Netilat Yadaim | Rabbi Yossi Goldin | January 27th 2026

Nice to see everybody again. Sorry that we missed I missed last week, but I understood it looks like I can see already the source sheet. It looks like you had I had a a wonderful uh replacement and that you were able to continue um talking about um um some of the that we say in the morning. Um so we're going to open up of course this morning first of all with a with tremendous hoda kadoshu um for the return of Ron Villi and um and we we are so happy that we our fela no longer needs to include the return of our of our katuim >> [snorts] >> um at the same time there's still much to be doing for and so um right before we begin our class our shior we davi that our learning should be a rafua to all those who have been affected and injured in this in this war to our Kaleim who are still protecting us, working hard night and day to make sure that we are safe and um and and of course should give guidance to all of our leaders to to make the right decisions uh in protecting all of Israel. >> Okay. >> Mic is >> the mic the mic is muffling. Okay. So, is it better if I'm further away? No. >> What if I talk like this? Is that better or worse? Can't hear me. Okay. Um, I'm not I'm not a mic expert. I'll try this. Let me see if I can uh [panting] Is this better and worse? No. Hello. How's this? >> Okay, let's try. I apologize. Um, okay. So, what we did, we're we're going to pick up from what from our conversation from two weeks ago. Two weeks ago, we had we had been up to uh washing our hands in the morning. Um and what we saw two weeks ago was we saw three reasons that are mentioned as to why we wash our hands in the morning. We noted that the garra there was a garra in braot that that lists the order of what a person should do with it when they wake up in the morning. And what was unusual of that on that list was that there was only one thing that wasn't part of our normal schedule that kazal almost incorporated and commanded us to do and that was the to wash our hands. Now, now washing our hands is so normal for us now that it's like of course we do that. But if you looked at the list, everything else was opening up our eyes, sitting up, standing, walking and and and we'll and we'll we'll get to this when we talk more about instituted different of thanks to correspond to the various things we do in the morning. The one thing that was on that list that wasn't automatic was washing our hands. And that's also why the braha that we make for washing our hands is actually fundamentally different from the other brahot that we make in the morning in that it is a beer coat mitzvah. We noticed we we mentioned a couple of weeks ago that there are three general categories of brahot and this is going to come up a lot over the next few weeks when we discuss the various brahot that we say in the morning. Um but there are three main categories of brahot that we have um in in Judaism. The first is what we would call a birkat mitzvah. A brah that we make before we do a mitzvah. That braha tends to be shorter and very to the point like the and that also includes the phrase because again it's a that we're thanking Hashem that he that he gave us the ability to do this and then there are mitzvot that are called that we make before we benefit from any food that's regular the we make before before we eat before we smell something and the third category is what we call beer coat of praise and thanks. Most of the that we say in the morning are going to fall under that category. The one unique one that that isn't in that category is the of and the act of washing our hands. And we saw three different reasons why we wash our hands in the morning. Um, one of them is what is due to the concept of what's called ruak ra that there is a a spirit an impure spirit and we saw that the source for this comes from the zohar. There was an impure spirit that comes upon us in our bodies in the when we sleep and or it's whether it's only when we sleep or due to the nighttime and therefore every morning and generally when we wake up we have to wash our hands three times in order to get rid of that of that cabalistic uh impure spirit. the other but however would not be a reason to make a braha that would only be the reason why we have to wash our hands as soon as we can why we have to wash three times it's cabalistic to get rid of that spirit there are two other reasons that are mentioned in the rishonim for why we wash our hands and actually say abraha the first we saw was the rush rush was one of the rishonim and he said the reason that we wash our hands in the morning is because of cleanliness we're about to go d we're about to dive into and we have to wash our hands in order to make sure that our hands are clean before we dive into Hashem. Very simple. Excuse me. The rasha, one of the other rishim we saw compares the idea of washing our hands in the morning to something different. He compares it to the cohagadul who would wash his hands before he began the avod that every time a cohen or any cohen would walk into the beta mikdash to be involved in the avod, he had to wash his hands as a way of sanctifying himself. and says the rashba when we wash our hands in the morning the reason we only make a bra in the morning and not another time is because we are sanctifying ourselves we're preparing ourselves for our avodashem of the day similar to the kohhane who would when whenever he prepared for the avod he would wash his hands and we noted that that's a very very uh beautiful and uplifting concept that as we prepare for our day we are we're almost we're almost we're comparable I would say not but comparable to the to the to the cohen in our avoat. We noted last week and now we're going to pick up with this conversation is that these two reasons the rash and the rasha are two different reasons for why we would wash and there are interesting what we would call navkaote practical differences between these two between these reasons. Okay, for example, do I wash my do I make a braha when I wash my hands before other dvenings before and Okay, we know that we're supposed to wash our hands for cleanliness reasons before I den before I dare assuming that throughout the day my hands touched areas that might be