venom in it. However, the Shulhan Aruch adds, in his time, snakes were not as common as they were in ancient times, and so this prohibition does not apply. The Tur (Rabbenu Yaakob Ben Asher, d. 1340) writes that when exposed water was forbidden for drinking, it was likewise unsuitable for Netilat Yadayim. Nowadays, however, when such water may be drunk, as there is no concern of snakes' venom, it may similarly be used for Netilat Yadayim. The Bayit Hadash (Rav Yoel Sirkis, Poland, 1561-1640) goes so far as to say that even those who refrain from drinking water that had been left exposed may use this water for Netilat Yadayim. However, in places where snakes are common, it is preferable not to use for Netilat Yadayim water that had been left uncovered. This is the ruling of Hacham David Yosef, in Halacha Berur

The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in his Od Yosef Hai (Parashat Toledot), writes that one should not wash the morning Netilat Yadayim with water that had been in a restroom, as it is considered contaminated. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in Yabia Omer (vol. 3), disagreed, and maintained that such water may be used. Preferably though, one should not use this water. The Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakov Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939) ruled that water that had been in a restroom may be used for the morning washing, but no Beracha should be recited when washing with this water. Given the different opinions that exist regarding the validity of this water, the Kaf Ha'haim applied to this situation the famous rule of "Safek Berachot Le'hakel" – that a Beracha may not be recited when it is uncertain whether it is required. However, Hacham David Yosef, in Halacha Berura, disputes this ruling, and maintains that a Beracha may be recited. As a general rule, when there is a dispute among the Poskim regardin