09 – Minors
A number of eminent Acharonim write that it is important to ensure that even small children, who have not yet reached the age of understanding (gil chinuch), wash their hands in the morning. The reason...
View Article08 – Food Touched by Unwashed Hands
We learned (in halachah 3) that because the ruach ra’ah rests upon one’s hands in the morning, one must not touch food or drink before washing his hands. Regarding a Jew who touched items of food...
View Article07 – Waking in the Middle of the Night to Tend to a Baby or for Any Other Reason
Parents who wake up in the middle of the night in order to cover their children or give them a pacifier, in principle need not wash their hands because covering a child or putting a pacifier in his...
View Article06 – Hand Washing Following Daytime Sleep
There is uncertainty regarding what precisely causes the ruach ra’ah to linger on one’s hands. Is it the mere state of sleep, when a person’s consciousness abandons him and he is left without the...
View Article05 – The Time to Recite Al Netilat Yadayim
The correct time to recite the “Al netilat yadayim” berachah is immediately after washing and before drying one’s hands. However, the general rule regarding all berachot recited upon the performance...
View Article04 – Ruach Ra’ah Today
According to the Zohar and the kabbalists, one must wash his hands next to his bed in the morning, so as not to prolong the ruach ra’ah upon himself. They also warn not to walk more than four amot...
View Article03 – Ruach Ra’ah (Evil Spirit)
In addition to the reasons we have mentioned, the Chachamim state in the Talmud (Shabbat 108b) that one must be careful that his hands do not touch his mouth, nose, eyes, or ears before washing his...
View Article02 – Hand Washing Concerning One Who Did Not Sleep All Night
Based on what we have learned in the previous halachah (according to the Mishnah Berurah), in the Rashba’s opinion, even a person who did not sleep at night must wash his hands with a berachah in...
View Article01 – Morning Washing
The Chachamim instituted the washing of one’s hands every morning and the recital of the blessing, “Asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al netilat yadayim,” (“…Who has sanctified us with His...
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