unpure. Do I make a bra when I when I wash my hands before and impurity? >> There is a difference. Okay, so you're ask you're pointing out that there's a difference between cleanliness and impurity. You are correct. You are correct. When we talked about impurity earlier with the ru, that was referring to a spiritual impurity. When I talk about cleanliness, I'm referring to actual physical cleanliness. You are correct. There isn't. Is that is that what you mean by the distinction that one's more spiritual in nature and one's more physical in nature? Correct. So, I'm I'm sorry if I'm not being clear. The ruach, which is this spirit, that's a spiritual impurity. And that's why it has to be washed with three with three ways. There's a there's a specific way to get rid of that spirit. When it comes to the rush who talks about cleanliness, I'm referring to physical cleanliness. I'm referring to the fact that our hands got dirty physically and therefore we need to wash our hands before we before we ded. So now getting back to our question the question one question that come one big practical difference between the rush and the rasha would be do I have to make a bra when I wash before and okay according to the rush and in fact the rush does say this explicitly. The rush says according to my theory that the reason I make a bra in the morning is because I'm cleaning my hands before ding. The same thing would be true for that according to the rush if you if you wash your hands before you dare maybe you should you should make a that's what the rush says. The rashba in contrast who understands the reason why we wash our hands is because it's a new day and and we begin our day by raising ourselves preparing ourselves for a day's work of avodashem that would only apply in the morning. That's one type of one type of nkamina. Another practical case that would be interesting to consider is what happens if somebody is up all night. I didn't go to sleep, right? Shu this morning is probably the most practical case. Okay. or we're we're entering Super Bowl season for those of us who are still living in Israel and still have the bug to watch the Super Bowl. Okay, it's going to be the middle of the night and you want and you decide you're going to be most nephish to watch the Super Bowl and you're going to be up all night. What do you do that morning? Do you when you wash when if you wash your hands, let's assume you wash your hands before do you make a braha on that washing according to the rajba that it's about starting a new day. You could argue well the new day started. Maybe I should wash my hands as I begin my day preparing for a tashem. But if I didn't go to sleep, then there's no then maybe I didn't my hands didn't touch anything that was impure. And therefore, according to the rush, maybe I wouldn't have to wash my hands. Or what if I go to sleep during the day? I take a nap and I wash my hands. Should I make a braha on that? According to the rush that it's about cleanliness, whenever I sleep, my hands probably touched areas that weren't unclean. Maybe I should make a braha. According to the rash, it's about a new day. The new day didn't start. I took a nap in the middle of the day. So again, we see that there are a number of practical differences between these two opinions. The general approach and I want what I want to do is actually want to see what we do in each of those scenarios because I think they're very practical scenarios. I want to go through that. But the general approach is as follows. The general approach is is that when we're not sure, we have a case where one reason applies. Let's say the reason of the rush applies or the reason of the rash applies and the other one doesn't. Misa fake in doubt we will wash our hands meaning let's say I have a case where it's only the issue of you know physical uncleanliness applies I'll wash my hands or if it's a new day I'll wash my hands however the general rule is going to be when it comes to making a bra we won't make a braha why won't we make a bra because when it comes to we have a general rule called safikot if there is a suffic whether or not to make a brah again this is a general rule out of concern that we don't want to say Hashem's name in vain. We'll do the action. We'll wash our hands, but we won't make the because we don't want to say if we're not sure if we're supposed to. And again, that comes from a desire to be very careful. And it also it's also a lesson for us in terms of how we talk and the things we say that even a braha which is meant to thank Hashem, we're very careful and we don't say it if we're not sure that we should be saying it. Yes. [snorts] >> In both cases, do we have du? >> Ah, excellent, excellent question. The question is in all of those cases should you wash three times? So it's it's it's a good question. I wasn't going to get into all of that. The answer the answer is we generally do. Okay. Now that also has to do but but again the washing three times is more an issue of the third reason of uh the first the f sorry the first reason you're correct the first reason I mentioned today which is that it's about the spirit. Meaning if we didn't have we probably would either just wash our hands once just to get rid of the cleanliness or just to begin the the kohanim didn't wash their hands three times. If you've ever watched or any kohanim here when they wash before beer cut kuhan they were just they would just wash their hands once that was what you would do to prepare for the or to get rid of cleanliness or to to help clean your hands the three times was because of so the the answer is that in all of these cases there's a suffic whether or not like let's say I sleep during the day is that does happen or let's say the night I don't sleep at night but the night but the night but the new day begins there too we generally will wash our hands three times because we're not sure if there's ifra applies So the answer is we wash our hands, we wash it three times, but we won't as a general rule say say the braha. Okay. What I'd like to do now is go through each of these examples, these examples, these practical differences and see how the postkim deal with it because I outlined it in general, but I want to see it want to see it inside. So the first thing I want to see with you is if you look in source number one, the Mishnaba the Mishnaba on the conversation on the shar discusses the idea of washing our hands in the morning. So the Mishna Bru just quotes the following. He says alim there are two reasons why we wash our hands in the morning and he's referring to the rush and the rashba. Either because we want to clean our hands from anything unclean that we touched or because we're preparing ourselves for the morning for a day of I didn't bring that for us now because we saw that last week. Then he says like both reasons meaning if only one applies and the other doesn't he says when it comes to washing if we're not sure if I should wash or not if only one of the two reasons applies I wash because we're we're stringent for both reasons now he doesn't mention what to do about making but he at least says and this is what I just wanted you to see inside that if if one reason applies and the other doesn't we do we do wash our hands. Okay. Now let's go through each of these and see what what what it says. Look the first one I want to discuss is the question of should I wash my hands with a bra before ma and before. So as we mentioned according to the rush the rush himself and by the way the Rambam says this as well. He says yes. The rush says based on my idea that the reason you wash your hands in the morning is because you're getting ready for davening. Anytime you get ready for davining throughout the day you should wash and make a braha. That's the rush says. We saw that last what two weeks ago and the Ram says it as well. However, the Rashba who says it's all about beginning your day and that's why we make the he would say you shouldn't make a how do we look at the in source number two. This is again talking about preparing for for don he says you should wash your hands with water. Oh sorry if you have if you don't have water you should try to find there is a certain distance that you're meant to travel para is a distance that you're meant to travel to find try to get water in order to wash your hands before dvitting. Okay, so this is practically important for us. A person who's about to dit assuming that some time has elapsed since the last time you d like if you dare and there's only 5 minutes and you know that your hands didn't touch anything. You don't have to wash before. But if some time has passed, you should wash your hands as a way of cleaning them. Let's say you can't find water and is coming. So you can use something else to clean your hands. Here he talks about using a a rock or dirt. I'm not really sure how you can use dirt to clean your hands, but I think he's referring to different materials. Nowadays, some people are talking about wood as being something that you can do that there's a way to kind of just clean your hands by by by by rubbing against some kind of material or he says anything else that will clean it. So what he's what he's pointing out is it doesn't have to be water. Anything that will clean your hands for daving is what you should use. Um if you don't have if you don't have water open he said if you haven't got no water you can wash your hands using Sprite but he must have used cola. >> Oh so that [laughter] that's very specific. What would he say? What would he say about Mountain Dew? I don't know. Okay. But uh it's a good question. Um I there is the idea that when it comes to when it comes to again we generally this is getting a little bit off topic but generally we talk about what materials you should use for washing like forget about sprite versus cola what if you have dirty water or water that's discolored okay so the general we generally try to follow the approach when it comes to water looking for water is you should find water that whatever would be good for washing your hands before before having bread which is considered to be something that looks like water that's that that's the general approach that's what he was saying um now if you don't have that for when if you can't find that so for washing hands for bread, you're stuck. Meaning or you can there's there's other way that that's totally different conversation. But but but but here since it's all about cleanliness, if there's another that's why we're saying like you can't use wood or something else to wash your hands for eating bread. But since here because for for bread, it it was it's it's not just about cleanliness. It's about keeping to a certain level of spiritual purity before you eat bread for a totally different reason. I don't want to get into the details now, but when it comes to washing before before domining, since that's technically about cleanliness, if there's another way to clean your hands, then then that's that's what you can use. So, the answer is also yes, it would be the we ideally want to use whatever you could use for washing your hands before bread. But if you can't, then anything that's considered to clean your hands, even a little bit, whatever you can do is considered to be to be good. Okay? So, I've I've seen the idea that if you wipe if you don't if you don't have something else, you can wipe your hands on on wood or something like that. that is considered to be a way to at least clean your hands. Yes. >> Ah, you said you saying you're saying the reason why they say wood is because the wood used to absorb absorb water and therefore it had it had some it had something something in it. Okay, that could be that could be. I'm not sure. Yes. >> Soldiers were over there. [snorts] >> Sure. Of course. >> Holy. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> Yes. No. Absolutely. We're talking we're talking in the in the world of ideals when a person is in war or a person is in situations things things are are certainly very very different and there are different levels whatever you can do or use much less water or you use a tiny bit of water whatever you know or you clean in cleanse in a different ways absolutely there's no question we're talking about when the is talking about cases of ideal and then there's and then there's you know situations where things are more limited yes >> washing your not washing your hands at all like eating your bread wrapped in the Yes. So, so that that's a good question. I didn't want to get into that cuz that there is there is this idea that if you if you're talking about specifically eating bread that maybe if you don't touch the bread that maybe you won't need to. Um I haven't looked into that till meaning to to that that that is a solution. How ideal that solution is is a question. Meaning there are some people who rush to just say oh it's okay I can just do that. Whereas well meaning as opposed to we see here that in many cases if you if you can travel a few minutes to get water then you really you really should as opposed to just relying on that. But I think in cases where you have no no other solution that is the solution that is that that is that is mentioned. Yes. >> One of the thoughts I have is seems to me it would almost be better to have a washing the lips as opposed to >> Okay. The question you're asking is why your hands? We'll get to that towards the end today. We we did discuss a little bit last week but we'll get to that as well. Okay. what he suggesting was that maybe a person should wash out wash out their mouth, wash their lips before ding and I I think I think there's something very meaningful about what you're suggesting. Um but at the same time is hands. We're going to get to that a little bit hopefully hopefully towards the end of today. [laughter] Okay. So look at the continues to in in source number two. What happens if you wash your hands in the morning and then you kind of went about your day? Then if if you go in, you have to then wash again. That's what we were just saying. Meaning if you went about your day and you had a break between shak and your next you need to wash again. Even though you don't know that your hands touch something dirty, the assumption is that as a person goes out their day, they're touching various things around. But then says very clearly the min is when it comes to justing that isn't in the morning we don't make the again what's the reason the logic is as we discussed we're only washing to follow the opinion of the rush and because it's a saf we don't make let's say you don't have water you don't have any water anywhere you don't have to wash wash again because again this is only for cleanliness if you don't have that option you and still ding. It's just more a case where we're assuming you're dirty. So ideal is to do that. Continues the in the in the smaller print. Let's say you know your hands were dirty. Maybe I should make a just highlights for us that the min is when it's for and even if you know your hands were dirty and you're washing it because it's necessary. Nevertheless, we don't we don't make a bra. Because always being told that >> ah you mean in terms for for specifically >> you can't it's a it's a thing washing your hand you can't wash your hands when they're dirty. >> Ah no so they so so when it comes specifically to doing specifically for dominating you're washing your hands out of the phys because of the physical and therefore you don't have to wash again and then wash again. Yes. Yeah. Okay. I think soap is needed. It's not needed. >> Soap is not fundamentally needed. Again, I think this I think I'll leave that up to you. Meaning meaning everyone can decide how dirty their hands are. Halically once you put water on your hands, you have absolved the issue of again the dirt or the on the cleanliness on your hands. If you're coming from out from the fields and your hands are full of dirt and this and that, then that's certainly, you know, maybe out of out of other reasons you want to make sure that your hands. But when it comes from the perspective, it's just about water. Now again if you know your hands are particularly dirty it's not then you should do more than that but hakically it's just the reason you're washing your hands is for the is for is for is is for the physical. Okay the next the next case I want to discuss is what about somebody who stays up all night. Somebody stays up all night shoo night or as we mentioned the Super Bowl or whatever other reason you are you're working American hours. I don't know various reasons why people here in might stay up might stay up all night. [snorts] Okay. So do you so a do you wash your hands which we we're going to see that you do. The question is, do you do you make a look at the in source number three? Let's say you were up all night. It's a suffic whether or not you should wash your hands at all. Why? Again, getting back to our understanding according to the rash that this is about beginning your day and preparing your day, your avodatem with washing. So this is a new day and therefore you should wash your hands. But according to the rush that it's about just about cleanliness and you're up you didn't sleep maybe you would not need to wash your hands right now with a bra or wash your hands at all even and therefore says it is a saf and you should wash your hands without a bra. Again based on this logic that we're not sure whether or not you really should be washing your hands and therefore mis fake you should not wash your hands. And by the way the same thing is also regarding the ru which is this other reason that we had mentioned does apply to somebody who didn't sleep but the day but but it's a new day. It's an interesting question. It's a saf we wash our hands three times just in case does apply but again we don't make the braha. Now the the the Mishnabah if you look at source number four the first section section of cuff Zion the Mishnabah says what if you slept a little bit what if you just slept just a little bit is that what's called a little bit excellence let's see says the says says the Mishnab if you slept a little bit then everybody agrees you should wash your hands and we're going to see that That would also mean since everyone's agreeing that you should wash that would also mean that you should wash with but that only means if you actually slept in bed. Okay. Those of us who take a you know put our heads down like this on the on the beimma in the middle of shuous night for a little bit wouldn't necessarily at least according to the mission is saying be considered be considered a asleep. Because if you slept in bed, the assumption is your hands moved about. Okay. Now, he doesn't say an amount. Okay. I think the general understanding is something like a half hour is considered to be substantial, but um he doesn't specify. But he says, "We assume that your hands touched things that were that were that were that were impure. But if you only slept like a what we call a non official sleep like a you know a small I don't know a dribble if you will that's my zi used to say like you know noded on and off type of a thing then that would be as if you didn't sleep. So somebody who did sleep a little bit that would be reason for you to wash your hands wash three times and make a braha because you're considered to have as long as you had a real sleep as opposed to a you know a small what we call shat arai. Now again he doesn't define what those are. Um and it's a little bit tricky but I think generally we assume something about a as a half hour in in bed. Yes. [snorts] >> You sleep in for a little >> so I think an airplane is different. I think an airplane again I don't know I don't know but my I would think that an airplane is is a place where you know it's it's your sleep you're like you're going to sleep you understand what I mean meaning let's say let's say again I don't know a person sleeps on a bench that isn't really their normal bed you're still you're going to sleep on an airplane usually it's it's it's it's where you're sleeping it's where you're you know it's where you are so I would consider I would think that that would be assuming you fell asleep I would think that that would be considerable asleep okay so what comes out so far is what we what we have been saying which is you wash your hands in this case but you don't make a braha comes the Mishna Bura in source in in in uh in in in source 4 section lammed and he actually questions this he says there's actually a different solution you can do okay we're in the third paragraph on source number four there are some people who argue on the Rama and say even In this case where you were up all night, you should make and some agree with him. Let's say you went to the bathroom, says the Rama, I have a solution. You're not sure whether you should make a bra. Here's what I would suggest, says the Rama. The reason we're not making the braha is because your hands might not have gotten dirty. So says the Rama, go to the bathroom. What happens when you go to the bathroom? Your hands get dirty. And then even the rush who said the only reason we make a braha in the morning is because our hands got dirty. Now my hands are dirty. In which case you have to wash your hands according to all opinions and then you can make a braha. And that's the opinion of the Rama and that seems to be the opinion that that Ashkinazim holds. >> Yes, like you like we do most mornings meaning says the Rama if I am up all night. Okay. Okay. Now again this doesn't apply to all of this only going to apply to if I am up all night and then in the morning let's say I'm up at night and then in the morning at once morning comes I go to the bathroom as a part of my preparation for dening I can now make the of and the of aar because I went to the bar and that we'll talk about in coming weeks because it's a beautiful braha. We'll talk about that soon. We'll talk about that soon as well because I want to get to what what what when do we do onata in terms of our general day. We'll get to that. We'll get to that first. I my understanding is you you would say on I would say first. That's my that's my understanding. But I'll talk about that. Okay. But why why am I allowed to do this? Because in this case the rash according to the rash it's a new day and according to the rash my hands are dirty because I went to the bathroom and therefore I make the braha in the morning. So even though I didn't sleep says the says the I make the and that is the general is even if you're up all night if you go to the bathroom then you should say both noward again because this is this is a solution of the bur even though it makes a lot of sense to me the spartim don't necessarily follow this many spartim will not make a in the morning if they did not sleep all night now one other option is you can do is hear the braha from somebody who did sleep and say amen and have in mind that they're going to be that that that you're being y with their braha. That's a solution that exists in all cases where you can't make a braha. Okay. So that's what that's what comes out. Now let let's let's go to one other one other case. What about sleeping during the day? Look back in source number three. Source number three inv the second paragraph in source three. If you slept during the day, there is a safety. It's a question whether or not you need to pour water three times. Now, what's what's the reason that it's a fake? Cuz again, number one, on the one hand, my hands got dirty, but it's not a new day. Also, regarding regarding the the impure spirit, does that happen anytime I sleep or only during the night time? So, misake because we're not sure. What do we do? We wash three times when we wake up from a nap. We do wash but we don't say and that is our and that is excuse me that is the okay. So in summary what we've seen is is that when it comes to other like we wash our hands without a bra. When it comes to napping during the day we wash our hands three times without a bra. When it if you stay up all night then according to the they would not make a of butaz that if you go to the bathroom you would make and you would say as if you had slept yes when you wake up from your nap do you do like you do [snorts] two and two or do you negle >> I think you would do because again because out of the suffic whether or not it's applies just in case we do it the way that we we're getting rid of the which The way that you do that is negaser which means three times. >> The little cups they give you in lal. >> The little cups they give you in lal. So yes. So so the ideal it's it's interesting. I mean some people I mean I I actually carry a bit a bit of a bigger cup with me or you just try to do the best that you can with what you have one one hand at a time. With those little cups they can sometimes at least cover one hand. Okay. Now let's [snorts] get to the next question and this is a question that has been asked that that we were that we're going to get to which is more practical for us is when do I make now in a regular morning a regular morning we've talked about the fact that we make the when do I make this meaning what is the order of the morning many of you have been asking this okay we talked about when you wake up in the morning you say you can't say anything else besides moani why not because you didn't wash your hands and as we just talked about you have to wash your hands before you say shashem before you do anything and we also want to rush to wash our hands because there's a there's an impure spirit on our hands. Okay. How does it work after that? What do I do in the next? So there's there's there's an interesting when do I when for example when do I make the so there are two main opinions that are mentioned in the postcript. One approach which is I think the more seems to me to me to be the more logical approach would be you make right after you wash your hands. Okay, the problem there might be a technical point which is that when you wash your hands, you might have to go to the bathroom. So perhaps you should go to the bathroom first and then and then make right after. We'll get to that in one minute. The other approach is no, you don't make during the morning when you first wake up at all. Rather you say when you get to shul together with the rest of the that a person says in shakar there are some people we'll see this in the in the as well who say no is meant to be said in shul together with all of the other that we say in the morning just out of curiosity does anyone have that nug here I'm just curious everyone else raise your hand if you usually do it right away in the morning or as soon as you can in the Raise your hand if you do it usually together with the rest of your braot. Just out of curiosity. Okay. No, we'll see right now that that that you guys should work. I'm just kidding. [laughter] But we'll see right now both are valid and both are hagim that are that are if you look look at the in source number five again. Now I want to even just highlight part of this question is actually connected to to the reason for why you wash your hands. For example, according to the rush that the reason I'm washing my hands is that I'm preparing my hands before davening. When would it make most logic to to say the braha before you do it? Okay. It could be I washed earlier because and I wanted to get rid of the and therefore but maybe I should say the braha closer to dvening. According to the rash that it's about beginning your day with excitement. When should you make the braha? The first thing in the morning. Okay. So already this question might depend on the reason why we're making the bra on this washing to begin with. Okay. Look at the in source number five. There are some people who wait to make the until they come to by the way that means either you come to or if you're diving at home until they dive in the rest of the and they say them together with the rest of the because as we're going to see okay the we say they used to be said as a person sat up and as a person walked and then andal then instituted to say it altogether in says that's what some people do with as well and then he adds that the people people of didn't do this comes the rama in the parenthesis and says One thing for sure says the don't say it twice. One thing you definitely shouldn't do is say the when you first wash and then also say it in in in okay one or the other. >> Sorry. I'm sorry. >> Before you wash >> Yes. Yes. The question is I thought she said I thought you couldn't touch any area of your body until you sanction. And that that's actually not true. It's you shouldn't touch any area of your body until you wash. That's because of once you wash everybody agrees. Sorry, let me clarify. Everybody agrees that we're washing our hands right away. The question is when do I say the braha is the bra said right now again to some of us this sounds strange because usually when do we say a braha especially a birkat mitzvah? Number one we usually say it before. We'll get to why we do that after. Even if you're going to do it after, usually you do it right away. Okay? And in fact, that's what the Mishnaba here says. Says the Mishnab, look at if you look in the Mishnaba in the second paragraph of the Mishnab the general agreement of the is to follow the which is not which is to make the right away. because you don't because the ideal is not to have a separation between the act of washing and the braha you're making right normally we wash our hands for we make the braha we wash and then we make the braha [snorts] so says the says the mishnab the reason why some people say you should say it right away is because you don't want to have a break between one and the other and therefore and then again we're not going to see that all of this all of this inside but that is the main logic for those who say that you should make the braha right away. Okay. But there is a whole other thought which is just like the just like the shakar we we say them together in shul. So too be part of that of that list. That's the those are the two opinions. And it's important to know again just because of time. We're not going to see these all inside but the Mishnaba mentions both schools of thought and they're both considered to be legitimate. They're both it's it's a lot of this has to do with more I guess minhug or what seems to be the most appropriate to you or the minug of what you were taught. Both of them are considered to be totally okay. Yes. >> Go [snorts] ahead. >> So it's it's a yes. So the question that's being asked is if you look at the sitter it has anatar. I I haven't done this as as an actual study but I would I wouldn't be surprised if you look and find that seder have it in different places. I know that's true for sure about beerotra. I was asking was doing his parting even though >> so I think everyone so that's a good question I think well we'll get we'll get to Ashar in more detail but I think that that when it comes to Asheratsar that I think both schools of thought exist I think that there are some who will say no you say ashar together with the rest of your or do you say it immediately after you go to the bathroom the same idea correct correct and I wouldn't be surprised if there are some that that put it that that put it that that fo that the sided have varied understandings of what you should do in the morning. It's very interesting to see like I was looking at let's say the a sheilo sitter that I grew up with and then for those who remember the shilo sitter the blue sitter that I grew up with when I was a kid and then you have the art scroll became like the standard. Interestingly enough, we mentioned this when it comes to the pukim you say after modani. There are like so many different opinions as to what you're supposed to say after after modi. And the same thing is regarding this. There are various different different opinions. >> You should you should wash every time you go to the bathroom. When it comes to ashar that you're that you're doing in the morning, it could be that that should be said for the same reason that is usually said right after you do it. But it could be that specifically in the morning just like all those other braot are said together there there are those who believe that these should also be said together that basically you wash your hands you go to the bathroom and then when you're ready to begin doing you say all these it's all part of that of that process it is different than what we normally do normally when I wash hands I I make the braha right away normally when I go to the bathroom I make the braha right away but maybe in the warning it's it should be combined with these other br that anyway we've pushed off to the beginning of domining those are the two main approaches now just I will just mention mention personally I mean I saw I saw a few different safers I saw I was also looking at is which is another regarding that it seems to me and also just based on on on the poll that we did that the more mainstream approach is that you say right after Do you wash? So the so the order would be as follows. I'm just explaining my personal how I understand it which would be I would say modi in the morning. I would then go wash my hands. Now I wash my hands three times to get rid of the generally I wash my hands also in the bathroom and I have to go to the bathroom and there's a hikic issue with saying a bra if you have to go to the bathroom as most of us have to do in the morning. So I would then go to the bathroom. I would then wash my hands again after going to the bathroom, not necessarily three times because I got rid of the but rather just for cleanliness reasons after having gone to the bathroom. I'll step out of my bathroom. I will say which is the I that I say after Modani but I couldn't say when my hands were dirt when my hands were dirty. I will say and then I will say okay all of those happening right within a minute of having gone to the bathroom and having washed my hands. That is my understanding of the order. There are different opinions about this but that is seems to be the order based on what I saw amongst the postkim amongst the postgame as well. Okay. to you. You say modi, you wash your hands to get rid of the which is three times. Go to the bathroom, wash your hands again for cleanliness reasons. Then or whatever you would say after and then by the way I'll add we'll get to this as well. I also say because there is a that you should add that elk should be connected to aar. Okay, that's the that's the general again I know that there are different other sheto about this uh but that's yes that's last last point last question >> some have ball and and the cup right next to the [snorts] so they don't even go to the bar >> okay yes we we discussed that two weeks ago when we discussed more of that the answer is is that the source for that is also in the zohar connected to that you shouldn't travel a certain amount of time what we saw was that um nowadays the minhug is it's not as of there are many do who do it. The reason why many people don't the idea was you shouldn't walk for without having without having washed your hands. The reason why many are lenient about this is for two reasons. Number one, some considerably your home to all be form because there's another you shouldn't walk around without a keepa for a certain amount of distance. Some post say that your house is considered within dalmote and therefore walking to your sink is okay. Another reason which we saw in Malamid and others is that there's a whole question a cabalistic question regarding whether or not the is on the same level that it was. There's a whole tradition that has been passed down to the of the that that which is the cabalistic reason we do this is not as severe as it used to be and therefore we don't have to be mockbid specifically about that. We should still follow the gurra which is to wash your hands but not necessarily the idea of not not walking for amat. Okay. Now one two I want to do two other things. One question is just to to talk about something which was raised which was why is it that we make the afterwards and not and not before. Okay. The general rule for a mitzvah is whenever you do the mitzvah you make the brah before the mitzvah that's known in asan usually when I make when I'm about to do a mitzvah I make the braha then I do the mitzvah before I shake the lulv I make the braha. Before I put on my fillin I make the braha. Before I sit in the suka, although you're sitting in the before I do the act of le basuka, I make I make the braha. Before I eat the matzah, I make the braha on matzah. Why is it that when it comes to washing our hands always, not just now, but also when we wash our hands for for bread, we make the braha after. Okay. Now, those of you who are thinking about it may realize that that that there's a practical reason. And by the way, the root of this comes from the actual the logic of this comes from the actually from the experience of a g when a convert goes into the mikvah before the as as part of their conversion process. The garra has a whole conversation when should they make the braha of alat before or after? And the gammorra obviously concludes that you have to make the braha after. Why does they have to make the braha after? Because beforehand they're not Jewish and therefore they're not yet they haven't completed the conversion process. So the same idea but in a similar way is the reason why you're washing your hands is because your hands are dirty or in the morning it's because your hands are dirty and therefore you can't practically make the braha beforehand. You have to make the braha after because once your hands are clean that is when you can make the braha and that is why is always made afterwards even though it's going against the general rule of mitzvah. Okay, that's in source number seven mentions that two points I want to just mention before we finish. Number one, someone had asked are women obligated? This is someone had asked this a couple weeks ago. Are women obligated in washing their hands with what about children? So, so the answer is yes, women are certainly obligated certainly when it comes to the ru uh issue. There's a they certainly have to especially and and this is the in source number eight. We'll see it inside very briefly. we have to tell women that they have to be careful about washing their hands three three times alternately just like men certainly if we're talking about women who are preparing the food we want to make sure that the is removed interestingly enough talked about the following situation what about you have a woman who isn't dinging okay right we've discussed women's obligation to dav in and whether she should or she shouldn't certainly during certain part times of a woman's uh there is a reason for her not to dish or she's ding only a little bit but not saying so then the bamin mentioned that there are some who say that if according to the rush the reason why you wash with the braha is because you're preparing for ding what if she's not going to din maybe she shouldn't make the braha so he mentions that but then he notes that the minhug is first of all most women will say some form of shakra but he notes the min is as women as well should make sure to uh to wash to wash their hands with in the morning. Um and that's and that is and that is the mid when it comes to children as well. Um we should we certainly should ideally encourage the women talks about this in more detail. Um again because of time I'm not going to see it inside now but he basically says that any children in source number nine any children that are any children that have reached the age of should ideally uh should ideally wash their hands both for purposes and also to in involve them in the mitz in the mitzvah. The last thing I want to just do is spend two make two comments regarding the text of the bra. Okay, it's a very short text. So there's not much to talk about, right? That will talk about maybe the actual text of a regular there's a lot to talk about the text of a bra in general. But is seems pretty simple. Okay. Well, however, there's actually a lot that we can learn from because number one, some of the rishonin point out and this auds out in source number 10, what about this word? What does what does le usually mean in in Hebrew? So it usually it means to take to take. Why does niti but however where did become the phrase to refer to washing our hands? It actually starts in the garra. The gumar refers to this concept of nitia. Why is it called? So the avu in source number 10 suggests that maybe it's because the name of the cup that we use is called ala. Anatla is what you use to do it. And therefore because it's used that therefore it it's what we call it. Now which one came first the name of the cup or the they act it's a good question I don't know but he seems to assume that but then he suggests the following he says but the word also at its core if you look at means to raise to raise up to raise up not just to take but to raise up that's all there's also that when you wash your hands you're supposed to pick up your hands to make sure that the water doesn't the water that is tame doesn't go on doesn't doesn't come on your hands and make you tame again perhaps now again there's different there's I'm not sure exactly what he means but maybe what he's suggesting thing is that the word is specific because we're not just cleaning our hands. We're lifting our hands up. We're lifting ourselves up. This act of dive is not just simply an act where I'm trying to remove but I am raising myself up similar to the model of the I am preparing myself for a day of similar to the when I say the not which are other words we could have used implies raising up because we are doing an act of raising ourselves up through this act of of of the last comment I want to make is why this you asked before Why? Why our hands? Why not other parts of our body? So, there are two reasons we saw well, one reason we saw two weeks ago and then one other that I want to add. One reason we saw from Raame two weeks ago is because our hands are the most active parts of our body. They're the way that we physically interact with the world, which also means they're they're the parts of our body that are most likely to become tame. And therefore, when we're raising ourselves up, they become the point of focus in terms of trying to purify ourselves. But the Maharal has another suggestion. I didn't bring it for you here. The maral points out that when a person raises raises his hands up his hands become the highest point of his body. They are the beginning of your body. And therefore when it comes to purifying yourself purification begins at the top begins at the beginning. We choose the part of our body that is the highest that is the beginning of our body. Even though our head is when we have the ability to raise our hands which means our hands represent the beginning of our body. And specifically our hands are what we choose because when it comes to kusha when it comes to trying to purify ourselves everything begins with how you start. Everything begins I think that fits in with how we start our day. We wash our hands to begin our day. We begin. So what we see here is that the act of if we take this what we're saying the idea of of raising up our hands is about recognizing that purification and kadusha and holiness and purity begin in the morning. We begin our day not just with modani and thanking hashem. The first act that we do after that is we wash our hands to show we are about to begin a day of avodatem. Raising ourselves up both physically and spiritually as we begin a day full of avoat. Um I'm going to end and I'm happy to take their question privately. Um wishing everybody a wonderful wonderful week to